On Friday, Instagram announced an exciting update that allows users to access their previously watched Reels through a new feature called Watch History. This much-anticipated addition brings Instagram's functionality in line with its rival, TikTok, which has offered a similar feature for several years now.
The Watch History feature is designed to enhance user experience by enabling you to revisit videos you may not have saved. Have you ever been captivated by an interesting Reel only to have your attention diverted by a phone call or an unexpected app closure? If so, this new feature is set to resolve that frustration. Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, highlighted this common issue in his announcement, stating, “Have you ever tried to get back to a reel that you’d seen on Instagram and you just can’t find it?”
To access your Watch History, simply navigate to your profile, select 'Settings,' and then look for 'Your Activity.' Here, you will find the new Watch History option, allowing you to view every Reel you have ever watched on the platform.
Similar to TikTok, Instagram's Watch History feature provides various sorting options. Users can filter their viewing history by date—whether that’s over the past week, month, or a specific date range. Additionally, Instagram offers more flexibility than TikTok, allowing you to sort videos in chronological or reverse chronological order, or even by the author of the Reels.
If you find a Reel that you’d prefer not to see in your history, Instagram also allows you to remove specific videos from your watch history, providing an added layer of control over your content.
The introduction of the Watch History feature comes as a response to user demand. Prior to this update, Instagram users had to rely on cumbersome workarounds, such as downloading their data from the app and sifting through it to locate their watch history. With this new feature, finding lost videos becomes significantly easier, eliminating the need for such tedious methods.
Overall, the Watch History feature not only simplifies the process of retrieving past Reels but also elevates the Instagram Reels viewing experience to be on par with TikTok, ensuring that users can enjoy their favorite content without interruptions.
