5:10 pm - December 19, 2025
- Meta tests a dedicated Instagram Reels app on Amazon Fire TV devices
- Focused on shared, large-screen viewing of short-form videos
- Expansion and feature refinement planned before wider rollout
Meta has begun piloting an Instagram app designed for television, bringing Reels to Amazon Fire TV devices in the United States and marking a further push to expand short-form video beyond smartphones.
This positions Instagram more directly in the living-room viewing battle, where YouTube has already established a strong presence and where attention, advertising and viewing habits increasingly overlap with traditional TV. It is also yet another challenge, in terms both of distribution and attention, to traditional news providers.
According to Meta, the test build is available on a limited set of Fire TV models. Users sign in with an existing Instagram account and can add up to five accounts so multiple household members can watch personalised feeds. Meta said it plans to expand to more devices and markets in the coming months.
The TV app focuses exclusively on Reels rather than the full range of Instagram features available on mobile. Videos are organised into channels and categories such as music, sports highlights and travel, tailored to a user’s interests. Reels play automatically and advance without manual scrolling. Viewers can skip clips, like Reels and view or engage with comments to help shape recommendations.
Meta said upcoming features include using a smartphone as a remote, sharing Reels with friends and additional browsing modes.
Meta framed the product as designed for shared viewing at home and said content on the TV app follows broad-audience standards, with Reels generally aligned to a PG-13 approach. The company said safeguards for teens will carry over from mobile. Time spent on Instagram for TV will count toward a Teen Account’s usage limits, and teens may receive reminders when approaching or reaching those limits.
The move formalises a direction Instagram has signalled for months. Adam Mosseri, Instagram’s head, had previously indicated plans for a TV experience, and analysts see the app as an attempt to compete more directly with short-form hubs already common on television platforms, particularly YouTube Shorts.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.phonearena.com/news/instagram-is-available-on-amazon-fire-tv_id176676 – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://about.fb.com/news/2025/12/instagram-for-tv/ – Meta has launched a pilot version of Instagram for TV, bringing Reels from your favourite creators to the big screen for shared viewing. The app is currently available in the US on Amazon Fire TV devices, with plans to expand to more countries and devices in the future. Users can install the app from the Amazon Appstore, log in with their account, and add up to five Instagram accounts to the TV app, allowing all family members to enjoy their Instagram accounts on the big screen. Reels are grouped into channels matching users’ interests, including new music, sports highlights, hidden travel gems, trending moments, and more. The app automatically plays the next reel without requiring manual scrolling, and users can skip a reel or engage with its comments to indicate a preference for more of a particular type of reel. Meta plans to introduce more features in the near future, such as using your smartphone as a remote within the app, sharing reels with friends, and exploring new ways to browse channels. The app is built for shared viewing, applying content standards suitable for a broad audience, with Reels generally following the PG-13 rating system. For teens, Instagram for TV reflects the same general safeguards available on the mobile app, including limiting access to content, comments, and profiles that may be unsuitable for people under the age of 18. Time spent on Instagram for TV contributes to a Teen Account’s usage limit alongside their mobile app usage, and teens may receive the same reminders about approaching or reaching those limits or Sleep mode.
- https://www.androidheadlines.com/2025/12/meta-took-its-sweet-time-but-instagram-is-finally-on-fire-tv.html – Instagram is officially coming to Fire TV, marking the first time the app has been designed for television. Users can browse Reels organised into personalised channels based on their interests, with support for multiple accounts. The app is available now in the US on select Fire TV devices, including the Fire TV Stick HD, Fire TV Stick 4K Plus, Fire TV Stick 4K Max (1st and 2nd gen), Fire TV 2-Series, Fire TV 4-Series, and Fire TV Omni QLED Series. You can download the Instagram app today through the Amazon Appstore and start watching your favourite content on the big screen.
- https://www.thetechoutlook.com/new-release/software-apps/meta-launches-dedicated-instagram-for-tv-app-on-amazon-fire-tv/ – Meta has launched a dedicated Instagram for TV app, which is now available to download on supported Amazon Fire TV devices. The app focuses on Reels, letting users enjoy content from their favourite creators on a larger display. The press release mentions that the app is launching first on Fire TV, which suggests that Meta could expand the Instagram for TV app to other TV platforms in the future. However, there is no official confirmation on wider availability at the moment. To get started, download and install the Instagram for TV app from the Amazon Appstore on your Fire TV device and sign in using your Instagram account. The app supports up to five accounts, allowing multiple household members to watch Reels with personalised recommendations. You can also create a separate account specifically for Instagram for TV if you prefer. Once logged in, the app offers search functionality to help you find creators, explore profiles, and browse topics you’re interested in. Users can like Reels and view comments and reactions directly from the TV interface.
