Instagram Lite relaunched in India with support for 9 local Indian languages earlier last year. It’s a lightweight version of the Facebook-owned app with an install size of just 2MB. The app arrived with most of the basic functionality including photo/video uploads, story uploads, story viewing, messaging, and more. Today, the latest update for Instagram Lite has brought the popular Reels feature to the app.
First reported by XDA Developers, you will now see the ‘Reels’ icon in the bottom navigation bar. It sits between the upload and profile in Instagram Lite. It does not replace the search or upload button like the main app.
Once you tap the Reels icon, you will be greeted by a familiar UI. You can swipe up to scroll through an infinite number of videos. You can double-tap to like, comment, and share Reels with your friends. Also, you can tap on the audio’s file name at the bottom left corner to see all Reels uploaded with the same audio track.
The Reels feature here is intuitive and does not hamper the existing Instagram Lite experience. You still cannot upload Reels via this app. You will need to download the main app to make short videos.
The addition of Reels to Instagram Lite will enable the company to reach more users in India. It could become the go-to alternative for ex-TikTok users on low-end devices or those living in areas with a spotty Internet connection. You will need to download app version #239.0.0.10.109 to see Reels. Instagram Lite is available in Bangla, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil, and Telugu in India.
