Facebook tests Reels-first home screen over traditional news feed

Meta is testing a new interface for the Facebook app, which focuses more on short videos "Reels", so that they appear directly to the user when they open the app instead of the traditional news feed.

Under the new design, short videos become the first content that appears when the app launches, without having to manually navigate to the Reels section, a clear departure from the traditional interface that starts with a news feed that brings together friends' posts, pages, groups, and various types of content in a single screen.

The company explained that test users receive a notification that "Reels" is at the top of the app, with the option to turn off the new design and return to the traditional interface through settings.

The traditional news feed remains available within the new design as a secondary option that can be accessed when needed, as Meta works to increase the presence of video content within Facebook and make it an essential part of the platform's experience.

The move comes as part of the company's move to strengthen Facebook's reliance on short video, after taking a number of steps in this direction in the past period, including treating new videos as Reels, in addition to renaming the app's main video tab to Reels.

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