Instagram Features: 90-Minute Videos, Long-Form Content, and What Creators Need to Know
Instagram is giving long-form video another chance, and this time, the company has a different strategy.
On October 26, 2026, Instagram announced Features, a new long-form video format that will allow selected creators to upload horizontal videos up to 90 minutes long. The platform is also introducing tools to connect shorter Reels to full-length videos, making it easier for viewers to discover and watch extended content without leaving Instagram.
If this sounds familiar, you might remember Instagram's previous attempt at long-form video with IGTV. But there are some important differences this time around.
What Is Instagram Features?
Instagram Features is a new video format designed for longer, widescreen content, including podcasts, interviews, educational videos, vlogs, and other extended programming.
The announcement includes several developments:
90-minute videos: Selected creators can upload horizontal, long-form videos.
Clips as Reels: Creators can link up to eight short Reels to a longer video, allowing interested viewers to jump directly to the full version.
Instagram Series: A separate feature in development will help creators organize related Reels into episodic collections.
Instagram for TV: Instagram is expanding its television experience, including support for Apple TV.
Features and Clips as Reels are currently being tested with creators in Brazil and a limited group in the United States. They are not yet available to everyone.
Why Is Instagram Bringing Back Long-Form Videos?
I've been using Instagram for about a decade, and I've watched the platform evolve through multiple generations of social media.
Instagram was once primarily associated with photographs. Then video became a major part of the experience, followed by Stories, Reels, and increasingly sophisticated editing tools.
And Instagram isn't alone. YouTube introduced Shorts, Twitch has experimented with vertical video, and Facebook has continued reworking its video experience. These platforms are constantly borrowing ideas from one another and figuring out what keeps audiences engaged.
Instagram's latest development addresses something I've experienced firsthand as a streamer and content creator: the journey from a short promotional clip to the full video often takes viewers away from Instagram.
Let's say I share a clip from a three-hour Twitch broadcast on Instagram. Someone enjoys the conversation and wants to watch the rest. Until now, my usual solution would be to direct them to Twitch or YouTube.
That's great for my other platforms, but it means Instagram becomes the starting point rather than the destination.
With Features, Instagram wants to support more of that viewing experience itself.
Think of it this way: If someone comes to your restaurant for chicken, why send them somewhere else for biscuits when you could offer both?
The business reasoning is straightforward. The longer viewers remain on a platform, the more opportunities that platform has to keep them engaged.
How Will Clips as Reels Work?
One of the most promising parts of the announcement is Clips as Reels.
Instagram is testing a system that allows creators to connect up to eight shorter Reels to one long-form video.
For example, a podcaster could publish a full 60-minute interview and create several Reels highlighting interesting moments from that conversation.
Instead of forcing interested viewers to search for the complete episode on another platform, the connected clips would provide a direct path to the longer video inside Instagram.
This could be useful for Twitch streamers, YouTubers, educators, and other creators who already use short-form videos to promote longer content.
It also gives Instagram a way to make its short-form and long-form video experiences work together rather than compete for attention.
What Happened to IGTV, and How Is Features Different?
Instagram has attempted long-form video before.
In 2018, the company introduced IGTV, a video platform initially focused on longer, vertical videos. It was available within Instagram and through a separate app.
I remember using IGTV during my early years of recording educational and commentary videos. Some of my earliest talking-head content performed well there, and it gave creators another way to produce videos beyond the traditional Instagram feed.
However, IGTV struggled to gain traction as a standalone product.
In October 2021, Instagram retired the IGTV branding and combined its longer videos with feed videos under Instagram Video. By March 2022, the standalone IGTV app was discontinued as Instagram shifted more attention toward Reels.
So what's different about Features?
IGTV primarily offered another place to publish longer videos. Features is being developed around connecting those videos to Instagram's existing discovery and viewing experiences.
Instead of depending on viewers to find a separate long-form destination, Instagram wants short clips to introduce people to longer content naturally.
Features also emphasizes horizontal video and television viewing, making it better suited to the kinds of podcasts, interviews, and shows people already watch on YouTube.
Whether this approach succeeds remains to be seen, but the strategy is noticeably different.
Will Instagram Pay Creators for Long-Form Videos?
For now, Instagram has not announced a standard advertising revenue-sharing program for Features comparable to the YouTube Partner Program.
Meta says it is exploring opportunities involving brands, fans, and performance-based incentives, but a long-term monetization model has not been finalized.
That's an important consideration for anyone already earning money from long-form YouTube content.
Features may eventually offer additional opportunities, particularly through sponsorships and brand partnerships, but uploading a 90-minute video to Instagram does not currently guarantee advertising revenue.
When Will Instagram's 90-Minute Videos Be Available?
As of October 27, 2026, Features remains in limited testing.
Instagram previously tested the format with selected creators in Brazil and began expanding testing to selected U.S. creators on October 26.
A wider rollout is planned, but Instagram has not announced a specific date when every creator will receive access.
If the option isn't available on your account yet, that doesn't necessarily mean anything is wrong. The feature simply may not have reached you.
What Does Instagram Features Mean for Content Creators?
For creators who already produce long-form content, Features could become another valuable distribution channel.
A YouTuber could introduce audiences to a new video through connected Reels. A Twitch streamer could give viewers access to longer conversations or highlights. A teacher could share a full tutorial and use shorter clips to introduce specific lessons.
But I don't see this as a reason to abandon YouTube or any other platform.
Social media platforms have been borrowing from each other for years, and Instagram's latest experiment is another chapter in that evolution.
The opportunity is having more ways to reach people, build an audience, and make our content accessible in the formats viewers prefer.
Instagram doesn't necessarily need to replace YouTube. It just needs to give viewers fewer reasons to leave.
For more information, see TechCrunch's coverage of Instagram Features and Instagram's announcement from Adam Mosseri and Tessa Lyons.
Comments