Published : 27 Aug 2026, 05:40 PM
Updated : 08 Sep 2026, 09:36 AM
Instagram is rolling out a new feature that can automatically turn a batch of video clips into an initial Reel, as the platform looks to make short-form video editing quicker and easier.
Called “First Draft”, the tool automatically trims selected clips, removes pauses and pulls together what it identifies as the strongest moments into a first cut, TechCrunch reported.
Instagram says the initial edit can be generated in under 10 seconds, allowing users to refine an automatically assembled version rather than manually cutting every piece of footage from scratch.
The feature is initially being rolled out on iPhone.
Users can access First Draft through Instagram’s camera while recording footage or from the Reels gallery after selecting multiple clips.
The automatically generated version is not intended to be the finished product. Users can continue editing the draft, rearrange or trim footage and make other changes before posting it.
The idea is to reduce one of the more time-consuming parts of making a Reel, particularly for people who are less familiar with dedicated video-editing software.
Instagram is not the first platform to offer automated video editing.
Similar functions are already available through products such as CapCut’s Auto Cut and Adobe Firefly’s Quick Cuts, TechCrunch noted.
But incorporating the feature directly into Instagram could mean creators have less need to move their footage between separate editing apps before uploading it.
First Draft is the latest in a series of tools Instagram has introduced or tested for creators this year.
The company has also added a “Replace Audio” feature that lets users change music on existing feed posts and carousels without deleting them, while it is developing an AI assistant for its standalone video-editing app, Edits.
Instagram is also testing a feature called “Series”, which would allow creators to organise related Reels so viewers can watch them in a particular order.
The latest addition comes as Instagram continues competing with TikTok and other short-form video platforms for creators and viewers.
For users, however, the appeal of First Draft is considerably simpler: choosing the clips could soon be enough for Instagram to do much of the first round of editing itself.
