Social media platforms have changed dramatically over the past decade. What started primarily as text-based status updates gradually evolved into a multimedia experience dominated by photos, videos, Stories and, more recently, short-form video. Now, Meta appears to be taking another significant step with Facebook by testing a Reels-first experience.
According to reports, some Facebook users in India are being shown a video-focused interface when they open the app. Instead of immediately seeing the traditional Facebook Feed, these users are taken directly to a full-screen Reels experience.
The change could represent one of the biggest interface shifts Facebook has made in recent years. While the traditional Feed remains available, Meta is increasingly positioning short-form video at the centre of the Facebook experience.
What Is the Facebook Reels-First Experience?
The Facebook Reels-first experience is a new interface being tested by Meta that puts short-form video content ahead of the traditional Facebook Feed.
Historically, opening Facebook meant arriving at a Feed containing a mixture of posts from friends, groups, pages, businesses, photos, links and videos. Under the new approach, selected users can instead enter a full-screen video environment immediately after launching the app.
This does not mean that Facebook is eliminating its traditional Feed. The reports surrounding the test indicate that users can still access the classic experience and, in some cases, opt out of the Reels-first interface.
Facebook Reels First: What Is Changing?
| Traditional Facebook | Reels-First Experience |
|---|---|
| Feed appears when the app opens | Video content appears first |
| Mixed content format | Primarily immersive video |
| Posts, links, photos and videos compete for attention | Short-form videos receive greater prominence |
| Feed-first navigation | Video-first navigation |
| Traditional scrolling experience | Full-screen video consumption |
Why Is Meta Putting Reels at the Center of Facebook?
The move is part of a broader change in how people consume content online. Short-form video has become one of the most engaging formats across social media, particularly among younger audiences.
Platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and YouTube have demonstrated the ability of algorithmically recommended vertical videos to keep users watching for extended periods.
Meta has already adopted this model heavily through Instagram Reels. Facebook increasingly appears to be following the same direction.
For Meta, a stronger emphasis on Reels could provide several advantages. More video consumption means more opportunities for advertising, creator monetization, product discovery and social commerce.
Facebook Reels-First Experience Is Being Tested in India
The new Facebook interface is reportedly being tested with users in India. This is an important market for Meta because video consumption is particularly strong among Indian internet users.
The reported test gives selected users a video-first experience when they open Facebook. Instead of starting with the conventional Feed, the app takes them directly into Reels.
However, the traditional Facebook experience has not disappeared. Users participating in the experiment can reportedly return to a Feed-first interface, while the classic Feed remains accessible through the app’s navigation.
Meta Had Already Announced Plans for a More Video-Focused Facebook
The Reels-first experiment should not come as a complete surprise. Meta had previously signaled that Facebook would become increasingly focused on video.
Tom Alison, head of Facebook, explained that users are increasingly looking for immersive and visual experiences where video plays a central role in conversations, communities and commerce.
Meta also indicated that it planned to test a redesigned experience in which certain users would see full-screen video immediately after opening Facebook.
An important part of the strategy is that the company does not appear to be completely abandoning the traditional Feed. Instead, Meta is experimenting with giving users more control over which experience they prefer.
Why India Is an Important Market for Facebook Reels
India has become one of the most important markets for Meta’s video strategy. The company’s own research has highlighted the popularity of video among people using its platforms in the country.
These figures help explain why India is a logical market for testing a Reels-first Facebook interface.
The country has also played an important role in the development of Meta’s short-form video strategy. Instagram began testing a dedicated Reels experience in India in 2020, shortly after TikTok was banned in the country.
India therefore provides Meta with a large and highly active audience for experimenting with new video-focused social media experiences.
Facebook Has Already Been Moving Toward Reels
The latest experiment is part of a much larger transformation.
In 2025, Meta announced changes to how videos are published on Facebook. Videos uploaded to the platform were increasingly treated as Reels, regardless of whether they were short or longer-form content.
Facebook also renamed its Video tab to Reels, providing another indication that Meta wants to consolidate video consumption around its Reels format.
Meta increases its focus on short-form video in India following TikTok’s removal from the market.
Facebook moves toward publishing videos as Reels regardless of their length or original format.
The naming change further emphasizes the importance of short-form video on Facebook.
Selected users in India reportedly begin seeing a video-first experience when opening Facebook.
Is Facebook Becoming More Like TikTok?
