Instagram tests 90-minute horizontal videos to take on YouTube

Instagram is making another move into long-form video, and this time, it is targeting podcasters, comedians, and creators who want to share full-length content without sending viewers to another platform. The Meta-owned social network is testing a new format called Features, which supports horizontal videos up to 90 minutes long.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the test began with select creators in the United States on October 26, 2026, following earlier testing in Brazil. Instagram plans to expand the US test to tens of thousands of creators. The feature could help Instagram compete more directly with YouTube, particularly as video podcasts and creator-led entertainment continue to attract audiences.

Instagram wants viewers to watch full-length videos

Features is designed to bridge the gap between Instagram’s short-form Reels and longer videos. Creators can connect shorter Reels to their full-length videos, allowing viewers to discover a clip and continue watching the complete episode without leaving Instagram.

The platform also plans to recommend these longer videos on the Explore page and elsewhere in the app. This approach would let creators capitalize on the success of their viral clips and create longer viewing experiences without viewers having to leave Instagram.

The move addresses the time limitation of Reels, which typically run around three minutes or less, and opens the door to full podcast episodes, comedy specials, interviews, and other long-form productions. Early creators involved in the test include podcast host and SKIMS co-founder Emma Grede, beauty creator Monet McMichael, street interviewer Preston Rakovsky, and football content creator Donald De La Haye.

In addition, Instagram is looking for ways to help creators earn money from this content through existing brand partnerships and sponsored placements. However, the company has not yet established a YouTube-style revenue-sharing model for this new format.

Instagram is expanding beyond smartphones

The Features test arrives as Instagram broadens its video strategy beyond mobile devices. The company recently introduced its dedicated Apple TV app, letting users watch Reels and other video content on a larger screen and making its content part of the living-room entertainment experience.

Features will start on mobile, but Instagram’s longer-term plan is to bring these videos to its TV app as well.

With longer videos, television support, and enhanced features for discovering content, Instagram seems to be moving beyond being just a social media app.