Instagram introduces upgrades to Reels templates

Meta-owned Instagram has introduced some upgrades to Reels templates that will help users to more easily find inspiration and create engaging Reels. "We're making it easy for you to find inspiration for your next reel, starting with a new and improved Template Browser," the company said in a blogpost on Tuesday. Now, users can browse templates by category in the Template Browser, organised by Recommended, Trending, and templates and audio they have saved. Users can also see how others have used templates by tapping on the "Template by" button in Reels. This will take users to a page with examples of how people got creative and added their own spin.

The platform further said that it is enhancing the creation and editing experience for templates which will help elevate users' Reels in just a few taps. "When you create from a template today, the audio, number of clips, duration of the clips, and AR effects will automatically be added to your reel," it added. In the coming weeks, the company will also start automatically adding text and transitions that were used in the original Reels. Moreover, templates will be customisable, allowing users to add or remove clips, adjust the timing of individual clips, or edit any preloaded element. "We'll continue to build on the Reels templates feature to make it easier and more fun to create and share on Instagram," the platform said. Meanwhile, last week, Meta had announced that it was rolling out real-time avatar calls on Instagram and Messenger.

This feature will be helpful when users don't want to show their real faces during video calls and want a third option between camera-off and camera-on. Moreover, the company was rolling out the ability for users to share animated avatar stickers in Instagram and Facebook Stories and Reels, Facebook comments, and 1:1 message threads on Messenger and Instagram.