Instagram has fixed a recent bug that removed the sound from Reels video clips that were downloaded from the editing screen. The bug impacted iOS users and was detrimental to creators who use Reels as a filming tool and then export to other platforms, like TikTok.
After The Verge published a story about the issue, Seine Kim, a spokesperson for Instagram’s parent company, Meta, reached out to say the change wasn’t intentional and would be fixed. Kim said today that the issue was fixed in an update to Instagram released on Friday.
The issue appears to be resolved on my own iPhone. In a test this afternoon, I was able to download a clip from the Instagram Reels, complete with sound, the same as I could before the bug. This fix will help creators, including those at The Verge, get around TikTok’s poor editing features by using features like green screen in Reels for use in videos headed to other platforms.
TikTok and Instagram have been embroiled in a battle for short-form video domination, but Instagram has had to roll back some of its more aggressive TikTok-like features for the time being. This glitch may have been an unfortunate mishap, but it’s also a sign that TikTok needs to step up its editing tools.