Instagram launched a dedicated app for Apple TV, allowing users to watch Reels, longer videos and live creator shows directly on their television. The app is now listed on the Apple App Store for Apple TV, alongside iPhone and iPad.
The move marks a major shift for a platform built around vertical, phone-first video. On television, Instagram must support horizontal, landscape video alongside its familiar portrait-style Reels.
Reels, Shows and Live Streams
The Apple TV app brings Instagram’s short-form Reels feed to the largest screen in the home. It also supports longer creator videos, episodic content and live. Users can also resume playback across devices. A video started on an iPhone or iPad can continue on Apple TV, making the experience feel closer to a traditional streaming service.
Meta is clearly aiming at YouTube’s dominance in connected-TV viewing. Instagram is testing longer videos, episodic formats, live streaming and subscriptions, all areas where YouTube already has a strong foothold.
The company believes its addictive short-form content can work in a shared, living-room setting. It is also working with creators to simplify uploading and streaming on the platform.
Not Instagram’s First TV Test
Apple TV is the latest platform to receive Instagram’s TV experience. Meta began testing the format on Amazon Fire TV in late 2025 and expanded it to Samsung televisions in mid-2026.
The launch gives Instagram a new distribution channel at a time when creators and advertisers are spending more on video. If Meta can convert even a small share of YouTube’s television audience, the bet could pay off.
For viewers, the app removes the need to mirror a phone to watch Instagram on television. For creators, it opens a larger screen for Reels, live shows and long-form storytelling. The launch signals that Instagram no longer sees itself only as a mobile app. It is now building a video platform for the home.
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