Meta tests new Instagram reels pause feature amid TikTok uncertainty

Meta is testing a long-awaited pause feature for Instagram Reels, allowing users to stop and start videos with a single tap. The update signals Meta’s ongoing effort to capitalise on TikTok’s uncertain future in the United States. Earlier this month, TikTok briefly went dark, and it remains unavailable on Apple and Google app stores ahead of a potential ban on April 5.

The new pause function is currently being tested by a small group of users worldwide, according to Meta. The company has not yet confirmed when it will roll out the feature more widely. Previously, Instagram Reels users could only pause videos by pressing and holding the screen, making the process more cumbersome than TikTok’s one-tap method. Until now, a single tap on Instagram Reels would mute the audio but allow the video to continue playing. On Thursday, CNBC successfully tested the new pause feature.

For months, Instagram users have demanded a pause button, voicing their requests across various social media platforms. One frustrated user wrote on X, “Hello @instagram, can I please request a pause button on reels?? sincerely, a grieving former TikTok scroller.”

Beyond the pause feature, Meta is launching a video editing app called Edits, which will compete with ByteDance’s CapCut. Instagram chief Adam Mosseri confirmed Edits will launch in February. Additionally, Meta is paying creators to promote Instagram on TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube Shorts.

Meta shares rose slightly on Thursday after the company’s strong fourth-quarter earnings. CEO Mark Zuckerberg remains confident, stating, “Regardless of what happens with TikTok, I expect Reels on Instagram and Facebook to continue growing.”