Meta is testing a new ad in the Instagram feed that you can’t scroll past

Instagram ads could soon be a lot harder to ignore. As TechCrunch Meta is testing a new type of non-skippable ad in the Instagram feed, which the company calls an “ad break.”

With the new ads, which have already been spotted by some users, you can’t scroll through the feed ad until the “ad break” ends. Based on screenshots shared on and , it appears that the “breaks” last a few seconds, although it is unclear whether the duration could change if Meta decides to make the new format official. “Ad breaks are a new way to see ads on Instagram,” says an in-app message. “Sometimes you may need to display an ad before you can continue browsing.”

While non-skippable video ads are common on other platforms, like YouTube, this is a new, much more aggressive format for Instagram. It’s also worth noting that the company is experimenting with ads in its main feed rather than in Reels or Stories, where video ads are more common (but for now still skippable).

Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but the company confirmed TechCrunch that he was testing the new ad format. “As we test and learn, we will provide updates if this testing results in formal changes to the product,” a Meta spokesperson said.