Instagram Remix On Reels Duels TikTok Duets

It's safe to say that social networks these days are copying each other more blatantly than before. That sometimes goes not only for features but even the names for those features. We've seen that happen in Stories, Clubhouses, and short-form videos just to name a few. Now it seems that TikTok is once again the progenitor of a new fad, one that remixes one short video with another. TikTok called it its Duets and, after some time baking in limited testing, Instagram is now launching its own Remix on Reels.

The idea behind TikTok Duets is almost genius in its simplicity. Take one short video and add your own that plays simultaneously side-by-side the original. This has admittedly yielded quite a number of entertaining new content that takes advantage of that layout, enough to catch TikTok's competitors' attention. Although some social networks have been developing their own take on Duets, Instagram is trying to steal everyone else's thunder with this public launch.

Instagram's Remix is part of its Reels feature, the social network's own take on TitTok's popular short-form video format. The way it works is also the same but the fine details might not exactly be to everyone's tastes.

The biggest consideration is that only newly uploaded Reels can be Remixed. Each and every older Reel will need to have Remixing explicitly enabled and, fortunately, that's just a single tap away. Remixes are treated just like any other Reel and appear on the Reels tab of your profile. Additionally, you'll be able to see who has remixed your own Reel in the Activity tab.

The rollout of Instagram Remix on Reels has just started and will be enabled on new public Reels from a public account. Amusingly, Snapchat is working on its own TikTok Duet rival named "Remix", perhaps a jab at Instagram who copied not only its Stories feature but also the name itself.