Instagram has introduced a fresh and interactive feature called Blend, aimed at making conversations in direct messages more engaging by offering a personalized feed of Reels that friends can enjoy together.
Announced by Instagram head Adam Mosseri, the feature is now rolling out to users globally and is already being touted as a game-changer for Reels sharing.
The concept behind Blend is simple: it brings together recommended Reels based on what you and your friends like watching, presenting them in a collaborative feed that lives inside your private DMs. Whether it’s a one-on-one conversation or a group chat, Blend makes the exchange of short-form videos more personalized and dynamic. All it takes to begin is tapping on the new Blend icon found at the top right of your DM chat screen—just make sure all participants have opted in.
Once created, a Blend updates daily and keeps evolving. New Reels appear not only on a scheduled refresh but also when someone in the group shares a Reel or when new members join or leave the chat. Each video includes tags showing which friend it was recommended for, adding a fun, tailored touch to the experience.
Interaction remains core to the Instagram experience, and Blend doesn’t hold back. Users can react, comment, and respond to Reels within the chat itself. Want to clean up your feed? You can remove specific Reels from all your Blends or fine-tune your preferences by marking content as Interested or Not Interested.
To maintain a safe space, Instagram has ensured that its sensitive content settings are respected within Blend. In fact, the most restrictive filter among members is applied to the shared feed. If at any point a user chooses to leave a Blend, their content suggestions are automatically removed, and the feed continues without them.
Blend is part of Instagram’s broader push to make Reels and DMs more social and community-driven. With people increasingly using Instagram to share and discuss video content privately, this feature seems to bridge entertainment and interaction in a seamless, everyday way.
As Mosseri shared in his announcement, “Blend is a new way to connect with your friends in DMs. It’s a shared feed of Reels based on what you both like. I’m excited about this one.”
With Blend, Instagram continues to blur the line between content discovery and personal connection, keeping social media just that—social.