Instagram’s new Blend feature brings shared Reels feeds into DMs, letting you discover Reels alongside friends.

Instagram introduces Blend

Instagram has officially launched a new feature called Blend, which creates a shared Reels feed between friends via DMs. designed to encourage increased engagement, Blend allows users to explore Reels based on each other’s interests in one seamless stream.

Blend has been in testing since at least March 2024, with some users testing it as recently as March this year. Now, Instagram is finally rolling the feature out.

What is Instagram Blend?

Announced by Instagram head Adam Mosseri via Reels, Blend is a new way to connect over content. Think of Blend like Spotify’s Blend playlists, creating a personalized, collaborative feed- but for Reels instead of music. Once you send and accept a Blend invite in one-on-one or group DM, Instagram creates a curated feed based on each participant’s suggested Reels. The feed refreshes daily, giving users a constantly evolving feed of videos that reflect their mutual interests.

Users can see who each Reel is recommended for, making it easy to spark conversations about your friends’ tastes. Reactions to Reels occur through the reply bar, which sends your response straight to the chat to keep the flow of interaction going. Over time, the Blend feed evolves to better reflect your collective interests.

How to use Blend

Accessing Blend is simple:

  1. Open a DM chat on Instagram.
  2. Tap the Blend icon (located in the top right, next to the call buttons)
  3. Tap “Invite” to send a Blend invite.
  4. Once a friend accepts, scroll and enjoy your shared feed.

Why launch Blend?

Blend taps into two of Instagram’s most popular features: Reels and DMs. Instead of individually sharing Reels back and forth, users can now discover Reels together in one feed.

Adam Mosseri describes Blend as a way to help spark discussion around shared interests. By putting Reels in one streamlined feed, Instagram hopes to increase interaction within the app, and to make discovering content a more social experience.

“We want Instagram to be a place where people connect over creativity, and this is one more way to do that. It’s a really fun way to not only share your interests, but to learn a little bit about your friends’ interests… and then you can actually start conversations about that content that you discover.”

Adam Mosseri, Instagram head via Reels

Will Blend be a hit?

Only time will tell whether Blend will be a success. While Blend is designed to increase interaction around shared content discovery, it might take away some of the joy of individually curating and sending Reels to specific friends. Instead of selectively sending Reels to individual friends, you can now discover content through one shared pool, which might feel less personal for some. That said, for close friend groups, Blend could become a fun way to bond over content.

One thing is for sure, Blend certainly gives the platform a one-up over TikTok. Amid TikTok’s uncertainty in the US, Instagram has seemingly brought a flurry of TikTok-inspired features to the platform. This includes expanded Reels length, interface changes, and a new video-editing tool called Edits (which mirrors TikTok’s CapCut editing app). With Blend, Instagram is doubling down on its video offering through an original feature.

Key takeaway for the music industry

For artists, Blend offers a new way for organic discovery as part of your marketing strategy. With Reels being a major driver of music virality, this new shared-feed format encourages conversation around content. A catchy or creative video has the potential to gain traction among friend groups or fan communities, making them more likely to get picked up in shared feeds. This could encourage interaction, boost visibility and help your music reach more ears.

Distribute your music to Instagram, Facebook and other major platforms for free with RouteNote. Make your tracks available in Reels, Stories, and more to get your music in front of a social audience.