Instagram tests 90-minute videos as it looks to challenge YouTube and retain creators: What is 'Features'?

Instagram is taking another step towards becoming a destination for long-form video content, testing a new feature that will allow selected creators to upload horizontal videos lasting up to 90 minutes.

Instagram tests 90-minute videos to compete with Youtube

The move marks a significant change for the Meta-owned platform, which has spent recent years building its video strategy around short-form content through Reels.

The new format, called Features, is being tested with selected creators in Brazil and the United States. It is intended to give creators more room to publish podcasts, comedy programmes, interviews and other videos that need more time than a conventional Reel allows.

The development could also help Instagram compete more directly with YouTube, where longer videos remain a central part of the viewing experience.

According to reports by Moneycontrol and TechCrunch, Instagram is also testing ways to connect short clips with their full-length versions, potentially allowing users to discover and watch an entire programme without leaving the app.

How Instagram's new Features format will work

Features will allow creators to upload videos in a horizontal format, making the content better suited to interviews, podcasts and other productions traditionally associated with YouTube.

One of the main ideas behind the feature is to connect Instagram's established short-video audience with longer content. Creators will be able to share shorter extracts from their full-length videos as Reels, linking viewers to the complete version.

For instance, a creator who publishes a one-hour interview could share an interesting section as a Reel. Viewers who want to watch the entire conversation could then move directly to the longer video on Instagram.

This approach could help creators reach audiences through different formats while keeping viewers within the same platform. It may also reduce the need for creators to direct followers to YouTube whenever they want to share a complete interview, podcast episode or other long-form production.

Instagram head Adam Mosseri and vice-president of product Tessa Lyons have presented the change as an attempt to make short-form and long-form videos work together rather than compete for attention.

The strategy reflects how people already use the platform. Reels can introduce viewers to a creator, while longer videos can give interested audiences more time to engage with their work.

Instagram's challenge in competing with YouTube

The move is significant because Instagram has traditionally focused on quick, easily shareable content. Reels has helped the platform compete in the short-video market, but creators producing longer programmes have often relied on other services to host their full videos.

YouTube, meanwhile, has built an established audience for podcasts, interviews, video essays, comedy specials and other formats. It also offers eligible creators a share of advertising revenue through its YouTube Partner Programme, giving them a direct financial incentive to publish content on the platform.

Instagram's approach to creator earnings is different. Brand partnerships remain an important source of income for many creators, alongside subscriptions and other monetisation options.

Meta has not announced a long-term advertising revenue-sharing model specifically for Features.

A wider push towards television viewing

The introduction of Features also fits into Instagram's efforts to expand beyond mobile screens.

The company has been developing Instagram for TV, allowing users to watch its video content on larger screens. The service has expanded across television platforms, including Amazon Fire TV, Google TV, Samsung TVs and Apple TV in the United States.

Longer videos could make this offering more useful for people who prefer watching interviews, podcasts and other creator-led programmes on a television rather than a phone.

Instagram has attempted to establish itself in long-form video before. Its IGTV service, launched in 2018, failed to gain the traction needed to compete effectively with YouTube and was eventually discontinued as a separate product.

For now, the rollout remains limited, and Instagram has not confirmed when the feature will become widely available.

About the Author

Trisha Bhattacharya is a Senior Content Producer at Livemint, with over two years of experience covering entertainment news from India and beyond. She spends her days tracking what’s trending, breaking down pop culture moments, and turning fast-moving entertainment stories into sharp, engaging reads that actually make people want to click — and stay. <br> She holds a Master’s degree in English Literature from Lucknow University, a background that shapes her love for layered narratives, strong voices, and stories that linger long after they’re told. Before joining Livemint, Trisha worked with India Today as an entertainment journalist and film critic. There, she reviewed films, covered industry news, and built a strong foundation in storytelling and cultural analysis. <br> Trisha enjoys working at the intersection of media, culture, and audience interest, always looking for fresh angles and formats. Films, shows, and music are not just her beat but her biggest passion — something that naturally reflects in her writing. Whether it’s cinema, streaming shows, music, or internet trends, she approaches every story with curiosity and intent. <br> Outside the job description, she’s unapologetically passionate about films, shows, and music — sometimes a little too passionate, if you ask her. That enthusiasm often spills into her work, adding personality, urgency, and a touch of chaos that keeps her writing alive. For Trisha, entertainment isn’t just a beat — it’s a language she speaks fluently.