Meta is testing a major redesign of Facebook that replaces the traditional news feed with a “TikTok” style full screen video experience.
The new feature aims to attract younger users, increase engagement and help Facebook compete with TikTok in the growing short video market.
Tom Alison, head of the Facebook app at Meta, said the company will begin testing a “reimagined experience” that opens directly to a personalized stream of full screen vertical videos. Instead of seeing the familiar feed of posts from friends, family and followed pages, some users will immediately see videos selected by Facebook’s recommendation algorithm.
Meta said the feature will first be tested in selected international markets before expanding to the United States. The company plans to review user feedback and performance before deciding on a wider rollout.
The redesign marks one of Facebook’s biggest changes in years, since its launch, the platform has mainly focused on connecting people through posts, photos and updates from friends and communities.
The updated feed is expected to look similar to TikTok’s “For You” page, where users scroll through a continuous stream of videos chosen by an algorithm based on their interests and viewing habits.
Meta has used a similar strategy before when responding to competition, in 2016, the company introduced Instagram stories after Snapchat popularized disappearing content. It later launched Instagram reels to compete with TikTok’s short form videos. However, the planned Facebook redesign represents a much larger shift because it changes the app’s main home screen.
At the same time, the redesign carries some risks. Many longtime Facebook users still visit the platform to keep up with friends, family and community groups. A home screen filled mainly with recommended videos could change that experience and may not appeal to users who prefer personal updates over algorithm-driven content.
Meta has not released images of the redesigned interface or announced when the feature could become available worldwide.
