Instagram’s new Blend feature creates a custom reels feed for you and your friends

Instagram on Thursday announced that it’s rolling out Blend, a new feature that lets you create a custom, personalized reels feed for you and your friends. Blends are invite-only and can be created with a singular friend or with a group chat. The custom feeds are refreshed with new content each day. The launch doesn’t come as a surprise, as TechCrunch reported in March 2024 that the social network was developing the feature. Once you join or accept a Blend invite, you will be able to browse through reels picked for each person in the chat. When someone in the group reacts to a reel, Instagram will notify you so you can keep a convo going in the DM (direct messaging) chat. The idea behind the feature is to explore what sorts of reels your friends are into, while also connecting with them and discovering new content together. Blend aims to introduce a new social element to Instagram, bringing it closer to its roots of sharing moments with friends, something that’s been overshadowed in ... Read full article.