Instagram is bringing its TV experience to even more living rooms, announcing that Instagram for TV is now available on Samsung Smart TVs in the United States, while introducing a suite of experimental features designed to make social video viewing more interactive on the big screen.
The rollout expands Instagram’s connected TV footprint, with support now available on Samsung Smart TVs (2020 models and newer) alongside Amazon Fire TV and Google TV, making the app accessible across the majority of connected TV devices in the US.
The latest expansion reflects Instagram’s growing ambition to transform the television into a shared social entertainment hub, allowing users to enjoy creators’ content, Reels and Stories together with friends and family.
A More Social TV Experience
According to Instagram, community feedback has shown that TV viewing is often a shared experience, prompting the company to develop features that make discovering and enjoying content easier for groups.
Among the new features currently being tested are interest-based channels, helping viewers quickly browse content categories such as comedy, sports and creator-focused videos without spending time searching for something everyone can enjoy.
Instagram is also testing Reels casting, enabling users to instantly send videos from their smartphones directly to compatible TVs. The feature supports videos from a user’s Saved collection and is currently available on Google TV and Amazon Fire TV devices.
Another addition brings Instagram Stories to the television, making it easier to catch up with friends and favourite creators without gathering around a smartphone screen.
In response to creator feedback, Instagram is also experimenting with a dedicated home for horizontal videos, giving creators another format to reach audiences while better utilising the larger TV display.
Preparing for Long-Form Content
Looking beyond short-form video, Instagram says it is exploring several new formats designed specifically for television viewing.
These include longer-form creator content, allowing deeper storytelling and stronger audience engagement, as well as episodic series that unfold over multiple episodes.
The company is also developing Live on TV, which would bring creators’ live broadcasts to the biggest screen in the home, allowing audiences to participate in live experiences together in real time.
Creators at the Centre
Instagram says creators are playing a key role in shaping the platform’s TV strategy, with ongoing collaboration helping determine how longer-form programming, live broadcasts and episodic content can complement the existing mobile experience.
While Instagram for TV has evolved significantly since its initial launch, the company says it is still in the early stages of understanding how social video should function in the living room.
As connected TV continues to grow as a platform for digital entertainment, Instagram’s latest expansion signals its intention to compete more aggressively in the television space by blending creator-driven content with shared viewing experiences.
