How to Access Facebook Reels

Finding Facebook Reels can sometimes feel a bit like a scavenger hunt, with buttons and feeds appearing in slightly different places for everyone. It's an experience designed for endless scrolling, yet accessing it isn't always obvious. This guide will show you exactly how to find, watch, and create Reels on both the Facebook mobile app and your desktop computer, so you can stop searching and start scrolling (or creating).

What Exactly Are Facebook Reels?

Facebook Reels are short-form, vertical videos designed to be engaging, entertaining, and easily digestible. Typically lasting up to 90 seconds, they feature music, audio clips, effects, and creative editing tools that allow users to express themselves in dynamic new ways. They're Meta’s response to the astronomical rise of TikTok and have become a central part of the Facebook experience.

For brands and creators, Reels are a big deal. The Facebook algorithm heavily favors this format, pushing Reels to new audiences outside of your existing followers. This creates a massive opportunity for organic reach that's much harder to achieve with standard photo or video posts. Whether you're a small business owner, a social media manager, or just someone looking to have fun, getting comfortable with Reels is a smart move.

How to Find and Watch Facebook Reels on the Mobile App

The primary way to experience Reels is through the Facebook mobile app on either an iPhone or Android device. Facebook offers several access points, so if one doesn't appear for you, another probably will.

Method 1: The Reels Feed at the Top

This is the most common way to access the Reels viewer. It's designed to be front and center as soon as you open the app.

• Open the Facebook app on your phone.
• Look right below the "What's on your mind?" status box at the top of your News Feed.
• You should see a series of Story bubbles and, often right next to it or mixed in, a section for "Reels." It might show previews of a few Reels in a row.
• Tap on any of these previews to open the full-screen, immersive Reels viewer. From there, just swipe up to watch the next video.

Method 2: The Main Navigation Bar ("Watch" or "Reels" Tab)

Facebook’s navigation is constantly being tested and updated, so the buttons and their locations can vary from user to user. However, one of these options should be available.

• Open the app and look at the main navigation bar, which is usually at the top (on Android) or bottom (on iPhone) of your screen.
• Look for a button with a play icon that's labeled "Reels." Sometimes this button is integrated into the "Watch" tab (which also has a play icon).
• Tapping either of these will usually take you to a dedicated video feed. From there, you can tap on "Reels" at the top of the screen to filter specifically for Reels content. Tapping a Reel will open the dedicated vertical scrolling feed.

Method 3: On a Friend's or Brand's Profile

If you want to see the Reels from a specific creator or company, you can navigate directly to their Page or profile.

• Go to the Facebook profile or Page of the person or brand you're interested in.
• Scroll down their page, past the "About" and "Photos" sections.
• You should find a dedicated "Reels" section. Tap "See all" or on one of the video thumbnails to view their content.

How to Access Facebook Reels on a Desktop Computer

While Reels are created and consumed primarily on mobile, you can definitely watch them on a desktop computer. The experience is slightly different but still gives you access to the endless stream of content.

Method 1: The Left-Hand Side Menu

The easiest way to find the Reels feed on your desktop browser is by using the main navigation menu.

• Go to Facebook.com and log in.
• Look at the navigation menu on the left-hand side of your screen.
• You should see an option labeled "Reels" with a play icon. Click on it.
• This will open the Reels viewer. You can use your mouse to click the up and down arrows to scroll through videos, or use the arrow keys on your keyboard.

Method 2: From Your News Feed

Just like on mobile, Reels will naturally appear in your main feed as you scroll. If you spot one, you can easily jump into the dedicated viewer from there.

• Just scroll through your regular Facebook feed.
• When you see a post that is a Reel, you can watch a preview of it directly in the feed.
• To enter the full, distraction-free scrolling experience, simply click on the video itself. This will launch the Reels viewer, and you can continue scrolling from there.

Ready to Post? How to Create Your First Facebook Reel

Once you’ve spent some time watching Reels, you'll probably feel inspired to create your own. The process happens entirely within the mobile app and is packed with creative tools.

Step 1: Find the "Create Reel" Button

Again, Facebook gives you multiple starting points:

• From your News Feed, find the "Reels" section below the status box and tap the "Create" or "+" button.
• When you're already in the Reels viewer, tap the camera icon in the top right corner.
• Alternatively, when creating a new status update, you might see an option to create a Reel alongside options for Photo/Video and Tag friends.

Step 2: Add or Record Your Video Clips

After tapping "Create," you'll be taken to the Reels creation screen.

• You can record a new clip (or multiple clips) by pressing and holding the record button at the bottom of the screen.
• If you already have a video saved to your phone, tap the icon in the bottom-left corner to access your camera roll and select the video you want to use. You can also select multiple clips to string them together.

Step 3: Edit and Enhance Your Reel

This is where the creativity comes in. On the right side of the screen, you’ll see a menu with several editing options:

• Audio: Search for and add popular songs or an original sound clip. Using trending audio is a great way to improve your Reel’s potential reach.
• Length: Set the maximum duration (e.g., 30, 60, or 90 seconds).
• Speed: Speed up or slow down your video clip for dramatic or comedic effect.
• Effects: Browse through a huge library of AR filters and visual effects to change the look of your video.
• Timer: Set a countdown before recording starts, which is perfect for hands-free filming.
• Green Screen: Use a photo or video from your camera roll as a virtual background.

After you have your clips in place, tap "Next." On this screen, you can add more final touches like text overlays, stickers, and voiceovers.

Step 4: Publish Your Masterpiece

Once your Reel looks exactly how you want it, tap "Next" one more time to reach the final publishing screen. Here's what you need to do before hitting "Share":

• Write a description: Craft a catchy caption that grabs attention. Ask questions to encourage comments.
• Add hashtags: Include a mix of relevant, niche, and trending hashtags to help Facebook categorize your content and show it to interested audiences.
• Set your audience: Choose who can see your Reel (e.g., Public, Friends). If your goal is to grow, always set it to Public.

When you're all set, tap "Share Reel," and your video will be published and start appearing in people’s feeds.

Where to Find Your Own Published Reels

So you’ve created and shared a Reel, but now you want to go back and see its performance. Where does it live?

Finding your published Reels is simple. Just navigate to your own Facebook profile or Page. Similar to how you'd find Reels on another person's page, scroll down and you will see a "Reels" grid showing all the vertical videos you've published. From here, you can click on any video to see its stats, read and reply to comments, or pin your favorite Reel to the top of the grid.

Final Thoughts

Getting familiar with Facebook Reels is an essential skill for anyone using the platform today, whether for personal connection or professional growth. By knowing exactly where to find the Reels feed, how to create your own content, and how to track your past posts, you're set up to take full advantage of Facebook's most powerful format for organic reach.

Once you've mastered creating individual Reels, the next step is building a consistent content strategy - and that's where thoughtful planning comes in. As the team behind Postbase, we built our platform from the ground up to solve the headaches of scheduling video content across all your social platforms. Instead of fighting with outdated tools that treat Reels and TikToks as an afterthought, we enable you to plan your entire video calendar visually and trust that your content will publish reliably, every single time.