Instagram Tests Series for Episodic Reels and Per-Slide Captions

Instagram is testing two new features that could change how creators share content. The first is Series, a hub for episodic reels. The second is per-slide captions for carousel posts, which is now rolling out more widely.

What Is Instagram Series

Meta started testing Series on June 2, 2026. It is the closest Instagram has come to episodic video content. Series lets a creator bundle reels, both new and already published, into a collection with its own page.

Each series gets its own tab on the creator’s profile. If someone watches episode four, they can tap through to see the full series, save it, and pick up where they left off. This makes it easy to follow multi-part stories in order.

The test is currently limited to selected creators who were already posting serialized content. Meta has said it is exploring ways to help creators earn money from Series, but has not shared details yet.

Why Series Matters

This feature is useful for content that naturally comes in parts. Tutorials, case studies, behind-the-scenes videos, and product stories told over several clips all work well as a series.

Before Series, a creator’s multi-part content was scattered across their profile. Viewers had to hope the algorithm showed them episode two after watching episode one. Series turns scattered reels into something a viewer can watch through in order, which should improve retention.

TikTok has offered something similar for years, so Instagram is catching up here. But Instagram’s large creator base means Series could become popular quickly once it launches widely.

Per-Slide Carousel Captions

Instagram spent the spring testing per-slide captions on carousels and has now opened the feature more widely. When building a carousel, the last screen has a dropdown menu. Creators can choose one caption for the whole post, or write a separate caption for each photo or video.

Readers see each caption at the bottom of the screen as they swipe through. This is more useful than it sounds. A carousel walking through five steps, five products, or five tips no longer needs to cram everything into one long caption under the first slide.

It also makes carousels easier to read on phones. A single long caption often gets cut off behind a “more” button, and most people never tap to expand it. Per-slide captions solve this problem.

More Instagram Changes

Instagram is also working on other updates. The company is testing a Reels-first feed on iOS and a new perk for Instagram Plus called “Read-Only Mode.” There is also a fresh design for the Edit Profile page in the works.

Creators can now search within their Saved posts, making it easier to find bookmarked content. Instagram Edits, the company’s video editing app, can now create and edit carousel posts as well.