Meta’s photo and video platform has launched a dedicated tvOS app that organises Reels into interest-based channels and adds longer videos and live shows, though it does not carry every feature found on mobile.
Instagram has launched a dedicated app for Apple TV, extending its video-first experience from phones and tablets to the living-room television. The move gives users a new way to find creators and watch their content together, instead of viewing clips separately on individual devices.
The app is available on the Apple TV App Store and requires tvOS 26.0 or later. To install it, users need to open the App Store on a compatible Apple TV, search for Instagram and select the download option.
What viewers get
The television experience is built around Reels, which are grouped into channels according to a viewer’s interests and play automatically, much like conventional TV programming. This lean-back format is designed to make it easier for friends and families to watch creator videos on a shared screen.
According to the App Store listing, users can also watch content from their favourite creators and access longer videos and live shows. However, the TV app does not replicate the full range of Instagram’s mobile features, and the availability of individual features may vary.
Part of a wider TV push
Apple TV is the latest platform in Instagram’s television rollout. Meta began testing its TV app on Amazon Fire TV devices in the United States in December 2025. Support followed on Google TV in February 2026 and on Samsung smart TVs in June 2026.
Also in June, Meta said it planned to explore longer creator videos, episodic series and live broadcasts for television. The inclusion of longer videos and live shows in the Apple TV listing suggests that work is beginning to take shape, although the company has not detailed how widely each format will be available.
The launch also builds on Instagram’s earlier expansion beyond smartphones. The platform introduced a dedicated iPad app in September 2025, and the Apple TV debut continues that shift towards making creator content accessible across more screens.
For Meta, the strategy reflects a broader effort to compete for viewing time that has traditionally belonged to television and streaming services. By placing Instagram on the biggest screen in the home, the company is betting that short-form video and creator-led content can sit alongside, or even draw audiences away from, conventional entertainment.
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