Instagram has made a significant interface change in its iPad application. The application, which was launched last year, has a structure much closer to the iPhone version in terms of basic usage logic, with the new update.

The native iPad application, published in September 2025, initially offered a Reels-focused experience. When users opened the application, they were directly greeted with a short video stream.

Reels-oriented design was abandoned

The first version of the application used the large screen of the iPad in a structure focused on watching content. While the stories were located at the top, a multi-column layout was preferred.

With the new update, Instagram has abandoned this Reels-centric approach. Now the home tab on the iPad works just like the iPhone app.

When users open the application, they encounter the classic main flow, which includes the posts of the accounts they follow and recommended content. In this way, the iPad application becomes compatible with basic usage habits on mobile devices.

Reels videos are no longer the first screen that opens in the center of the app. The short video stream has been moved to a separate navigation tab, like in the iPhone version.

The Following tab, which was included in the first design and offered filters such as All, Friends, and Latest, was also removed with this update. Since the home page feed now shows the content and recommendations of the followed accounts together, there is no need for this special tab.

What do you think about this interface change in Instagram’s iPad application?

A new era for iPad users

The first version, released in September 2025, attracted attention because it came 15 years after the launch of the iPad. However, the initial design did not fully reflect the iPhone experience.

Instagram initially designed the iPad’s large screen for a different user experience. With the new regulation, the platform has brought the standard interface that users are accustomed to tablets.

This change provides the application with a more familiar and practical use. Users can now perform the operations they do on their phones with a similar flow on iPad.

This simplification in the general structure of the application makes users’ access to content more standardized. iPad users now have a more consistent Instagram experience.