Summary:
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Meta launched Instagram for TV on Samsung Smart TVs in the US, expanding its reach on connected TV devices.
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The app is now available alongside Amazon Fire TV and Google TV, offering features like interest-based channels and casting Reels.
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Meta is testing new formats for TV, including longer-form videos and live broadcasts, in collaboration with creators.
Meta announced on June 22, 2026, that Instagram for TV is now available on Samsung Smart TVs in the US, covering models from the 2020 model year and newer.
The expansion puts the app alongside Amazon Fire TV, where it debuted in December 2025, and Google TV, which added it in February 2026.
Meta says the Samsung rollout means Instagram is now reachable across the majority of connected TV devices in the US. The company framed the move around shared viewing, citing feedback that watching Reels on a TV tends to be a group activity.
Several features are still in testing. Instagram is trying out interest-based channels that group Reels by category, such as comedy, sports, or favorite creators, a setup meant to cut down on debate over what to watch. Users can also cast Reels from a phone, including videos saved in the Saved tab, a feature already live on Fire TV and Google TV, and view Stories on the larger screen.
The platform, long associated with vertical video, is also testing a dedicated home for horizontal content.
Meta said it is exploring formats built specifically for TV, including longer-form creator videos, episodic series, and live broadcasts, and that it is developing them with creators.
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“As we explore longer-form, episodic, and live formats, we’re working closely with creators to understand what works best on TV and how these experiences can complement the ways people already use Instagram,” the company said in its announcement.
The company acknowledged that the effort remains early. “Instagram for TV has evolved significantly since we first began testing, but we’re still in the early stages of understanding what social video looks like on TV,” Meta said.
The product is currently US-only across all three device ecosystems.
