Instagram’s ‘Blend’ feature helps you discover Reels your friends love
Think of it as a shared ‘For You Page’, one feed where your and your friends’ Reels come together.
To be honest, Instagram hasn’t exactly felt social in the way it used to. Over the years, the app has shifted focus from close-friend connections to a more influencer-heavy, algorithm-curated experience.
While that’s great for discovering creators, it’s easy to feel like you're just watching content instead of actually connecting with people you know.
But with its latest feature, Blend, Instagram seems to be inching back toward its roots, making the app feel a bit more personal again.
As the name suggests, Blend is a new way to enjoy Reels together with your friends, where your individual reel feeds are 'blended' together as one. Instead of individually sending funny videos back and forth in DMs, you can now create a shared Reels feed that combines content Instagram thinks everyone in the chat would enjoy.
The feed updates daily, and when someone in the group reacts to a video, everyone gets a notification, turning casual scrolling into a conversation starter.
Henry Chikwem
What makes Blend fun is that it adds a group twist to personalised recommendations. You might see a cooking hack your friend loves, or a meme that’s totally your vibe, all in one feed. It’s like Instagram is creating a space where your shared interests come alive.
And if the name sounds familiar, you’re not imagining it. Spotify has had a 'Blend' feature for a while now, combining the music tastes of two or more users into one playlist. It’s a little funny that a social media platform is taking cues from a music streaming app, but the idea works: shared content tailored to a group just makes things feel more connected.
How to start a Blend on Instagram
- Open any DM chat — one-on-one or a group.
- Tap the Blend icon at the top.
- Send an invite to the chat.
- Once someone accepts, your Blend feed is live.
- Check back daily for fresh Reels curated for your group.
Blend may not be a game-changer on its own, but it taps into something Instagram has been missing lately, the simple joy of sharing stuff with friends. It’s an easy, low-pressure way to stay connected without needing to comment, post, or perform. And if it works as intended, it could quietly shift the way people engage with Reels, from solo scrolling to shared discovery.
Kelechi Edeh
