Instagram tests 90-minute videos in bid to challenge YouTube

Instagram is testing a new video format that lets selected creators upload videos up to 90 minutes long, marking a significant shift for a platform best known for short Reels.

The Meta-owned app announced the initiative, called Features, on Monday, October 26, as it looks to attract creators who currently publish longer content on YouTube.

Instagram head Adam Mosseri and vice-president of product Tessa Lyons outlined the plans in a video announcement.

The test is already underway with some creators in Brazil and is expanding to a small group in the United States.

What are Instagram Features?

Unlike Reels, which are primarily designed for short, vertical videos, Features will support longer videos in a horizontal format.

Instagram is targeting content such as podcasts, interviews, comedy specials and other programmes that viewers might prefer to watch in full.

For example, a creator could publish a complete podcast episode as a Feature and share shorter highlights through Reels.

Those clips could then direct viewers to the full-length video without leaving Instagram.

The company is testing a tool called Clips as Reels to connect the two formats.

Why is Instagram introducing longer videos?

The move puts Instagram in more direct competition with YouTube, where creators regularly publish lengthy videos and earn advertising revenue.

Mosseri acknowledged that he had previously opposed longer videos on Instagram because he was concerned they could reduce interactions between friends.

He now believes short and long videos can work together, with Reels helping people discover longer programmes.

Instagram has also been expanding its TV apps, letting users watch content on larger screens rather than only on their phones.

Will Instagram pay creators like YouTube?

That remains a major unanswered question.

YouTube shares advertising revenue with eligible creators through its Partner Program, making long-form videos an important income source for many channels.

Instagram has not announced a comparable revenue-sharing programme for Features.

A Meta spokesperson told TechCrunch that the company is exploring ways for creators to earn money through brands, fans and Instagram itself.

For now, the test involves a limited group of creators rather than a general invitation to upload longer videos.

What else is changing?

Instagram is also experimenting with several related features.

One would allow creators to organise connected Reels into a series, making it easier for viewers to follow episodes in order.

Another aims to help users discover live videos from accounts they may not already follow.

The company is also developing its television experience to support more than short Reels.

When will 90-minute videos be available?

Instagram has not announced a worldwide release date for Features.

Testing is currently limited to selected creators in Brazil and the United States.

Instagram has not confirmed a timetable for when creators in the UAE or other countries can upload 90-minute videos.

Instagram previously experimented with longer videos through IGTV, which launched in 2018 and was discontinued in 2022.

The new test represents another attempt to make longer videos part of the main Instagram experience.