Instagram Brings Reels, Live Shows and Videos to Apple TV

WHO:

MacRumors - Instagram launched an Apple TV app for watching content from creators, discovering videos, and resuming viewing across devices.

MacRumors - Meta described plans to expand Instagram’s TV experience beyond short videos to include longer creator content, episodic series, and live broadcasts.

WHAT:

MacRumors - The Instagram app brings Reels, longer videos, and live shows to Apple TV, extending Instagram’s video experience to television.

MacRumors - Instagram’s app description lists longer videos and live shows alongside Reels.

MacRumors - The app requires tvOS 26.0 or later and is available in the Apple TV App Store.

MacRumors - Apple TV is the latest platform for Instagram’s TV app; it had previously launched on Amazon Fire TV, Google TV, and Samsung smart TVs.

MacRumors - Instagram’s earlier TV experience focused on Reels organized into channels based on viewers’ interests, with videos playing automatically.

WHERE:

MacRumors - The app is available on Apple TV.

MacRumors - Instagram began testing its TV app on Amazon Fire TV devices in the United States and later expanded it to Google TV and Samsung smart TVs.

WHEN:

MacRumors - Instagram began testing its TV app on Amazon Fire TV devices in December 2025, expanded to Google TV in February 2026, and then to Samsung smart TVs in June.

MacRumors - Instagram’s dedicated iPad app arrived in September 2025 after years of requests for an interface designed for Apple’s tablets.

WHY:

MacRumors - Instagram said the Apple TV app is intended to let people watch together with friends and family.

MacRumors - The iPad app followed years of requests for an interface designed for Apple’s tablets.

HOW:

MacRumors - Users can discover videos and resume watching across devices through the Apple TV app.

MacRumors - The app appears to have launched on October 23; Apple’s release metadata dates version 66.0 to that day, while an archived App Store listing from October 19 showed compatibility only with iPhone and iPad.

(UPDATED October 25, 2026 19:03 UTC)

Instagram has brought its video experience to Apple TV with a new app featuring Reels, longer creator videos, and live shows. Viewers can discover content and pick up where they left off across devices, while Instagram says the big-screen experience is designed for watching with friends and family. The app is available through the Apple TV App Store and requires tvOS 26.0 or later. Instagram plans to grow the offering beyond short videos, adding more longer-form creator content, episodic series, and live broadcasts. Its earlier TV experience focused on Reels grouped into interest-based channels, with videos playing automatically. Apple TV joins Amazon Fire TV, Google TV, and Samsung smart TVs as platforms for Instagram’s television app. The company has also expanded Instagram to tablets, with a dedicated iPad app following years of requests for an interface designed for Apple’s tablets.