Instagram’s ‘First Draft’ feature aims to make editing Reels less tedious

Instagram has announced a new tool designed to streamline the creation of Reels. In a post on its Threads platform on Tuesday, the company revealed “First Draft,” an automated editing feature that trims selected video clips and removes pauses. The system pulls together the strongest moments into an initial cut, giving creators a ready‑to‑share version that can be further refined.

First Draft is intended to reduce the time spent on basic editing tasks, allowing users to focus on content rather than the mechanics of trimming. Instagram says the feature can produce a polished draft in minutes, which can then be customized with music, text, and other effects. The rollout is part of the platform’s ongoing efforts to enhance its short‑form video tools and compete with other social‑media apps that offer similar automated editing capabilities.

By simplifying the initial editing stage, Instagram aims to encourage more frequent use of Reels and improve overall user engagement. The company has not yet detailed the availability schedule, but the feature will be available to creators who use the app’s native video editor.