Instagram shutting down IGTV app as it goes all in on Reels
What you need to know
Instagram is shutting down the IGTV app.
It will instead focus its investment on Reels and Instagram Video.
IGTV is dead. Long live Reels.
Today, Instagram announced that it would be shutting down the IGTV app as it turns its focus into improving Reels, its direct competitor to TikTok.
In a post on the Instagram Creators website, the company announced that it would discontinue its separate IGTV app and bring all of that content into the main Instagram app. The move also means that IGTV ads will no longer be supported.
We want to help creators turn their passion into a living – this is why we’ve invested in helping creators earn through a portfolio of monetization options across Meta. We’re exploring more ways for you to earn by creating reels that entertain our community. In addition to bonuses, later this year we will begin testing a new ad experience on Instagram, which will allow creators to earn revenue from ads displayed on their reels.
Because of our focus on Reels, In-Stream video ads (previously known as IGTV ads) will no longer be supported. Creators that are actively monetizing with In-Stream video ads will receive a temporary monthly payment based on recent earnings.
As part of our efforts to make video as simple as possible to discover and create, we will no longer be supporting our standalone app for IGTV. Instead we will focus on having all video on the main Instagram app. We believe this makes it easier for people to have all these features and abilities in the main app, and are excited to continue to simplify and improve video in the main Instagram app over the coming months.
Last year, the company announced that it would simplify Feed Video and IGTV into one thing: Instagram Video. That move started to spell the end of IGTV and its separate app.
Instagram originally launched IGTV as a separate app that aimed to compete with services like YouTube. However, it only allowed users to upload vertical videos, which was a growing trend at the time. However, over time, the app failed to gain traction as other video apps like YouTube and TikTok gained popularity.
Instagram even recognized that Reels, its TikTok competitor, appears to be the future of Instagram and is investing more heavily in that format as opposed to the IGTV features.
