Instagram has launched a new ‘Watch History’ feature for its short-video format, Reels, allowing users to view all the videos they have previously watched. The update makes it much easier to revisit clips without having to like, save, or share them first. Until now, once a user scrolled past a Reel, there was no built-in way to find it again, which often frustrated users who wanted to rewatch a specific video. The Meta-owned platform has confirmed that the feature is gradually rolling out worldwide and will reach all users in the coming weeks.
Instagram head Adam Mosseri acknowledged that many users had requested this update. In a post announcing the feature, he said people often try to find a Reel they have seen earlier but can not locate it again because it was not saved. He noted, the new feature is designed to solve that exact problem.
The new Watch History section is located within the ‘Your Activity’ tab on a user’s profile. To access it, users need to open their profile, tap the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner, and select Your Activity from the menu. Within that section, a new option called Watch History appears, showing a chronological list of all the Reels they have recently watched. Even Reels that were not liked, saved, or shared will now appear in this list, giving users a complete overview of their recent viewing activity.
Importantly, Instagram has also added several tools to make the Watch History easy to manage. Users can sort Reels by date, from newest to oldest or the reverse, and even filter them by specific time periods or by the creators who posted them. And if someone does not want a particular Reel to appear in their history, they can remove it manually. There is also an option to clear the entire history at once, giving users full control over what stays in their list.
The introduction of Watch History brings Instagram closer to its biggest rival, TikTok, which already offers a similar feature. However, Instagram’s version includes some extra capabilities, like more advanced filtering options by date range or creator. Clearly, these small additions could make it more convenient for users to find specific videos.
However, despite all these efforts and updates, the platform is still not free from controversies. Recently, Meta-owned Instagram came under scrutiny from the European Commission for allegedly violating parts of the EU’s Digital Services Act, with officials accusing the company of using ‘dark patterns’ that make it difficult for users to report illegal content and appeal moderation decisions. Earlier, in February 2025, the app faced backlash after users reported seeing a surge of graphic and violent videos in their Reels feed, even with sensitive content filters turned on, but the social media giant later blamed it on a technical glitch.
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