How to Use Blend on Instagram Reels

Many people create and search for reels on Instagram in 2025. This content form is everywhere, especially because they are easy to share in chats and even in DMs.

If you love reels, you’ve probably wondered if there is a way to share a specific feed of reels with different people.

It just so happens that Instagram introduced a feature in April 2025 that allows you to do this.

The new feature, called Blend, is meant to be a tool to help users create a unique reel feed. This feed is based on content suggestions that are specific to each user.

Instagram added the Blend feature to the chat section of the Instagram platform. It works by one user inviting another, and that person accepting the invite.

Instagram has worked on this feature for a year before releasing it, and in 2025, users can try it out in DMs and group chats.

How Does Blend Work?

With Instagram Blend, you and your friends can create your own shared reels feed. As mentioned, you can do this by sending direct messages or through a group chat.

The feature hasn't been rolled out in your region if you don’t see the Blend icon in your chat yet. Instagram is in the process of rolling out the feature to the first users.

When you start using it, it will merge your content preferences with those of the other participants. This means you will see reels that the algorithm promotes specifically based on these preferences.

The concept has been compared to Spotify’s joint playlist, which is also called Blend. In much the same way, Spotify blends the music tastes of two users to create a unique playlist and allows users to discover new music.

Everyone in an Instagram chat must opt into Blend before it will work. The point of this is to ensure everyone consents to their personalized data being aggregated.

Once a blend has been created, the feed will refresh daily with new reel suggestions.

It is clear that the idea behind the blend feature is to allow users to engage in more meaningful conversions. These conversations will start with a shared content discovery experience.

Why Using Blend Is a Good Idea

Reels is the main driver of engagement on Instagram, surpassing both stories and in-feed posts.

Blend will expand this engagement by transforming reels into a social experience that friends can enjoy together.

This reinforces the ongoing trend of social media interactions and in-app content sharing.

Blend will introduce variety when needed, and it offers a new avenue for brands and creators to reach more users on Instagram.

As the feature grows in popularity, so will organic growth and real engagement.

What to Consider Before You Use Blend

Blend pushes interaction, but it may feel like an invasion of privacy for some users. Blend will not work for you if you don’t want your friends to know your content preferences.

For instance, you may have been binge-watching reels about people sharing their disease diagnoses. Content like this is not for everyone, and not everyone wants their friends to know they’ve been watching these types of reels.

Therefore, you may feel like the feature is oversharing your preferences when you are not ready for people to know what you’ve been watching.

The feature also does not give you many customization or control options yet. There is no way to filter the type of content that will appear in the blended feed.

At the same time, it will also take some time for the algorithm to recommend the right type of content based on preferences.

Using Blend for the First Time

If you are open to trying Blend, open a DM and see if the Blend icon appears. You should see it at the top right of the screen.

You need to tap ‘invite’ before you can start a blend. Similarly, you must accept a blend invite before joining a friend on a blended feed.

Once you start a blend, you and the other user can scroll through a selection of suggested reels.

You can also react using the reply bar, which will send your reactions to the chat. Essentially, the reactions will keep the conversation going.

The chat will stay active, and the feed will refresh every day. Again, there is no way to control the type of content shared with the other user.

If several users are in blend mode simultaneously, the feed may also become irrelevant, considering everyone has different tastes in content.

If you want to exit blend mode after a while, tap on the settings icon and select ‘leave Blend mode.’

Best Practices for Using Blend

Blend is very new, and everyone is still trying it out without knowing what the result will be.

You can use the following best practices while the feature is still evolving.

• Mix one-on-one and group blends.

  It is a good idea to keep one-on-one blends for close friends only. With a one-on-one blend, you can bond over shared interests and keep conversations going.

  Group blends can be more for fun than anything else. The different users will have broad interests in a group, so that you can learn more about each other that way.

• Consider refreshing invitations.

  A group blend is likely to become stale faster than a one-on-one blend. If this happens, you can leave the blend and start a new session with other participants.

• Create promotional reel playlists.

  If you own a brand or you are a content creator, you may be able to use Blend to create promotional reel playlists.

Potential Issues When Using Blend

You may encounter technical issues when using Blend for the first time. For instance, you may not be able to use it at all because it is not available in your region yet.

Everyone you invite may not accept the invitation and, therefore, not appear in a group blend. If someone is missing, resend their invite or start a new blend.

You may also notice that the content is not refreshing. Check your Internet connection in this case, as Blend requires a stable network to work effectively.

Transform Reels Into a Journey of Discovery

It is too early to know whether Blend will stick around for the long haul. In the meantime, you can use it to strengthen social bonds and start social conversations.

Blend can be fun if you use it right and respect the privacy of other participants. So, try this new feature today and see whether it makes a difference in how you experience reels.