Instagram Tests New Reels Filter for Posts with Notes

Instagram’s testing out another way to lean into the popularity of Notes, with some users now seeing a new “Notes” feed filter within the Reels tab, which will then show you only Reels that have Notes included.

As you can see in this example, posted by Jaskaran Singh, some users are now able to access a specific “Notes” listing, in addition to their “For You” and “Nearby” feeds. That will then display Reels with Notes from your friends, providing another way to drive Notes engagement.

Instagram rolled out Notes on Reels earlier this month, which enables users to leave comments and remarks on Reels (and feed posts too) that their connections are then able to see.

The Notes last for three days, and can only be left by mutual follows, adding a simple option to spark interaction among your friends.

This new tab, then, would provide another way to facilitate connection and response, by showcasing all of the Reels that your friends have already commented on, so you can join in the discussion.

If Notes, of course, are your thing.

Almost every time I write about Notes on IG, somebody inevitably comments with a variation of “Who cares?”, or “Who uses these?”, or “Why don’t they just give us more reach?”

Many IG users, it seems, are confused by Notes, and don’t seemingly have much interest in the option. But a key demographic for IG, and Meta more broadly, has shown a lot of interest in the option.

Notes have proven especially popular with young users, whom IG says are “taking up notes at a wild pace”. Indeed, Instagram reported last June that teen users create notes at 10 times the rate of non-teens.  

That’s why Notes keeps getting expanded, and keeps getting more and more features, because Instagram really, really wants to maintain connection with younger, trendsetting groups, in order to anchor them to the app, and ideally keep them from drifting off to TikTok instead.

So, like them or not, use them or not, Instagram is going to keep doubling down on Notes, and seeking new places to incorporate Notes for younger users.

So if you don’t like them, don’t use them, but do so in the knowledge that younger users are apparently 10x more excited about them than you or I are.