Instagram is trialing a new capability that lets creators upload videos up to 90 minutes long, a shift for the service best known for short Reels.
The format, named Features, is meant for podcasts, interviews and other extended videos, keeping viewers inside Instagram.
Meta's platform is currently testing the tool in Brazil and is rolling it out to a limited set of users in the United States.
Instagram Introduces 90-Minute Videos
Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri announced the addition together with Vice President of Product Tessa Lyons.
Mosseri said he had earlier resisted long-form videos because shorter content, especially Reels, drives sharing and direct messaging.
Now the company has chosen to give longer videos another try.
Instagram previously ran long-form content via IGTV, launched in 2018 and later discontinued.
The firm stresses that Reels will stay central, but creators will also be able to post lengthier videos for audiences seeking deeper material.
Turn Long Videos Into Reels
Alongside Features, Instagram is testing a tool named Clips as Reels.
This allows creators to pull short segments from their longer uploads and share them as Reels.
Those Reels will contain links back to the original longer videos, so viewers can watch the full piece without exiting Instagram.
Users will also have the option to save the longer videos for playback via Instagram's TV app.
Instagram is also improving discovery of Live videos and adding a dedicated section on creator profiles for linked Reels published as a series.
The updates aim to make it simpler for users to locate and follow longer-form content.
Could Instagram Start Paying Creators Like YouTube?
The initiative could let Instagram compete more directly with YouTube for creators who make longer videos.
YouTube currently lets eligible creators keep 55% of ad revenue from qualifying long-form videos through its Partner Program.
YouTube has reported paying over $100 billion to creators, artists and media firms over four years.
Instagram, by contrast, mainly relies on brand partnerships and subscriptions to generate earnings for creators.
Unlike YouTube, it does not normally provide a fixed ad-revenue share based on video views.
Mosseri previously noted that Instagram's performance-based payment programs cost more than they produce.
Longer videos could open new advertising slots.
A Meta spokesperson said the company is looking at various ways for creators to earn through brands, fans and Instagram itself, including performance-linked payments.
No revenue-sharing program for Features has been announced.
Availability
Features and Clips as Reels are being tested in Brazil, with a limited rollout starting in the United States.
Instagram has not set a date for a full public release.
The platform says it will keep refining how short and long videos interact across its mobile and TV apps.
