Instagram’s New “Linked Reels” Feature: Finally, No More Hunting for Part 2 

You know that feeling when you’re watching a great Instagram tutorial series and the creator says “Part 2 is on my profile somewhere”? Then you spend five minutes scrolling through their entire feed trying to find it, get frustrated, and give up? Instagram just fixed that exact problem with their new Linked Reels feature. 

What Actually Is This Feature? 

Instagram’s Linked Reels lets creators connect one reel to another, creating a chain of related content. Think of it like a “Next Episode” button for Instagram. When someone watches your first reel, they’ll see a little button at the bottom that says something like “Watch Part 2” or whatever you want to call it.  

No more telling people to “check my profile for the next part.” No more viewers getting frustrated and giving up halfway through your story. Just smooth, connected content that actually makes sense.  

Here’s a reel by The Sorted Girl explaining Instagram Linked Reels: 

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A post shared by Aarti Samant | Digital & Brand Marketing Consultant (@thesortedgirl)

How to Actually Use Linked Reels 

For New Reels: 

1. Create your reel like normal 

2. When you get to the caption page, you’ll see “Link a reel” 

3. Pick which existing reel you want to connect it to 

4. Add a title (up to 15 characters) like “Part 2” or “Next” 

5. Hit share and you’re done 

For Existing Reels: 

1. Go to any reel on your profile 

2. Tap the three dots menu 

3. Select “Link a reel” 

4. Choose which reel to connect 

5. Add your title and save 

You can edit or remove these links anytime, so you’re not stuck with bad connections forever.  

Why This Actually Matters 

Here’s the thing about Instagram before this update: creators were basically forced to hack their way around the platform’s limitations. Recipe creators would say “Part 2 is three posts down on my profile.” Storytellers would put “Link in bio for the rest.” Fitness influencers would tell you to scroll through their entire feed to find the workout conclusion.  

It was annoying as hell for everyone involved. 

TechCrunch reported that this feature came directly from creator feedback – people were literally begging Instagram to solve this problem. And the platform finally listened.  

The Numbers Behind the Need 

According to Business Today, this feature supports the “growing trend of creators producing ‘Reels series'” around central themes or storylines. Instagram hasn’t released specific numbers, but anyone who spends time on the platform knows series content is everywhere:  

• Recipe tutorials split into multiple parts 

• Workout routines broken down by exercise 

• Storytimes that need multiple reels to tell properly 

• Educational content that requires step-by-step explanations 

Before Linked Reels, viewers had a terrible time following these series. The Indian Express noted that this feature makes it “easier for the audience to keep track of the series without scrolling through the content creator’s feed”. 

What This Means for Creators 

1. Better Engagement: When viewers can easily move from Part 1 to Part 2, they’re more likely to watch your entire series instead of giving up.  

2. Easier Organization: You can create actual episodic content without worrying about your audience getting lost.  

3. More Watch Time: Instagram loves when people spend more time on the platform, and connected content keeps them watching longer.  

4. Less Frustration: No more explaining in every caption where to find the next part of your story.5 

The Limitations You Should Know 

1. You can only link one reel at a time. No branching storylines.  

2. Also, reels shared only with close friends or subscribers can’t be linked, which makes sense for privacy reasons.  

3. The title limit is 15 characters, so keep it short and clear. And if you don’t add a title, it defaults to “Linked Reel,” which is pretty boring.  

Why Instagram Finally Did This 

According to Meta’s announcement, this feature reflects their commitment to helping creators tell better stories. But really, they were probably tired of seeing creators frustrated with the platform’s limitations.  

Instagram has been pushing hard into video content to compete with TikTok, and series content keeps people watching longer.  

How Linked Reels Changes Content Strategy 

Smart creators are already thinking about how to use this. Instead of cramming everything into one long reel, you can now create proper multi-part content: 

1. Break complex tutorials into digestible chunks 

2. Create cliffhangers that actually pay off 

3. Build ongoing series that people want to follow 

4. Test different topics across linked reels to see what works 

The Rollout Reality 

Instagram says this feature is “expected to become widely available in the coming weeks”, but some users already have access. The rollout started on August 20, 2025, according to their official announcement.  

If you don’t see it yet, be patient. Instagram tends to roll out features gradually to avoid overwhelming their servers. 

What Creators Should Do Right Now 

Start thinking in series. That long tutorial you’ve been putting off because it would be too much for one reel? Now you can break it down properly.  

That story you want to tell but can’t fit in 90 seconds? Perfect for linked content. 

The creators who figure this out first are going to have a huge advantage in keeping audiences engaged. 

Conclusion 

Instagram finally fixed one of their most obvious problems. No more lost viewers, no more frustrated creators, no more awkward “check my profile” captions. 

Linked Reels proves that sometimes the best new features are the ones that solve old problems. This isn’t flashy or revolutionary. It’s just smart platform design that should have existed from day one. 

Now creators can focus on making great content instead of figuring out how to work around Instagram’s limitations.  

And honestly? It’s about time.