Sneak Peek Alert: Instagram Tests Carousel Reels and I Don’t Know How to Feel About It
Hot off the presses! Instagram is testing a new feature: the option to post multiple images in a single Reel post.
This “new” feature isnt a shocker since Instagram follows everything that Tiktok does. This feature is currently being tested with some users, but overall it offers users the ability to post multiple videos and or still images in a single Reel post.
The problem I have with this:
Why is it in a 4x5 format and not in a 9x16 format?
In the example posted above, and in every teaser I’ve seen of this feature its in a 4x5 format, not the 9x16 format that Reels are normally in. Will it live in the Reels tab in this almost cropped format? I thought the goal was to go full screen with video content. If its in this cropped format does that mean then our Reels we post in carousel format will be cropped? Thats just one more formatting nightmare when we were all just getting used to the 16x9 video content.
Let’s dive into the second thing — If this is truly in a 4x5 format then this is not a new feature. They are just trying to bring an old feature back to life. Before they went all in on Reels, video posts just lived in the feed like regular posts. You could even create carousels with videos in the 4x5 format. Plot twist: you can still create carousels with a video in it, so again how is this a new feature? The minimal information we’re getting about this feature is interesting but if they do go full screen then I’ll be excited. Right now it just sounds like they are making an option to share carousels in the Reels feed not just the home feed. If thats the case I don’t think they can call this a “new feature”.
My hope is that when it’s rolled out for everyone it will be in a 9x16, not the 4x5 format that is showing above. I keep thinking that a more screen filling photo option would be good for instagram. It’s still in testing right now but only time will tell.
What do you think about this “new” feature?
Thanks for reading!
