As Instagram’s answer to TikTok, Reels provides a similar experience, including the Remix feature (called Duet in the Chinese app.) This lets you reply to another user’s video (or post) and turn it into a collaborative creation. In this article, we demonstrate how to create your first Remix on Instagram.
Good to know: learn how to create and share AI characters with Instagram’s AI Studio.
What is Instagram’s Remix Feature
Instagram Remix is basically a reaction feature. It lets you respond with your own clip or photos to Reels/posts that you find intriguing. When using Remix, the two videos will be posted alongside or superimposed, so viewers can see both of them at the same time. By allowing users to add their unique creative spin to other people’s videos, Instagram is fostering collaboration and engagement.
Note that not all Reels are remixable. The creator of the Reel has to enable the appropriate option for that to be possible.
How to Remix Instagram Reels
Open the Instagram app and navigate to a Reel you wish to respond to. You can open it either from the Reels tab or from a user’s profile.
Tap on the three-dot menu at the bottom-right corner.
Select the Remix button at the top of the pop-up menu.
The Remix screen will now load. You can go ahead and edit the original clip. For instance, you can add a music background or add stickers and text, depending on your preferences. When you’re ready to add your part, press on the camera icon in the upper right corner.
This will automatically collage the view from your selfie camera on top of the original video. This is a popular way of Remixing and you’ve probably already seen many response videos like this on Instagram.
Yet, if you’d like to have the videos side-by-side, or in a different configuration, that’s possible too. Press the people-shaped button in the menu on the left side.
Select the configuration you want from the options available. The screen will split accordingly.
When you’re ready to start shooting your video, press the large Reels button at the bottom to start shooting your video. You can add an effect on top of your video if you prefer. Alternatively, you can upload a video from your phone’s gallery.
Press Next to add any edits you consider necessary.
Finally, you can proceed to the posting screen to upload your new Reel by pressing Next once more.
Tip: here’s how you can find trending audio for Instagram Reels.
Remix a Post Into an Instagram Reel
You can also Remix a post into an Instagram Reel. In case you don’t know, it’s possible to create Reels only using photos, and you can create a Remix using only images as well. The result will be a Reel. Here’s how to do so.
On Instagram, navigate to a post on someone’s profile. If you spotted one in your feed, you can initiate the process from there as well. Tap on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Remix, just like in the case of Reels.
Press the Camera button. Switch to the layout that you prefer, just like we showed you above. Now press on the Gallery button which is at the bottom. Upload the images you want to add to your Reel from there.
When you return to the Remix screen, you’ll once again notice that the camera is switched to video mode. No problem, since the images have been added. Press Next. You’re not limited to photos though, if you wish to add a video response too, tap the shutter button to record or upload a video you already have.
Once all this is done, you should now see the preview featuring the image/video. Add your edits (if any) and press Next to post your new Remix.
FYI: check the best app for creating Instagram Reels.
Remix an Instagram Story
While the Remix feature isn’t technically available for Instagram Stories, you can still Remix a Story by resharing it and adding your own unique commentary to it. This can’t be a video of you explaining things, so there is this limitation to take into consideration. Instead, you can add text, stickers, and music to the Story.
Bear in mind that in order to be able to reshare a Story, the original poster needs to have mentioned you in it. When this happens, you’ll receive a DM alerting you that you have a new mention. Open the message and press the Add to Your Story button.
Edit the Story with your own commentary before posting it on your own profile.
If the Story you want to Remix is a Reel, press the Watch full reel button at the top to access the Reel page. Then you can Remix the video as we showed you above.
Enable Remix for Select Reels
As I mentioned above, for a Reel to be available for Remix to other users, you need to make sure this option is enabled. You can activate the feature for ALL your Reels or for select ones. You might have to do this for older Reels, such as videos uploaded before April 1, 2021.
Open any of your Instagram Reels videos that you want to make available for remixing.
Tap on the three-dot icon at the bottom-right corner.
Select Remixing.
Press Allow reuse, then tap Allow in the pop-up.
That’s it, your Reel is ready to be Remixed. If you want to disable Remixing sometime in the future, follow the same path and tap on the Turn off reuse option.
Tip: learn more about how to reshare your favorite content on Instagram.
Disable Remix for Your Profile
Remixing Reels or posts and collaborating with someone’s video sounds amazing, but what if someone ends up using your Reels/posts to mess with you? To avoid such scenarios, Instagram also allows the option to permanently disable the Instagram Remix feature for all Reels/posts on your profile.
Open your Instagram profile page and tap on the hamburger menu located at the top-right corner.
Go to Sharing and reuse under How others can interact with you.
Find the Allow people to create with and reuse your content section and turn off both Reels and Posts.
Now that you know how to Remix with Instagram Reels, perhaps you’d like to get up to speed on how to use the Duet feature on TikTok as well. Also, check how you can tell if someone’s username on Instagram has changed.
Image credit: Freepik All screenshots by Alexandra Arici
