Instagram Features is a new format for horizontal videos of up to 90 minutes. Instagram announced it on 26 October 2026 and is testing it with a small group of creators in the US, after a trial in Brazil. It comes with Clips as Reels (up to eight short clips that point to one long video), a Series home for episodic Reels and a bigger push on TV.
Key takeaways
- What it is: Features lets creators publish long, horizontal videos of up to 90 minutes, aimed at podcasts, vlogs, interviews and episodes.
- Who has it: a limited test. Brazil first, then select US creators from 26 October 2026, with expansion planned “in the coming months”. No Middle East date has been announced.
- How people find it: creators can link up to eight Reels to one long video (Clips as Reels), and Instagram for TV will prioritise Features.
- Money: no YouTube-style ad revenue share for now. Meta says it is “too early” for a long-term monetization model.
- What to do: keep Reels as your main discovery format, and start recording long content that can be cut into clips.
What is Instagram Features?
Features is Instagram’s name for long-form, horizontal video. Instagram head Adam Mosseri and VP of Product Tessa Lyons announced it in a video on Monday, 26 October 2026, alongside several other video changes (TechCrunch, Variety). Creators in the test can post videos of up to 90 minutes. Instagram says the format suits longer content such as podcasts, vlogs and interviews, and that it can help creators build community and open up revenue and partnership options (Social Media Today).
That is a big shift for Instagram. Reels were capped at 90 seconds until January 2025, when Instagram raised the limit to three minutes (Business Today). Mosseri was open about the change of heart: “I have been against doing long-form video on the platform for a long time,” he said, as quoted by Variety. Instagram tried long video before with IGTV, which launched in 2018 and was shut down in 2022 (Social Media Today, The Next Web).
How long can Instagram Features videos be, and who can post them?
Features videos can run up to 90 minutes. Variety says the videos can be “in some cases up to 90 minutes long”, which suggests limits may differ during the test. Eligibility is narrow for now. Instagram tested Features with creators in Brazil, and began rolling it out to select creators in the US from 26 October 2026, with wider expansion planned “in the coming months” (Social Media Today). Instagram has not published eligibility criteria.
The Next Web reports that Features videos appear in the main feed and on the Explore page (The Next Web). Variety also mentions Instagram for TV and its Friends tab, which shows what your friends are watching.
Features, Clips as Reels, Series and Live: what’s new?
Features was one of several video announcements. Here is what each one does and where it stands, based on the reports linked in the Sources section.
| Format | What it does | Status (27 October 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Long, horizontal videos of up to 90 minutes for podcasts, vlogs, interviews and episodes | Tested in Brazil; limited test with select US creators since 26 October |
| Clips as Reels | Link up to 8 Reels to one long video so short clips lead viewers to the full piece | Tested in Brazil; expanding to select US creators from the week of 26 October |
| Series | A home on the creator profile for episodic Reels around one theme | Testing with select creators in the US, India and Mexico; expanding to more countries through the end of 2026 |
| Live discovery | Lives shown beyond your followers, in the Reels tab | Testing in Indonesia and Brazil; more countries “soon” |
| Instagram for TV | Reels, Features, Series and Channels on the big screen, plus a Friends tab | US: Samsung, Fire TV, Google TV; Apple TV from 26 October |
| Phone as remote | Control TV playback from your phone | Coming soon |
Clips as Reels is the piece that connects short and long. Mosseri said Instagram is “trying to make it so that the short-form and the long-form video can be symbiotic” (TechCrunch). For example, a creator could post a 40-minute interview as a Feature, then publish the best moments as Reels that point back to it.
Why is Instagram adding 90-minute videos now?
Instagram gave two kinds of reasons. Tessa Lyons said creativity “is so much more than just short-form video or posting carousels”, and Instagram says it is already seeing creators share clips from long videos to drive discovery (Variety). TV is the other reason: Instagram launched its TV app in December 2025 (The Next Web), and the app now shows Reels, Features and Series (Variety).
Competition is the obvious backdrop. Social Media Today cites Nielsen ranking YouTube as the biggest streaming content provider in the US, and YouTube says people watch more than a billion hours a day on TV screens. In our view, Instagram is trying to keep viewers, and the creators who make long shows, from leaving the app to watch them elsewhere.
Can creators earn money from Instagram Features?
Not in the way YouTube creators do, at least for now. Variety reports Instagram is “still not planning a revenue-sharing program” like YouTube’s, and an Instagram rep told Variety the company is funding longer-form content “directly with some creators right now” (Variety). On a long-term model, a Meta spokesperson told TechCrunch: “It’s too early to share a long-term monetization model.” The company says it is exploring ways for creators to earn from brands, fans and Instagram, including performance-based incentives (TechCrunch).