One obvious question is whether Facebook is becoming more like TikTok.
In terms of content consumption, there are certainly similarities. A Reels-first Facebook experience places algorithmically recommended videos directly in front of users and encourages continuous vertical scrolling.
However, Facebook still has a much broader ecosystem. Groups, friends, communities, Marketplace, Pages, events and traditional posts remain important components of the platform.
The more likely scenario is that Meta is combining the social graph and features that made Facebook successful with the highly engaging video consumption model popularized by TikTok.
What Does This Mean for Facebook Creators?
A stronger focus on Reels could be particularly important for Facebook creators.
If video receives more prominent placement inside the Facebook app, creators who produce short-form vertical content could potentially receive greater visibility than those who primarily publish traditional text or image posts.
This could encourage creators to adapt their content strategies around:
- Short vertical videos
- Strong opening hooks
- Captions and on-screen text
- Fast-paced editing
- Original video content
- Educational and entertaining formats
- Product demonstrations
- Community-driven video discussions
Businesses may also have an incentive to invest more heavily in video marketing as Facebook moves toward a more immersive interface.
What Does the Change Mean for Facebook Users?
For users, the impact will depend largely on personal preferences.
People who enjoy short-form videos may find the new interface more convenient because it immediately presents the type of content they want to watch.
However, users who primarily use Facebook to communicate with friends, participate in groups or read posts may prefer the traditional Feed.
That is why Meta’s decision to retain access to the classic Feed is significant. The company can experiment with a video-first experience without completely removing the familiar Facebook interface.
Will Facebook Reels Replace the Traditional Feed?
At this stage, there is no indication that Meta is completely eliminating the traditional Facebook Feed.
Instead, the company appears to be testing different ways of prioritizing video while maintaining the classic Feed as an alternative.
This distinction is important. A Reels-first Facebook does not necessarily mean a Reels-only Facebook.
Meta can use testing to determine whether users watch more content, spend more time inside the app and interact more frequently when Reels are presented first.
Why the Reels-First Strategy Could Be Important for Meta
The shift toward video is not only about interface design. It could have significant implications for Meta’s advertising and commerce businesses.
1. More opportunities for advertising
Video provides Meta with additional opportunities to display advertisements between pieces of content. A highly engaging video feed can therefore support the company’s advertising business.
2. More creator engagement
Creators are an important part of modern social media. Giving video creators more visibility can encourage them to produce more content for Facebook.
3. Social commerce
Video is increasingly being used to discover products, demonstrate services and influence purchasing decisions. Meta has already identified commerce as an important part of the future of video.
4. Competition with TikTok and YouTube
A stronger Reels experience allows Facebook to compete more directly for the time users spend watching short-form video across TikTok, YouTube Shorts and Instagram.
What Could Happen Next?
The current Reels-first test does not necessarily mean that every Facebook user will immediately receive the same interface.
Meta typically tests major product changes with selected groups before deciding whether to expand them more broadly.
If the experiment produces positive results, the company could gradually introduce the Reels-first experience to additional countries and users.
The United States could eventually become another important market for the redesigned Facebook experience, based on Meta’s previously stated plans to explore the concept there.
Bottom Line
Facebook is changing once again. The platform that originally became famous for text updates, photos and a chronological-style social Feed is increasingly becoming a video-focused service.
The reported Facebook Reels-first test in India is an important signal of where Meta believes social media is heading. Short-form video is no longer simply another Facebook feature; it is becoming a central part of the company’s strategy.
For now, users can still access the traditional Feed. But if the Reels-first experiment succeeds, opening Facebook in the future may feel considerably more like opening a short-form video platform.
Frequently Asked Questions About Facebook Reels-First
It is a Facebook interface being tested by Meta that places Reels and other video content at the forefront when users open the app instead of showing the traditional Feed first.
The Reels-first Facebook interface has reportedly been tested with selected users in India.
There is currently no indication that Meta plans to completely eliminate the traditional Feed. The reported test allows users to continue accessing the classic Facebook experience.
Short-form video has become one of the most popular forms of online content. Meta sees opportunities in video for user engagement, advertising, creator monetization and commerce.
The Reels-first experience makes Facebook more similar to TikTok in terms of video consumption, but Facebook continues to offer groups, communities, Marketplace, Pages and other social features.
It is too early to say. Meta is testing the experience with selected users and may expand it to additional markets depending on the results.