Instagram now lets you fast-forward Reels amidst looming TikTok ban
The update is starting to roll out to all users now.
📸 Instagram is rolling out a new update to Reels that makes it more like TikTok
🏃 You can now fast-forward through Reels at 2x speed
📅 The update comes as another TikTok ban draws closer
📱 The new feature is rolling out now to iOS and Android
As the TikTok ban in North America continues to be a question on everyone’s mind, Instagram is slowly making Reels a more viable alternative, and its latest update for the platform plays right into it.
Meta’s Instagram (via TechCrunch) has begun rolling out the ability to fast-forward through Reels by pressing and holding on the edge of the video. This allows you to speed through a Reel at double the speed, just like you can do in TikTok today. The update appears to be rolling out to all users, although it could take some time to reach everyone across iPhone and Android.
This isn’t the first time Instagram has copied a feature from TikTok and brought it to Reels. Instagram’s Remix feature is essentially a blatant rip-off of TikTok’s Duet feature, while the interface itself is designed to feel like TikTok to inspire the same type of interactions. Instagram has also worked to make the Reels experience feel more social, giving you ways to see what your friends are watching and make it easy to share content with them.
While TikTok was “banned” in North America a couple months ago, the app quickly returned and is available to use on both iOS and Android. However, the ByteDance-owned platform isn’t out of the woods yet; TikTok’s U.S. operations still need to be sold to a North American company before April 5 to avoid another ban, unless President Donald Trump is able to negotiate a new deal with ByteDance ahead of the deadline.
Until then, it seems that alternatives including Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts will continue building their audiences and adding new features to entice users to make the switch from TikTok. Instagram is already planning to try and steal users from ByteDance’s other app, CapCut, with a new app called Edits that’s expected to be released in the next month or so.
Max Buondonno is Editor at The Shortcut. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.
