Instagram plans a move to the TV screen
Instagram is exploring the development of a dedicated television app to expand its video reach and challenge YouTube’s dominance on the living room screen, according to the company’s head, Adam Mosseri. The announcement came during the Bloomberg Screentime conference in Los Angeles on October 9.
“If user behavior and content consumption are moving to TV, then we need to move to TV as well,” Mosseri said during the event. Confirming that the company is “exploring” the idea, he noted that there’s nothing official to announce yet but admitted that not developing a TV-focused app earlier was “a mistake.”
A strategic move to compete with YouTube’s dominance on TV
The potential app would mark Instagram’s latest effort to compete with YouTube, which has established itself as the dominant force in television streaming. According to Nielsen data, YouTube recently captured a record 13.4% share of total TV viewing time in the United States — surpassing both Netflix and other major streaming services. The platform now ranks as the largest distributor of television content in the U.S., with users streaming over a billion hours of video per day on TV screens.
Instagram’s upcoming TV app would focus on bringing its short-form Reels videos and other existing features to televisions, without relying on live sports rights or exclusive Hollywood productions. Mosseri explained that the company believes its vertical video format can successfully adapt to TV viewing by integrating social context, comments, and audience interactions around the content — turning passive watching into a more connected experience.
Leveraging a massive user base for TV expansion
The timing aligns with Instagram’s recent milestone of surpassing 3 billion monthly active users, announced in September 2025. The platform has evolved far beyond its origins as a photo-sharing app, now emphasizing messaging, Stories, and Reels as its key growth engines.
Instagram’s focus on short-form video has already intensified competition with TikTok and YouTube Shorts. Recent data indicates that Reels now account for around 38.5% of Instagram users’ feeds, with combined daily views across Instagram and Facebook exceeding 200 billion in 2025.
Launching a dedicated TV app could open up a new wave of monetization opportunities, providing additional ad space and giving creators broader exposure as user viewing habits increasingly shift toward the television screen.
Instagram’s vision for the future of video
Instagram’s potential move into the TV ecosystem reflects a broader trend among social platforms — transforming from mobile-first apps into multiplatform entertainment ecosystems. If successful, this new app could redefine how billions of people experience social video content from their living rooms.
