Instagram begins testing videos of up to 90 minutes
Instagram announced on Monday, October 26, that it is testing a format called Features, which allows videos up to 90 minutes long. The test is running with selected creators in Brazil and is expanding to a small group in the United States.
- Instagram is testing 'Features', videos of up to 90 minutes
- The test is under way in Brazil and is expanding to a small group in the US
- No worldwide release date or revenue-sharing programme has been announced
Instagram, owned by Meta, announced on Monday, October 26, that it is testing a new video format called Features. It lets selected creators upload videos up to 90 minutes long, a notable change for an app best known for short Reels.
Instagram head Adam Mosseri and vice-president of product Tessa Lyons described the plans in a video announcement. According to Gulf News, the test is already running with some creators in Brazil and is expanding to a small group in the United States.
Unlike Reels, which are mainly short vertical clips, Features will support longer videos in a horizontal format. Gulf News reported that Instagram is aiming at podcasts, interviews, comedy specials and similar programmes that viewers may want to watch in full.
Instagram is also testing a tool called Clips as Reels. It lets creators turn parts of a long video into Reels that link viewers to the full video. TechCrunch reported that viewers can also save the longer video and send it to the Instagram app on their TV.
Mosseri said he had long opposed long-form video on Instagram, noting that shorter content such as Reels drives more shares and messages among users. Lyons, who had advocated the change, said Reels will remain a core part of Instagram but users should be able to go deeper with creators they like. Mosseri said the team wants short and long videos to support each other, on mobile and on the TV app.
On payment, a Meta spokesperson told TechCrunch it is too early to share a long-term monetization model. The company is exploring ways for creators to earn from brands, fans and Instagram, including performance-based incentives. YouTube, by comparison, pays creators in its Partner Program 55% of the ad revenue from their videos, according to TechCrunch.
Instagram is also working on better discovery of Live video and a profile hub for episodic Reels, meaning connected series of Reels. It has not given a global release date for Features. Instagram tried longer video before with IGTV, which launched in 2018 and was discontinued in 2022.
Why it matters
Instagram has a large user base in Pakistan, so the change could affect how Pakistani users watch and create videos. The test is so far limited to selected creators in Brazil and the US.
