Instagram brings creator videos to the TV screen

Instagram is pushing creator-led content further into the living room by launching Reels on Amazon Fire devices. The move reflects a broader shift in how creator content is being distributed and consumed, with platforms looking beyond mobile feeds to mainstream television as competition for user attention increases.

The rollout, announced this week, makes Instagram available on Amazon Fire TV devices in the US. Creator videos are organised into interest-based channels such as music, sports, travel and trending content, with clips playing consecutively in a full-screen, sound-on format without the need to scroll.

Meta said the TV app is designed for shared viewing and mirrors the core Reels experience, extending Instagram’s creator content beyond mobile feeds and into connected TV environments. Announcing the launch on LinkedIn, Carlos Pereira, Meta’s head of governance and policy, said the company is focused on how creator video translates to the big screen.

“Watching reels together is more fun,” Pereira said. “This test is designed to learn which features make that experience work best on TV."

Instagram is the latest platform to expand creator video into the connected TV market, where YouTube has already established a dominant presence. YouTube has consistently ranked as one of the most-watched platforms on television screens in the US, driven largely by creator-led content rather than traditional broadcast programming.

As The Daily Influence has previously reported, the spread of social video onto TV screens has coincided with changing audience behaviour. Influencer content is no longer confined to younger viewers, with some of the fastest growth now coming from older audiences adopting smart TVs and connected devices as part of everyday viewing.

Streaming platforms have also moved to position creators more centrally within their content strategies. Netflix has increasingly commissioned programming built around digital-first talent as it competes more directly with YouTube for time spent on screens.

For Meta, the Fire TV launch places Instagram’s creator ecosystem alongside traditional media, widening how Reels are discovered and consumed. Pereira said the company is exploring additional functionality over time, including phone-based controls, new ways to browse channels and tools to help viewers keep up with creators across devices.

Instagram for TV is currently available in the US on Amazon Fire TV devices, with plans to expand to additional markets and hardware in future.