Instagram Experiments with Improved Content Discovery

Instagram is testing new filters for its Reels tab that could give users more control over the short-form video content they see. The platform is currently trialing two additional sorting options—“Latest” and “Most Viewed”—which would supplement existing filters like “Following” and “Nearby.”

The new filters appear in a dropdown menu accessible via the Reels tab. While the changes are limited to select users for now, they represent a notable shift in Instagram’s approach to content surfacing by giving users more control over how the algorithm serves them.

These filtering tools wouldn’t necessarily show the latest or most viewed content across the entire app, but rather within the scope of what Instagram’s algorithm already recommends to each user. In essence, the “Latest” filter would prioritize the most recent Reels deemed relevant to a user’s interests, while “Most Viewed” would highlight top-performing content based on view count within that same personalized feed.

The move could support broader engagement by making it easier for users to find trending or fresh content. However, there’s a potential risk: newly posted content that hasn’t yet undergone full moderation could gain visibility more quickly. Still, Meta appears confident in its proactive moderation systems. According to its Community Standards Enforcement Reports, most policy violations are flagged and removed automatically, before they can gain traction.

Whether the new filters will become a permanent feature remains to be seen. Instagram has not provided additional details on the test, and it’s unclear how widely the feature is being trialed. For now, the update points to Instagram’s ongoing efforts to fine-tune how users engage with Reels, which remains one of its fastest-growing content formats.