Instagram has released an app for Apple TV, giving viewers a way to watch Reels, longer videos from creators and live programming on a television instead of a phone.
The rollout comes with a significant limit. Meta has confirmed the Apple TV experience is restricted to the United States, so users in Canada and elsewhere cannot use it yet.
A US-Only Launch for Now
Instagram announced the app in a post on X, describing it as "available in the US only." The company's help centre also still lists Instagram for TV as a feature offered in the United States.
According to a report by iPhone in Canada, that restriction matches what Canadian users are encountering. Scrolling Instagram on the living-room TV, a habit many already have on their phones, is not an option north of the border.
Designed for Watching, Not Posting
The Apple TV app focuses on viewing rather than creating content. Users can move between short Reels, longer creator videos, episodic series and live shows.
It also supports picking up a video on another device where the viewer stopped. Instagram is pitching the app as a shared experience, letting friends and family watch together on one large screen rather than gathering around a single phone.
The app requires tvOS 26.0 or later, according to its App Store listing.
Filling a Gap in Meta's TV Strategy
Apple TV is the latest platform in a gradual expansion. Meta began testing Instagram for TV on Amazon Fire TV devices in the United States in December 2025.
The company then extended the app to Google TV and Samsung smart TVs earlier this year. Apple's set-top box had been a conspicuous omission for users who rely heavily on Apple hardware, and this launch closes that gap.
Part of a Broader Push Into Longer Video
The TV app fits into Instagram's wider effort to move beyond quick, vertical clips. On phones and tablets, the platform has been placing more emphasis on longer horizontal video.
That includes a US test allowing select creators to upload videos as long as 90 minutes. Bringing that kind of content to a television remote is a logical extension, since longer videos are generally better suited to bigger screens and lean-back viewing.
What It Means for Creators and Viewers
For creators, a presence on connected TVs opens another surface where their work can be discovered and watched at length, putting Instagram in closer competition with platforms that already dominate living-room video.
For users outside the United States, the wait continues. Canadians will keep using Instagram on iPhones, iPads and computers until Meta expands availability, though the App Store page already outlines what to expect: favourite creators on a larger display, live shows and cross-device viewing. Meta has not said when that wider rollout will happen.
Source: iPhone in Canada
