Facebook Tests Reels-First Experience in India, Sending Users Directly Into Full-Screen Video

Meta began testing a new Facebook interface in India in 2026 that opens the app directly into full-screen video, placing Reels at the forefront of the user experience rather than the traditional feed.

Facebook head Tom Alison first outlined the test in July, describing it as a more immersive, video-forward experience. He said at the time that Meta planned to roll it out later in the year in “video-heavy countries” outside the U.S., without naming specific markets. Alison also said the company would explore bringing the experience to the U.S. the following year.

Users included in the test can opt out and return to a feed-first layout. The classic feed will remain accessible as a second tab within the app.

The test reflects Meta’s broader push to make video central to Facebook. Last year, the company announced that all new videos posted to Facebook would be shared as Reels regardless of length or format, and it renamed the app’s Video tab to “Reels.” Meta has previously reported that young adults spend about 60% of their time on Facebook watching videos.

India has served as a testing ground for Meta’s video efforts before. Instagram began testing a dedicated Reels tab there in 2020, months after India banned TikTok. Meta also tested a Reels-first experience for some Instagram users in India and South Korea last year, using a similar approach of launching directly into video.

The latest test coincides with rising video consumption across Meta’s platforms in India. According to figures Meta released in June, at least 97% of users surveyed in Meta-commissioned studies said they watch video on its platforms daily, and 89% of Gen Z respondents said they use Reels every day. Meta has described Reels as increasingly becoming India’s “personal and primary screen.”

India is Facebook’s largest market by users, with Meta’s advertising tools indicating an audience of more than 400 million people in the country.