Instagram's 90-Minute Video Plan Could Change How Creators Use the Platform

Instagram is testing a format called Features. It lets selected creators post horizontal videos up to 90 minutes long. A companion test, Clips as Reels, links short Reels to the full video. Access is limited, and Instagram does not share ad revenue from Features yet.

Instagram built its name on photos and short clips. Now it wants longer shows too. This guide explains the Instagram 90-minute video feature, how it works, and whether creators should care.

What Is Instagram's Features Video Format?

Instagram head Adam Mosseri and product chief Tessa Lyons announced the test on October 26, 2026. Features is a new horizontal video format. Creators can publish videos up to 90 minutes long, such as podcasts, interviews, vlogs, and full episodes.

Features videos appear in users' feeds and on the Explore page. Instagram also plans to show them in its TV app, and it recently launched on Apple TV. This move targets connected TV viewers, where YouTube leads today.

How Instagram's 90-Minute Videos Work

Features holds the long video

A creator uploads one horizontal video. Instagram shows it as a full-length episode.

Clips as Reels creates the entry point

Clips as Reels lets creators link up to eight Reels to one long video. A viewer who watches a podcast clip can tap through and keep watching the full episode without leaving the app. This setup turns short-form content into a funnel for long-form content.

Related tests are running

Instagram is also testing a Series hub for episodic Reels, and it is improving discovery for Live video. Reports add that the company directly funds some long-form creators during the test.

Who Can Use It Right Now?

Very few creators can. The test began in Brazil and expanded to a small group of US creators. Instagram has not announced a wider rollout date. If you are not invited, you cannot post a 90-minute Feature yet. You can still post horizontal video in regular posts, but with the usual length limits.

Can Instagram upload videos longer than 90 minutes?

No. Ninety minutes is the maximum in the current test. Instagram has not said whether that limit will change.

How do you upload long videos on Instagram?

You cannot use the Features option unless Instagram includes your account in the test. Watch for an in-app prompt, and check Instagram's official announcements for access updates.

Why Is Instagram Introducing Long-Form Video?

Competition drives much of this shift. Creators who make podcasts or comedy specials often publish full episodes on YouTube and post clips elsewhere. Instagram wants to keep that audience in one app.

Mosseri said he once opposed long-form video because of its effect on sharing. People send short Reels to friends, but they rarely send a 30-minute video. Instagram's answer is to keep Reels as the shareable teaser and add the full video behind it.

The company has tried this before. It launched IGTV as a separate app in 2018 and shut it down in 2022. This time, longer videos live inside the main app.

Will Instagram Pay Creators for Long Videos?

Not through ads, at least for now. Instagram does not plan to share ad revenue from Features. A Meta spokesperson told TechCrunch that it is too early to share a long-term monetization model. The company has left the door open to change.

This gap matters. YouTube pays creators a share of ads on long videos. Without a similar program, creator monetization on Instagram depends on brand partnerships, sponsorships, and direct deals. Some creators may still benefit if long videos bring new followers.

Instagram 90-Minute Videos vs YouTube

YouTube still wins on reach, search, and payouts. Instagram's advantage is its huge built-in audience and its short-video funnel.

What Could Change for Creators?

• Video podcasters: You may reuse the same episode on a second platform.
• Influencers and brands: A clip and its full video become one asset. You will need to read results from both together.
• Algorithm effects: Instagram has not explained how it will rank long videos. Watch time and audience retention will likely matter, but that is unconfirmed.
• Workload: Longer content takes more time. Extra views must justify that effort.

Should You Plan Around It?

Do not rebuild your strategy yet. Treat this as an experiment.

1. Test with existing content. Upload an episode you already made, if you gain access.
2. Cut strong clips. Short Reels remain Instagram's main discovery tool.
3. Track results. Compare watch time, follows, and sponsor interest against YouTube.
4. Keep your main home. Do not move your core audience until payouts exist.

Instagram's 90-minute plan could reshape how video creators use the platform. It links short clips to full shows and competes with YouTube on the TV screen. Still, access is limited, and no ad revenue share exists. Test the format if you get it, but keep your main audience where the money flows today.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Instagram's 90-minute video called?

Instagram calls the format Features.

Is the feature available to everyone?

No. Only selected creators in Brazil and the US can use it during the test.

Does Instagram pay for Features videos?

Instagram does not share ad revenue from Features yet. It funds some creators directly.