Instagram is doubling down on its goal to rekindle genuine connection between users with the launch of a new feature: Blend. This latest addition allows friends and group chats to create a shared, custom Reels feed based on the collective interests of the participants. It’s designed to make digital interactions more meaningful—and fun—while also encouraging longer engagement on the app.
Having been in development since early 2024 and quietly tested with small user groups over the past year, Blend is now being gradually rolled out in select countries. Although Instagram has yet to confirm if Malaysia is among them, the global direction is clear: the platform wants to make private sharing more engaging than ever.
Reinventing Social Discovery
Instagram has always positioned itself as a space for creative self-expression, but over time, its feed has grown saturated with influencer content, brand promotions, and targeted advertisements. The user experience, while still popular, has become increasingly impersonal.
Blend is a deliberate pivot back to what Instagram originally promised—connecting friends through shared content. Rather than having to manually send individual Reels through DMs, users can now enjoy a dynamic, shared stream of videos curated by Instagram’s algorithm to reflect the tastes and viewing behaviours of everyone in a chat.
Whether you're in a one-on-one conversation or chatting in a small group, Blend lets you explore a customised feed that evolves daily, offering a fresh way to discover Reels, laugh over trending content, and uncover what resonates with your closest circles.
A Personalised Feed, Shared Effortlessly
Blend acts as a collaborative discovery tool that reimagines how friends share content. Once activated, it generates a single Reels feed tailored to the viewing habits of everyone in DM chat- whether one-on-one or in a group. Instead of forwarding individual clips, users can explore a curated stream of videos selection by Instagram’s algorithm to reflect their collective interests.
Each Reel comes labelled to show which friend it’s recommended for—like “Recommended for Lila” — adding a personal touch that makes the experience feel like a private playlist, but for videos. It’s a simple yet effective way to turn solidarity scrolling into a shared, emotionally resonant activity.
A users react, comment, or reply to the Reels within Blend, those interactions automatically appear in the chat, encouraging organic conversation without disrupting the flow. The content remains exclusive to the chat participants, reinforcing Blend as a private, low-pressure space for connection—more intimate than stories and far less transactional than traditional sharing.
By transforming shared discovery from a manual task into a built-in experience, Blend offers a more natural, engaging way to bond with friends—one that’s built for today’s habits and tomorrow’s attention spans.
How to Set Up and Use Blend
Setting up a Blend is straightforward and takes just a few taps. Here’s how to get started:
Step 1: Open a DM Chat
Navigate to any direct message, whether it's a private conversation or a group chat.
Step 2: Tap the Blend Icon
In the top right corner of the chat interface, you’ll find a new Blend icon alongside the video and audio call buttons. Tap it to initiate a Blend. You’ll be prompted to send an invitation to the other person or group. Once at least one member accepts, your shared Blend feed will be created.
Step 3: Start Scrolling
The feed will refresh daily with new Reels. Each video will be labelled with who it’s recommended for. You can comment or react directly from the feed—replies will automatically appear in the group chat to keep the conversation going.
Bonus Tip: Keep It Going
The more you and your chat partners interact with Reels in your Blend, the more tailored it becomes. Future suggestions are influenced by what you collectively enjoy, making the experience smarter and more personal over time.
Why Now? The Bigger Picture Behind Blend
The release of Blend coincides with a series of strategic updates from Instagram, many of which are part of a broader effort to reposition the app amid intensifying competition—particularly from TikTok.
Reports suggest that Instagram is keen to leverage growing uncertainty surrounding TikTok’s long-term viability in markets like the US, where lawmakers are scrutinising the Chinese-owned platform. Simultaneously, Instagram has been rolling out interface changes (such as shifting profile grids from squares to rectangles) and developing an official iPad app—an indication that Meta is taking platform development more seriously than ever.
Against this backdrop, Blend feels less like a novelty and more like a calculated step towards deepening user retention through relationship-based engagement.
The Personal Versus the Collective
While the benefits of Blend are clear—convenience, enhanced engagement, and shared discovery—some critics argue that it might erode the charm of highly personalised content sharing. After all, forwarding a Reel to a specific friend with a knowing “this is so you” caption carries a certain emotional weight. In contrast, a shared feed might feel more general and less curated.
Furthermore, because Blend combines everyone’s interests into a single stream, the feed could feel unfocused or chaotic in larger groups with diverse preferences. A chat with friends who love fitness, food, and fashion might produce a jumbled feed, which could dilute the sense of intimacy the feature aims to cultivate.
Still, for many users, the chance to explore new types of content that wouldn’t ordinarily appear in their feed could be seen as a major plus. It might even encourage more cross-interest exploration and reduce the algorithmic echo chambers that dominate many social media platforms today.
A Subtle but Meaningful Shift
Ultimately, Blend represents more than just another Reels tab—it signals a quiet but significant evolution in how Instagram imagines digital connection. In a world where social media can often feel isolating or performative, Blend shifts the focus away from broadcasting and towards bonding. It invites users to engage in a more thoughtful, private way—sharing laughs, trends, and interests in a space designed for connection rather than curation.
Whether it’s used by best friends, romantic partners, or tight-knit groups, Blend adds a new layer to the Instagram experience—encouraging people to spend less time crafting public posts and more time enjoying content together.
Instagram isn’t trying to reinvent social media with Blend, but it is refining how we use it—moving from passive consumption to collaborative discovery. The feature may still evolve, with room for broader customisation or expanded capabilities, but one thing is already clear: the future of social media isn’t just about what you see—it’s about who you see it with.
So keep an eye on your DMs—you might just get an invite to a whole new way of scrolling.
*Sources: Visual and Reference Credits to Social Media & various cross-references for context.
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