Instagram announced its new feature that makes the experience of watching Reels videos more functional. This function, called “Watch History”, allows users to easily return to Reels videos they have previously watched. This innovation is particularly striking for users who exit the application without having a chance to record a video. In today’s social media dynamics, where short videos are consumed rapidly, such a feature has become a necessity.
Before this feature was introduced, it was often not possible to find a lost Reels video. Users were either commenting under the video, hoping it would appear again, or consulting their friends. Some users even resorted to troublesome methods such as accessing their viewing history by downloading data from the application. At this point, the “Watch History” feature makes such searches completely unnecessary. Because now you can access past videos in a clear and simple way within Instagram.
Instagram users can find the Reels content they watch by filtering it.
The new function doesn’t just list; It also gives the user control over the content. Users can filter the videos they watch by date ranges; For example, only the last week or month of viewing history can be displayed. This filtering structure provides great convenience for those who want to find a video that has been watched in the past but cannot be fully remembered. In addition to all this, it is also possible to delete watched videos from the history list if desired. This can be considered an important plus in terms of personal privacy and application control.
Reels content is among the formats that are generally consumed quickly and temporarily. However, some videos can leave a lasting impression on users. In such cases, it may be necessary to re-watch that content or find it again to show it to someone else. Thanks to “View History”, users have the opportunity to access these contents a second time. Of course, this also contributes to the longer lifespan of content creators’ videos.
The accessibility of the feature is designed in a very practical way. When you enter the “Settings” section from the profile page, the “Watch History” option appears under the “Your Activity” heading. By entering this section, the user can see all the Reels videos he has watched in chronological order. If he wishes, he can sort the videos in ascending or descending order according to the time they were watched. In addition, it is also possible to view only videos belonging to a specific account by filtering by content producer.
The similar viewing history feature that TikTok has offered for years has been brought up by Instagram users for a long time. However, Instagram responded to this need late. However, the feature is offered in a more detailed and flexible structure than TikTok in some aspects. In particular, filtering options and content sorting styles are among the details that increase user control. The user is not presented with just a watchlist; At the same time, you are given the opportunity to make meaningful edits to this list.
At this point, considering Reels’ content consumption rate, the lack of such a feature was greatly felt. Users’ attention could be distracted in a few seconds, and the video could be interrupted when another notification arrived. Despite everything, the desire to access that content remained strong, but the methods were inadequate. Now this entire experience becomes more streamlined and accessible. Instagram aims to increase functionality on the Reels side with this feature.
Recently, Instagram continues to release various updates to improve the Reels format. For example, the option to share Reels in a series was introduced a few months ago. In addition, with “picture in picture” support, users can continue watching videos while doing other operations.