Bug blocked Reels users from sharing videos on other platforms

SAN FRANCISCO: Meta-owned Instagram has clarified that it is not blocking creators from sharing their Reels videos on other short-form video platforms like TikTok.

According to earlier reports, when trying to download an edited clip to an iPhone in Instagram Reels, the audio from the clip just disappeared.

"It means if you want to export the footage from Reels to use in another app (like TikTok), you have to actually post the Reel first in order to save the sound," The Verge had reported this week.

Instagram said it was a bug and that has been fixed.

"Due to a bug, the Reels download feature is not working as intended for iOS users and in some cases, audio is missing in downloads -- we're working to fix the issue as soon as possible," a Meta spokesperson was quoted as saying in the report.

According to The Verge, this Instagram fix will be important for creators who prefer to edit outside of TikTok's poor editing screen.

Meanwhile, when creators now make a video on YouTube Shorts, they will not be able to download the video and cross-post it to other apps without a "YouTube watermark".

"If you're a creator who downloads your Shorts from YouTube Studio to share across other platforms, you'll now find a watermark added to your downloaded content," YouTube said in an update.

The new YouTube Shorts feature is being rolling out over the next few weeks on desktop, and the company plans to expand to mobile over the coming months.