This feature allows creators to restrict access to videos by password, making fan engagement a breeze. It’s a playful challenge for the audience. It’s a new layer of exclusivity and interaction for creators and brands.
Mint explains how Instagram’s lockable reels work, why Meta is testing them, and what they could mean for India’s creator economy.
What are lockable coils?
Lockable reels are a new Instagram feature that allows creators to post videos that can only be viewed after entering a password. The idea is to pique curiosity and create a sense of “exclusive access” – similar to solving a puzzle to unlock bonus content.
These reels appear in the user’s feed as regular posts, but remain blurred or locked until you enter the correct password.
Why were they introduced?
Meta says the password lock feature is part of a broader effort to make reels more interactive.
“We often work with talent to create experiences that artists, creators and people around the world can enjoy. This feature is one of several new Reels features that Instagram is testing to improve the Reels experience,” a Meta spokesperson told Mint.
For creators, this feature addresses three key needs:
1. Privacy and control, allowing them to filter who accesses sensitive or restricted content, such as in-development clips or early trailers.
2. Exclusivity, which gives creators a way to reward their closest followers or fan communities.
3. Engagement, turning posts into playful challenges that encourage comments, shares and speculation around passwords and clues.
Earlier this year, Meta tested the tool with The Weeknd for his film Hurry Up Tomorrow and later with Tyler, The Creator. The Khan family test marks the feature’s first rollout in India, where celebrity engagement dominates Instagram traffic.
How is it different from paid or subscription-only content?
Instagram already offers subscriber-only content, where users pay monthly for exclusive access to Reels, Stories or chats. YouTube and X (formerly Twitter) have similar levels.
However, password-protected reels are freely accessible – if the fan guesses the correct password. They combine exclusivity with availability, allowing creators to experiment with scarcity without having to pay for admission.
What does this mean for brands?
For marketers, Lockable Reels open up new avenues for targeted engagement. Brands could launch secret discount codes, password-protected product previews or early access campaigns through such reels.
Luxury and fashion brands in particular can find value in VIP-style insights that feel distinctive and selective.
Arsh Goyal, a tech creator with more than 490,000 followers on Instagram, noted that slogan-related content can also reinforce a cross-platform strategy.
Since a password refers to an audience that goes and watches on some other platform — like Shah Rukh Khan’s movie, Netflix, to watch a specific scene at that timestamp — it’s good for a cross-platform content strategy and drives traffic, he said.
“Exclusivity and building FOMO is what every brand and creator is chasing – this tagline does that. It’s more premium and rewarding for loyal fans,” he added.
Brands also see potential in using lockable discs as a premium engagement tool.
“It’s a brilliant unlocking of control and premiumization of mass products. At one end, it leaves brands that cater to multiple segments to speak to them in different tones. All of which can lead to exclusive drops, access to events or gold-based loyalty,” said L. Muralikrishnan, co-founder and chief marketing officer of WOW! Momo.
“I’m very positive about it from a brand perspective – it’s a real engagement and community building, a real brand attitude.”
But it also adds a layer of data complexity: password-locked impressions cannot be easily compared to open reels, potentially making it difficult to standardize campaign metrics.
What could this mean for the maker economy?
If password-protected reels were to become widespread, they could become a precursor to micro-paywalls – allowing creators to better monetize exclusive access over time.
This model combines playful engagement with scarcity and aligns with Meta’s ongoing strategy to diversify creator revenue beyond ad revenue.
For India’s fast-growing influencer ecosystem, this feature signals a shift towards gamified fan interactions – where followers don’t just follow, they unlock content.
