Mashable: Will it make Reels even easier, or is it just a tool to compete with TikTok?

Instagram is testing a new tool to make creating Reels even easier.

According to Business Insider, the platform is allowing a small group of creators to test Templates, which allow people to use the same format as other videos for their own Reels. 

"We are always working on new ways to make Reels simpler to create. We are testing the ability for you to make a reel using an existing Template from another reel," a Meta spokesperson told TechCrunch in an email. Instagram did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Mashable.

Marketing manager and influencer Josephine Hill tried out the feature in March, according to a screenshot she posted on Twitter. 

"One thing that I've been looking for, particularly with Instagram Reels, was something that resembles TikTok's audio sync where the clips line up perfectly to the beat of the music," Hill told Business Insider. Templates seem to do just that.

It looks exactly like you think it would: Instagram presets times that go along with a song or another trend on the app, and users can plug in their own photos or videos to match.

This is just one of the many examples of Instagram copying features that are already on TikTok — the latter platform has TikTok Templates, which lets people put their photos into a preset format. Instagram Templates seem to be quite similar.

It is likely another attempt to get users to move off of TikTok and onto Reels, the Verge reported. It comes a year after Instagram said it would demote Reels with TikTok watermarks to try to stop TikTok reposts.