Meta is testing a new opening display for the Facebook app among select users in India.
Accounts participating in the test see full-screen videos instead of a news feed when opening the app, placing the Reels section front and center. According to the company, this change is designed to make watching videos more seamless.
Plans regarding the new interface were first announced in July. At that time, the company stated that testing would begin toward the end of the year outside the United States in markets with high video engagement. Users can opt out of this view to open the app with the news feed instead, and the classic feed will remain available as a separate tab. Meta plans to test this interface in the U.S. next year.
The modification is part of a broader plan to make video the primary content format on Facebook. The company announced last year that all new videos uploaded to the platform, regardless of length or format, would be shared as Reels. The Video tab within the app has also been renamed to Reels. Young adults spend approximately 60 percent of their time on Facebook watching videos.
India has previously served as a primary testing ground for the company’s short-form video features. Instagram began testing a dedicated Reels section there in 2020, just months after TikTok was banned in the country. Last year, select Instagram users in India and South Korea were directed straight to the video tab upon opening the app.
Video consumption metrics in India are notably high. According to a company-commissioned study, at least 97 percent of participants stated they watch videos on these platforms every day, while 89 percent of Gen Z users engage with Reels daily. Advertising tools show a Facebook audience of over 400 million in India, making the country the platform’s largest market.
