Instagram announced Tuesday that it is rolling out First Draft, a new iPhone tool that automatically builds a shorter Reel from clips chosen by the user. The feature examines multiple selected videos, removes pauses and picks segments intended to put highlights first.
According to reports from Engadget and The Verge, Instagram demonstrated First Draft with clips that were each longer than one minute. The tool produces an initial edit that creators can adjust before they publish it as a Reel, Instagram’s short-form video format.
First Draft creates an editable starting point
The feature targets one of the slower parts of making short-form video: reviewing footage and cutting it down into a sequence that holds attention. A creator selects several clips for a Reel, then First Draft analyzes the material and creates a condensed version from portions it considers useful.
Instagram has positioned the result as a draft rather than a finished video. Users can further modify the automated edit, which leaves room to change the pacing, retain a section the tool removed or revise the sequence before posting.
That distinction matters for people who shoot more video than they ultimately use. Instagram’s demonstration used footage running beyond one minute per clip, while Reels generally depend on a much tighter final presentation. An automated first pass could reduce the time spent finding usable moments and cutting dead space, especially when a creator has several takes to review.
Automation is moving further into the Reel workflow
First Draft adds editing assistance at the stage before a Reel is assembled, instead of limiting automation to effects applied after a video has been cut. For Instagram, making production faster could encourage more frequent posting from users who find manual editing too time-consuming.
Instagram has not said when First Draft will reach every iPhone user, whether it plans an Android release, or whether the feature will launch in every market. The company also has not detailed the full set of editing controls available after the first cut or the criteria its system uses to select and remove footage.
