Instagram is taking its short-form video push beyond phones and onto the biggest screen in the house. The Instagram for TV app is now rolling out to Google TV devices in the U.S., arriving just a couple of months after the app first appeared on Amazon Fire TV. The goal is clear: make it easier to watch Reels in a lean-back, living-room experience while also giving people a new way to browse Instagram content without picking up their phone.
This expanded TV app isn’t limited to Reels anymore. Along with endless short videos, viewers can now explore posts from their regular Instagram feeds directly on their televisions. That makes Instagram for TV feel less like a single-feature video player and more like a true extension of the main app—built for casual viewing from the couch.
Bringing Reels to TV is also a strategic move in the battle for attention on large screens. YouTube has long owned the TV viewing space, and Instagram clearly wants a bigger share of that at-home watch time. With TikTok also offering a TV app, the competition to become the go-to platform for quick, entertaining videos on televisions is heating up.
The Instagram for TV app is designed to feel personal from the moment you launch it. It recommends Reels based on what you already watch and who you follow in the Instagram mobile app, making the experience familiar and tailored. Videos are organized into channels and categories, which can help viewers jump straight into whatever they’re in the mood for—whether that’s comedy, music, lifestyle, or other popular topics.
To keep the experience effortless, Reels play automatically back-to-back, so you don’t need to keep scrolling to find the next clip. While it’s built for passive viewing, it still includes key Instagram interactions. You can like Reels, check out comments, and re-share videos, turning TV watching into something that still feels connected to the social side of the platform.
Instagram for TV also supports household flexibility. Users can pair the app with their existing Instagram account and add up to five accounts in one home, making it easier for different family members to get their own personalized recommendations. If you’d rather keep your TV watching separate, you can also create a brand-new account specifically for viewing on television.
With the Google TV expansion, Instagram is signaling that Reels isn’t just a mobile feature anymore—it’s a major part of how the platform wants people to watch, discover, and spend time with content across devices, including the living room screen.
