Instagram Launches Reels Appeal on iPad

Instagram has finally landed on iPad, and after years of users begging, the experience looks very different from what you might expect. Instead of the familiar photo grid, the app opens directly into Reels, making it clear that Meta is betting big on short-form video

One of the more exciting tweaks is how easy it is to manage what you see. The new Following tab gives you the choice between viewing all posts, only friends, or the latest uploads, putting some control back in your hands. Comments have also been reworked so you can expand them without stopping playback, which makes chatting mid-Reel finally feel seamless.

For those wondering about the fine print, the app is available globally now on the App Store and works with iPadOS 15.1 or later. That means if your iPad hasn’t had an update in years, you might be out of luck. Android tablet users, however, will have to keep waiting, Instagram says a version is in development but hasn’t given a timeline.

This launch matters because it shows Instagram is finally treating the iPad seriously. For years, executives insisted resources were too tight to prioritize a native tablet app. Now, with short-form video as the driving force of the platform, the company is making sure the big screen is part of the story. It’s faster, smarter, and better suited to how people actually use tablets.