Instagram introduces watch history feature for Reels

Instagram has introduced a new watch history feature, allowing users to view Reels they have previously watched on the platform over the past 30 days.

Announced by Instagram head Adam Mosseri late last week, the feature appears under the 'Your Activity' section within user settings. It enables users to revisit recently viewed videos through a thumbnail-based list, offering options to sort content by date or creator.

“If you go to ‘Profile’, and under ‘Settings’ under your ‘Activity,’ there’s ‘Watch History’ now, so you can see every Reel that you’ve ever watched,” Mosseri said in a video statement. “You can sort it from oldest to newest, or newest to oldest, go to a specific date or date range, and even filter it down to a specific person or account that posted that Reel.”

The feature, which covers the most recent 30 days of activity, aims to make it easier for users to locate previously viewed videos without relying on bookmarks or manual searches.

Instagram’s latest update mirrors a similar function already available on TikTok, allowing users to retrace their viewing activity. The update is being rolled out in the latest version of the Instagram app across devices.