Home
Apps
Apps News
Instagram Rolls Out Tap to Pause Feature for Reels With More Control Over Playback

Instagram Rolls Out Tap-to-Pause Feature for Reels With More Control Over Playback

Instagram said that the feature ensures audiences don’t miss key moments in videos.

Written by Shaurya Tomer, Edited by Ketan Pratap | Updated: 19 March 2026 15:34 IST

Instagram Rolls Out Tap-to-Pause Feature for Reels With More Control Over Playback

Photo Credit: Instagram

Users will see the Mute option when the Reel is paused

Click Here to Add Gadgets360 As A Trusted Source

Highlights

Users can tap once to pause a Reel and again to resume playback
The feature aims to improve usability and viewing control
The pause screen also shows a Mute option for audio control

Instagram on Wednesday announced the rollout of a new feature that lets users pause Reels with a single tap. It replaces the earlier press-and-hold gesture, which was required to pause a clip. The change aims to address a usability limitation and aligns Instagram's controls more closely with other video platforms, such as YouTube Shorts. Tap-to-pause has been in testing for some time, with some users also having early access to the tap-to-pause functionality ahead of its wider rollout.

Tap-to-Pause on Instagram Reels

With the latest update, users can now tap once on an Instagram Reel to pause playback and tap again to resume. Previously, pausing a Reel required users to press and hold the screen, which could be inconvenient, especially when trying to read captions or focus on details in a video.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Adam Mosseri (@mosseri)

In an update posted by Instagram's Creators channel on Threads, the feature is rolling out, intending to offer users “more control, more ways to connect, and more time to enjoy the content.”

As per the tech giant, users will see the Mute option when a Reel is paused. Instagram added that the feature ensures audiences don't miss key moments in videos. The rollout was also highlighted by Instagram head Adam Mosseri, who shared the update via a post on the platform.

Fortnite Returns to Google Play Store for Android Users Worldwide

It is currently rolling out to users on both Android and iOS, and availability may vary by region and account. Notably, the tap-to-pause functionality appears to have been in testing for some time with a small batch of users before its official rollout. Several Gadgets 360 staff members had access to the feature before its official announcement, while a select few could only access the Mute functionality.

Recently, Instagram introduced AI-powered voice effects for Reels, offering multiple filters that allow creators to modify audio in their videos. There are eight voice effects that a user can choose from, including “Chipmunk”, “Demon”, “Alien”, “Robot”, Underwater”, “Stadium”, “Wobble”, and “Fishbowl”, which can be accessed in any chat window.

A recent report also claimed that the social media app is developing an AI-powered face swap feature called “Create my likeness”. As the name suggests, it would reportedly allow users to write a prompt to generate images and videos using AI, while also adding the ability to generate content based on someone else's likeness.

Comments

Get your daily dose of tech news, reviews, and insights, in under 80 characters on Gadgets 360 Turbo. Connect with fellow tech lovers on our Forum. Follow us on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News for instant updates. Catch all the action on our YouTube channel.

Further reading: Instagram, Instagram Reels, Meta

Shaurya Tomer

Email Shaurya Tomer

Shaurya Tomer is a Sub Editor at Gadgets 360 with 2 years of experience across a diverse spectrum of topics. With a particular focus on smartphones, gadgets and the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI), he often likes to explore the industry's intricacies and innovations – whether dissecting the latest smartphone release or exploring the ethical implications of AI advancements. In his free time, he often embarks on impromptu road trips to unwind, recharge, and ...More