Instagram is working on a new collaborative engagement feature for Reels called “Spins,” which would allow other users to remix their Reels with alternative audio or text elements: a clone of TikTok’s short video, confirmed the company to TechCrunch.
The feature was first spotted by engineer Alessandro Paluzzi and would enable other users to swap out text or audio in their reels. Instagram says Spins is an internal prototype and is not being tested externally.
#Instagram keeps working on "Spins" for #Reels 👀
ℹ️ Allow people to swap out text or audio in your Reel. For every spin added, you will reach their audience. pic.twitter.com/W3DIgWAeuT
— Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) March 12, 2024
The new feature could be used as a way for users to start trends by creating templates that others can then give their own creative spin to. For example, you could share a video of your dog yawning and then share it with text: “Me on Monday mornings.” If you enable Spins, someone else could share your recording and swap out the text with something like “Me trying to stay awake in class.”
According to a post shared by Paluzzi on X, formerly known as Twitter, creators would get credit for their original reels every time someone creates a Spin, allowing them to reach a wider audience.
As shown in the screenshot, users will also be able to toggle the feature on and off for different reels using a “spins” switch that would appear before publishing a reel.
This new feature should not be confused with the existing Reels Remix feature, which is a clone of TikTok’s duet function that lets you appear in a video alongside an original one, side by side, to provide comments or reactions. Spins, on the other hand, allow for a bit more collaborative fun and creativity.
It’s possible that this new feature will make its way to your Instagram feeds. However, like any other prototype, it’s unclear when or if Instagram plans to publicly release.
This story was written in Spanish by Daniel Matute.