For comparison, TechCrunch notes that creators in the YouTube Partner Program receive 55% of the ad revenue from their videos. On Instagram, most creator income still comes from brand deals, according to TechCrunch, with tools like Instagram Subscriptions adding fan revenue. In our view, if creators are not paid per view, brand partnerships will remain the main way long Instagram shows get funded.
What does Instagram Features mean for businesses and marketers?
Features is a creator test today, not a business tool you can switch on. Still, it tells you where Instagram is going. In our view, three things follow for brands in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf:
- Long content gets a second life. Webinars, podcasts, workshops and customer interviews could live on Instagram in full, not only as teasers that send people to YouTube.
- Short clips still do the heavy lifting. Lyons said “Reels is still going to be a core part of Instagram” (TechCrunch). Clips as Reels makes short videos the entry point to long ones, so the skills behind viral Reels matter even more.
- Creator partnerships may get longer. If creators can post full episodes, a sponsored segment inside a 30-minute show becomes possible on Instagram, much like YouTube integrations today.
Horizontal video is also a production change. Most teams shoot vertical for Reels and Stories. If you plan to use Features once it reaches your market, record long sessions in 16:9 with framing that still works when you crop vertical clips from it. Our guide to short-form video strategy covers how to plan the clips themselves.
What should you do now? A checklist
- Check your Instagram app for a Features or long-video upload option. If you don’t see it, you are not in the test yet.
- List the long content you already make (webinars, lives, podcasts, workshops) that could become a Feature later.
- Record new long sessions horizontally, with clean audio and framing that allows vertical crops.
- Plan 4–8 short clips for every long video, each with a strong first three seconds, ready for Clips as Reels.
- Keep posting Reels on a steady schedule, using your own data on when to post on Instagram.
- Brief creators you work with on longer sponsored segments, and agree how clips will be used.
- Revisit this when Instagram announces a wider rollout or a monetization model.
Frequently asked questions
What is Instagram Features?
Features is a new Instagram format for long, horizontal videos of up to 90 minutes. Instagram announced the test on 26 October 2026 and positions it for podcasts, vlogs, interviews and episodes.
How long can Instagram Features videos be?
Up to 90 minutes, according to Instagram’s announcement as reported by TechCrunch, Variety and Social Media Today. Variety notes the 90-minute length applies “in some cases”, so limits may vary during the test.
Who can post Features right now?
Only a small group of test creators. Instagram tested Features with creators in Brazil and began rolling it out to select creators in the US on 26 October 2026, with wider expansion planned “in the coming months”.
Is Instagram Features available in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia or the Gulf?
Not yet, based on what Instagram has announced. The reported tests are in Brazil and the US, and none of the reports we read give a date for the Middle East.
What is Clips as Reels on Instagram?
Clips as Reels lets a creator link up to eight Reels to one longer video, so people who discover a short clip can go to the full piece. It was tested in Brazil and is expanding to a small group of US creators.
Does Instagram pay creators for Features videos?
Instagram is not planning a YouTube-style ad revenue share for now. A Meta spokesperson said it is “too early to share a long-term monetization model” and that Instagram is exploring ways for creators to earn from brands, fans and Instagram.
Can I watch Instagram Features on a TV?
Yes, Instagram for TV will include Features. Variety reports the TV app is available in the US on Samsung, Fire TV and Google TV, and became available on Apple TV in the US on 26 October 2026.
Should businesses start making long videos for Instagram now?
In our view, start by planning rather than producing: record webinars, interviews and tutorials in a way that works horizontally and can be cut into short Reels. Reels remain Instagram’s core format, so short clips are still how most people will find you.
Sources
- TechCrunch: Watch out, YouTube — Instagram goes from short-form to 90-minute videos (26 October 2026)
- Variety via Yahoo: Instagram is testing ability to share videos up to 90 minutes long and launches on Apple TV (26 October 2026)
- Social Media Today: Instagram rolls out limited Features test in the US (26 October 2026)
- The Next Web: Instagram tests 90-minute horizontal videos called Features (26 October 2026)
- Business Today: Instagram head announces 3-minute Reels and a new profile grid (21 January 2025)
Feature status as reported on 27 October 2026. Instagram is testing these formats with a limited group of creators, so availability, limits and placements may change.
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Written by the Gradezilla team · Reviewed by Bashar Amin
