Instagram Rolls Out Fast-Forward Feature for Reels
Instagram has rolled out a new feature, which allows users to fast-forward Reels, similar to TikTok’s functionality.
Meta has added the option for Instagram users to play Reels at twice the normal speed, according to a report by TechCrunch. This feature mirrors TikTok’s popular fast-forwarding option, enhancing user control over video playback.
Instagram users can play a Reel at 2x speed by long pressing on the right or left side of their screen.
“Today, we’re globally launching the ability to play an Instagram Reel at 2x speed,” Meta says in an announcement.
“This has been a highly requested feature from our community, and we hope being able to fast forward helps give you more control over your Reels experience as you connect with friends over content you love and enjoy.”
To play a Reel at 2x speed, Instagram users must hold their finger down on the left or right edge of the screen. This will enable them to fast-forward the video until they get to a certain point in the clip. To play the video at normal speed again, users will simply need to lift their finger off the screen.
Similarly, TikTok users can similarly fast-forward Reels by holding down on either edge of the screen.
Instagram Reels initially launched with a 15-second time limit, but Meta has since expanded the maximum video length. Users can now share Reels up to three minutes long, making the fast-forward option particularly useful for navigating longer content.
The announcement comes following reports that Instagram is weighing up the possibility of releasing a standalone app for Reels.
From the outside, the move makes some sense as the fate of TikTok, Instagram’s primary Reels-competitor, remains uncertain.
On January 19, American social media users briefly had no access to TikTok after a law banning it on national security grounds came into effect.
But TikTok resumed services hours later and restored access to its 170 million users in the U.S. after Trump issued an executive order to delay the app’s ban. The executive order delayed TikTok’s ban for 75 days, giving the app more time to find a U.S. buyer.
However, sources say there still haven’t been negotiations between TikTok’s Chinese owner and prospective U.S. buyers.
Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos and center photo by Instagram.