Instagram Lowers Video Quality for Less Popular Content

Instagram is adjusting video quality based on popularity, as recently explained by the platform’s head, Adam Mosseri, and first reported by The Verge.

Under this approach, videos with high engagement and views are rendered in higher quality, while those with less engagement appear in lower resolution, potentially looking blurry compared to more popular videos. Mosseri clarified that this quality adjustment operates on a sliding scale, not a strict cutoff.

In a video on Threads, Mosseri explained that as a video gains more views and engagement, it receives higher-quality rendering. If a video initially rendered in lower quality experiences a spike in popularity later, Instagram will upgrade it to a better resolution.

Mosseri added that users with slower internet connections may also experience lower video quality.

The Verge highlighted that this practice aligns with similar approaches across Meta’s platforms. In a blog post, Meta stated that new uploads receive quick, basic encoding to conserve resources.

This shift stems from a 2021 company projection that predicted Instagram wouldn’t be able to keep up with the rapidly growing volume of video uploads without changes to resource management, as noted by The Verge.

If a video gains substantial watch time, it’s upgraded to better quality, with Meta’s most advanced processing applied only to the most popular videos. This setup ensures that the highest-quality videos are typically those with the most views.

However, TechCrunch reported user concerns that this policy might disadvantage smaller creators or those with content that takes time to find an audience. Lower-quality videos may lack visual appeal, potentially limiting their reach and growth.

In response, Mosseri suggested that viewers generally prioritize content over video quality, implying creators may not notice a significant impact on their performance.