For years, Instagram has pushed creators toward short, snappy clips. Now it’s betting on the opposite. Instagram announced a test of “Features,” a new upload type for videos up to 90 minutes long, in a clear nod to YouTube’s turf.
Quick Facts
- New format: “Features,” videos up to 90 minutes
- Companion test: “Clips as Reels,” which turns long videos into Reels that link back to the full version
- Test markets: Brazil, now expanding to a small U.S. test
- Announced: Monday, October 26, 2026
- Source: TechCrunch (reporter Amanda Silberling)
What’s Changing on Instagram
Instagram’s test covers three ideas. Features lets creators upload videos as long as 90 minutes. Clips as Reels lets them cut a long video into a Reel that points viewers to the full version. Viewers can also save a longer video and send it to the Instagram app on their TV.
The platform is also building better discovery for Live video and a profile hub for episodic Reels, meaning a series of connected short clips, similar to TikTok’s playlist idea.
Why Instagram Reversed Course
Instagram head Adam Mosseri said he spent a long time opposing long-form video on Instagram, since shorter content like Reels drives more shares and DMs. Product VP Tessa Lyons pushed to try again. Her argument: fans who want to go deeper with a creator should be able to do it on Instagram.
The logic is simple. Instagram would rather keep a creator’s audience on its own app than watch fans leave for YouTube.
The Money Problem
Short-form video is hard to monetize. Instagram and TikTok don’t typically pay creators per view. Mosseri said that creators on Instagram mostly get paid by brands, with fans a smaller source. He noted that Instagram’s small performance-based program costs more than it earns, so scaling it up would just burn capital.
YouTube’s model is more straightforward. Creators in its Partner Program receive 55% of the ad revenue from their videos, and the platform said it paid out more than $100 billion to creators, artists and media companies over four years.
Can Instagram Really Compete?
Longer videos give Meta more room for ads, which could make a YouTube-style revenue share possible. But Meta isn’t promising it yet. A spokesperson said it’s too early to share a long-term monetization model, though the company is exploring ways for creators to earn from brands, fans and Instagram, including performance-based incentives.
TechCrunch calls that answer unpromising but not a “no.” Instagram has also tried this before: its earlier long-form product, IGTV, is now defunct.
What It Means for Creators
- More formats: Short and long content can work together.
- Funnel potential: Clips as Reels could steer viewers to longer videos.
- Revenue uncertainty: Until Meta shares a payout model, brand deals still drive most income.
- TV viewing: Easier TV access could make long videos feel more like YouTube.
What to Watch Next
Keep an eye on whether Meta adds ads or a revenue share to Features, how U.S. creators respond to the test and how the TV app experience develops. Mosseri said that getting TV right will take time, but Instagram is committed long term.
Source: TechCrunch