Instagram is now on Apple TV, and the free app brings Reels, longer videos and live shows to the living room TV. It appears to have gone live on October 23.
You can grab it from the Apple TV App Store on any Apple TV running tvOS 26.0 or later. Videos you start on an iPhone or iPad can be picked up again on the TV, so you do not have to hunt for the same Reel twice.
Instagram Reaches Apple TV After Fire TV, Google TV and Samsung
Instagram launched its TV app on Amazon Fire TV devices in the US in December 2025. Google TV followed in February 2026, and Samsung Smart TVs in the US (2020 models and newer) got it in June. Meta said in June that those three platforms cover the majority of connected TV devices in the US, which made Apple TV the obvious next stop.
The early version was built around Reels sorted into interest-based channels. Since then Meta has been testing casting Reels from a phone to the TV, Stories on the big screen and a dedicated home for horizontal videos. Casting is live on Google TV and Fire TV, and there is no word yet on which of these features will reach Apple TV.
Apple TV Gets Longer Videos and Live Shows Alongside Reels
Meta said it was working on longer creator videos, episodic series and live broadcasts for TV. Longer videos and live shows are part of the Apple TV app from day one. Episodic series are not.
Instagram is no stranger to Apple’s other screens either. The iPad got its own dedicated Instagram app in September 2025, after years of requests, and one App Store page now covers the iPhone, iPad and Apple TV versions.
Parental Controls Are Worth Setting Up on a Shared TV
The Apple TV app is rated 13+ and includes age assurance and parental controls. It also carries ads, messaging and user-generated content, and some of what shows up can be rated higher than 13+. Anyone in the house can end up watching whatever the feed serves up, so the controls are worth setting up before the first session.
Apple’s hardware is changing as well, and the new Apple TV 4K with an A19 chip goes on sale November 13 for $299.
