Instagram is testing ‘non-skippable’ ads that you can’t scroll through

Instagram is testing “ad breaks” that force you to stop and watch an ad for a certain amount of time before you can continue scrolling through it. Several users on X and Reddit reported seeing this feature, and Instagram spokesperson Matthew Tye confirmed it. The edge that ad breaks are being tested. Tye said Instagram would “provide updates if this testing results in formal product changes.”

A Redditor spotted the feature while scrolling through stories and posts. After some time of scrolling, Instagram stopped them from going any further until they looked at an ad. As shown in the screenshot, Instagram displays an “ad break” icon with a countdown that indicates how long it will be before you can start scrolling again.

When the user tapped the icon for more information about the feature, Instagram displayed a message saying: “Ad breaks are a new way to see ads on Instagram. Sometimes you may need to display an ad before you can continue browsing.

Instagram already displays sponsored posts and ads between the content you browse, whether it’s your Home Feed or Reels. But pasting non-skippable content between posts takes this to another level – and seems quite disruptive. “We’re constantly testing formats that can generate value for advertisers,” says Tye.

Besides Instagram, YouTube also runs must-see ads before and during videos. Last year, it even expanded must-watch 30-second ads to its TV app. YouTube and TikTok also insert ads between their short-form videos, but you can always skip past them.