Instagram Expands Testing of Blend Reels Sharing Feature

Instagram is advancing its development of Blend, a new feature that curates a shared feed of AI-recommended Reels for users and their friends. This latest iteration, currently in live testing, allows participants to view a personalized mix of Reels within their direct messages (DMs) rather than individually sharing content back and forth.

The feature, which has been in testing for over a year, is now appearing for some users with a dedicated onboarding experience. Once activated, Blend enables users to invite friends to a shared Reels feed, where each video is labeled to indicate who it was recommended for based on individual viewing habits and interactions. Over time, the Blend feed will adapt dynamically, refining recommendations based on Reels shared within the conversation.

This initiative aligns with Instagram’s broader effort to enhance engagement within DMs, an area that has become increasingly central to user interactions on the platform. With direct messaging playing a key role in how users engage with content, Blend seeks to streamline the process of sharing Reels by integrating it into a continuous, collaborative viewing experience.

Instagram head Adam Mosseri has identified Blend as a feature he’s particularly excited about, signaling its potential importance in the app’s strategy. However, whether it resonates with users remains to be seen. While the feature could appeal to those with closely aligned interests, many users currently enjoy the ability to selectively share content based on specific preferences of their friends.

As Instagram continues to prioritize messaging and Reels engagement in 2025, Blend could become a significant addition—or remain a niche experiment. The platform is expected to expand availability soon.