- https://www.breitbart.com/news/instagram-tv-debuts-on-amazon/ – Meta-owned Instagram will now let users view Reels on larger screens, the media giant announced Tuesday. Meta will test an Instagram TV app on Amazon Fire TV in the United States in aiming to expand the platform beyond phones and compete with rivals like TikTok and YouTube. Instagram’s TV application will highlight short, creator-made reels users can watch, share and discover through algorithmic recommendations. Instagram’s vice president of product, Tessa Lyons, told CNBC Meta plans to bring its new TV app to more devices, but was focused on perfecting the user experience before growing its TV ad business. The app is currently available in the US on Amazon Fire TV devices, with plans to expand to more countries and devices in the future. Users can install the app from the Amazon Appstore, log in with their account, and add up to five Instagram accounts to the TV app, allowing all family members to enjoy their Instagram accounts on the big-screen device. The Instagram TV app experience is slightly different from its experience on smartphones. Unlike the smartphone version, the big-screen version of the Instagram app doesn’t include the messaging feature, at least for now. You’re currently limited to reels, which are grouped into different categories relevant to your interests. Select a reel, sit back, and relax on your couch as the app automatically switches to the next one without requiring you to scroll manually. You can skip a reel if you don’t like it, though. Furthermore, you can let the app know that you’d prefer to see more of a particular type of reel by liking it or engaging with its comments. Meta mentions that more features will be added to the app in the near future. The ability to use your smartphone as a remote within the app, share reels with friends, and explore new ways to browse channels will be among the first few features that will be introduced to the social media app.
- https://www.business-standard.com/technology/tech-news/instagram-comes-to-big-screen-will-let-you-binge-reels-on-amazon-fire-tv-like-youtube-shorts-125121700342_1.html – Instagram is testing a new way to watch Reels on a bigger screen through Instagram for TV app. According to Instagram, the app is built for shared viewing at home, supporting up to five accounts, each with its own personalised feed. The company also said that users can create a separate account just for TV viewing. The test is currently live in the US on Amazon Fire TV devices. According to Instagram’s blog, users can install the Instagram app directly on Fire TV and sign in with their existing account. Once logged in, the app offers search functionality to help you find creators, explore profiles, and browse topics you’re interested in. Users can like Reels and view comments and reactions directly from the TV interface. The app is currently available in the US on select Amazon Fire TV devices, including the Fire TV Stick HD, Fire TV Stick 4K Plus, Fire TV Stick 4K Max (1st and 2nd Gen), Fire TV 2-Series, Fire TV 4-Series, and Fire TV Omni QLED Series. There’s no word yet on when the app will roll out to other regions.
- https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/16/instagram-brings-reels-to-the-big-screen-starting-with-amazon-fire-tv/ – Instagram is expanding Reels-viewing beyond mobile, the social network announced on Tuesday. The company is piloting IG for TV, a new experience that lets you watch Reels on TV, starting with Amazon Fire TV. By bringing Reels to TVs, Instagram can better compete with YouTube, which largely dominates the TV space. Instagram likely wants viewers to switch to its TV app while watching content on the couch, similar to flipping through TV channels. For example, you could be watching something on Netflix and decide you don’t have the attention span for a movie or episode, and decide to watch Reels instead. IG for TV is personalised to each user, as it shows Reels based on the content and creators you enjoy on the Instagram app. Reels will be organised into channels and categories based on topics such as comedy, music, and lifestyle, making it easier to explore different types of videos. Reels will also play automatically, so you won’t have to keep scrolling to watch what’s next. You still have the option to skip to the next Reel. You can like, view comments, and re-share reels. Users have the option to pair IG for TV with their Instagram app and add up to five accounts in one home. Or, they can choose to create a new account just for TV viewing. It’s worth noting that IG for TV shouldn’t be confused with IGTV, which was Instagram’s app for watching long-form content before being shut down in 2022. The launch of the TV app doesn’t come as a surprise, as Instagram head Adam Mosseri said in October that the company was planning a dedicated TV app.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
10
Notes:
✅ The narrative is fresh, with the earliest known publication date being December 16, 2025. ([about.fb.com](https://about.fb.com/news/2025/12/instagram-for-tv/?utm_source=openai))
Quotes check
Score:
10
Notes:
✅ No direct quotes were identified in the provided text, indicating original content.
Source reliability
Score:
8
Notes:
⚠️ The narrative originates from PhoneArena, a technology news website. While it is a known outlet, it is not as widely recognised as major news organisations.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
✅ The claims about Meta testing an Instagram TV app on Amazon Fire TV devices in the U.S. are plausible and align with other reputable sources. ([about.fb.com](https://about.fb.com/news/2025/12/instagram-for-tv/?utm_source=openai))
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
✅ The narrative is fresh, with no evidence of recycled content. ([about.fb.com](https://about.fb.com/news/2025/12/instagram-for-tv/?utm_source=openai)) The absence of direct quotes suggests originality. While the source is less prominent, the information is corroborated by other reputable outlets, enhancing credibility.
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