Instagram’s ‘First Draft’ Feature Aims to Streamline Reel Editing

Instagram is making one of the most challenging parts of creating Reels easier. The company announced on Tuesday via a Threads post that it is introducing “First Draft,” a new editing feature that automatically trims selected video clips and removes pauses, resulting in an initial cut that highlights the best moments.

As per Instagram, this process can produce a first draft in under 10 seconds, potentially cutting down editing time for creators and making video production more accessible for those with limited editing skills. Instead of painstakingly editing each clip, creators can start with an auto-generated draft and then refine it as needed.

At launch, First Draft will be available exclusively on iPhone. Users can access it directly from Instagram’s camera while recording or by selecting multiple clips from the Reels gallery.

While this feature may not be revolutionary, as similar automated editing tools exist in applications like Adobe Firefly’s Quick Cuts and CapCut’s Auto Cut, Instagram’s integration of this capability directly into its app minimizes the need for creators to transfer footage to other editing software.

This year, Instagram has introduced several tools for creators, including a “Replace Audio” feature that allows users to change the music on existing feed posts and carousels without deleting and re-uploading them. The company is also working on a new AI assistant for its video-editing app, Edits.

Furthermore, Instagram is testing “Series,” a feature that allows creators to group related Reels, enabling viewers to watch them in a specified order, effectively turning standalone short videos into more coherent content.

Interestingly, the launch of First Draft comes just as Instagram head Adam Mosseri is set to testify in Meta’s notable social media addiction trial, which claims that Meta has designed Instagram and Facebook to encourage compulsive use among children while disregarding potential harm. Meta has denied these claims.