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What a trial reel is
A trial reel is a regular reel that Instagram shows to non-followers first. Your followers won’t see it in Feed or the Reels tab, and it won’t appear on your grid until you share it with everyone. Instagram launched the feature in December 2024[1] and expanded access in June 2025[3].
It’s a way to try out a new topic, format or opening line before you show the reel to your followers. Instagram says that after trying trial reels, 40% of creators started posting reels more often, and 80% of those creators saw their reach among non-followers grow[3].
How to post a trial reel
Create your reel
Record or upload a video the way you normally would. Use a new one: if you’ve already shared it, the trial may get less reach.
Turn on Trial
The toggle has to be on before you tap Share. To have Instagram share the reel with your followers if it does well, tap Trial settings below the toggle and turn on Share to everyone automatically.
Share it
Non-followers see it first. On your profile it sits next to your drafts, and nobody else can tell it’s a trial[1].
Check the insights a day later
Open the reel and tap View insights. If it’s working, tap Share to everyone; if not, leave it as a trial and test another version.
What to check after 24 hours
Insights show up about 24 hours after you post: views, likes, comments and shares, plus a comparison with your previous trials[1].
It’s fairer to compare a new trial with those than with your regular reels: trials are shown to people who don’t follow you, so they may take longer to get views[2]. Don’t worry if the first few hours are slow.
What to post as a trial
Change one thing at a time — the opening, the length or the format — so it’s easier to tell what made the difference. And post something new: Instagram may limit a trial’s reach if it spots content you’ve already shared[2].
If you can’t decide between a few edits of the same video, post each as a trial and compare. Trendino can make three for you: see three trial reels from one recording.
FAQ
Why don’t I have trial reels?
You need a public account with at least 200 followers on a professional account or 1,000 on a personal one, and the account has to be eligible for recommendations. Check Account Status and update the app.
Will my followers see a trial reel?
Not in Feed or the Reels tab. But some may still come across it elsewhere: in a DM, on the audio page or in search engine results.
Why does my trial reel have 0 views?
Trials may take longer to get views because they’re shown to people who don’t follow you. Give it a day; if it still isn’t getting views, check whether your account is eligible for recommendations.
How long should I wait before checking?
About 24 hours. If you turned on automatic sharing, Instagram decides on its own whether to share the reel with your followers; at launch, that decision was based on views in the first 72 hours.
Will a trial that flops hurt my regular reels?
No. Instagram ranks trial reels separately, and they don’t affect how your regular reels perform or rank.
Can I turn an old reel into a trial?
Instagram recommends posting something new: if it detects content you’ve already shared, the trial’s reach may be limited.
How do I turn a trial into a regular reel?
Open it, tap View insights, then Share to everyone. It moves to your grid and goes out to your followers.
How do I compare several versions of one video?
Post each version as its own trial and compare them after the same amount of time, say 24 hours. In Trendino, the 3 variations option gives you three versions of one recording at once.
Sources
- 1.Test Content With Non-Followers Using Trial ReelsMeta, December 10, 2024
- 2.About trial reels on InstagramInstagram Help Center
- 3.Embracing Instagram Creativity for AllInstagram, June 12, 2025