Meta tests Reels-first Facebook in India

The test was first outlined in July by Facebook head Tom Alison. He said then that Meta planned to begin testing the design later in the year in 'video-heavy countries' outside the United States, without specifying where. The company would explore bringing the user experience to the U.S. next year, he said.

Users included in the test can opt out and return to a Feed-first experience, Meta said. The classic feed will remain available as a second tab on the Facebook app.

The test follows a broader video push at Meta. Last year, the company said all new videos posted to Facebook would be shared as Reels, regardless of their length or format, and it renamed the app's Video tab to 'Reels.' Meta has previously said young adults spend about 60% of their time on Facebook watching videos.

India has long been a testing ground for Meta's video efforts, particularly its push into short-form video. In 2020, Instagram began testing a dedicated Reels tab in the country months after India banned TikTok. The company also tested a Reels-first experience for some Instagram users in India and South Korea last year that similarly sent them directly into the video experience when they opened the app.

The new test comes as video consumption rises across Meta's apps in India. 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, according to figures the company released in June. 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.