Instagram expands to the big screen with new Google TV app

Instagram has grown its reach beyond smartphones by launching its TV app on Google TV devices, following its earlier release on Amazon Fire TV in late 2025. This marks Meta’s efforts to capture a share of the increasing big-screen viewing market, which is largely dominated by platforms like YouTube.

According to the company, this expansion enables users to watch Reels, photos, and posts directly on large screens in their living rooms. The interface has been redesigned specifically for television viewing and is fully operable via the remote control. Content is organized into categories such as comedy, music, sports, and lifestyle. Reels play automatically in sequence, providing a television-like viewing experience without the need for manual scrolling.

Instagram has optimized its traditional posts for television as well. Photos and carousel posts are displayed in formats that are suitable for widescreens, while vertical videos maintain their original orientation with layout adjustments to prevent awkward framing. Text and captions are enlarged for easy reading from a distance.

Although the TV app is designed for passive viewing, it retains essential interactions. Users can like videos, browse comments, and reshare posts without needing to switch to their phones. Additionally, up to five accounts can be added to a single TV.

To set up the app on Google TV, simply download it from the Google Play Store, open it, and log in using either a QR code scan or manual credentials. At the moment, this feature is only available in the United States, with a wider rollout expected in the future.

The development follows a host of recent updates that sought to enhance user engagement. Earlier this month, Instagram introduced new Valentine’s Day fonts, stickers, and chat themes for Stories, Reels, and DMs.