Instagram tests 90-minute horizontal videos to compete with YouTube

Instagram announced on October 26, 2026, that it is testing a new video product named Features, which allows creators to upload horizontal videos up to 90 minutes long. TechCrunch and Fast Company reported that the platform is moving into long-form content after years of prioritizing short-form video. In a video released on October 26, Instagram head Adam Mosseri and Tessa Lyons, vice president of product, confirmed the major strategic update, according to Fast Company. [1][2]

The new format directly targets creators and podcasters seeking to share longer content, The Hollywood Reporter and 9to5Mac both reported. TechCrunch noted that the shift could upend YouTube as a dominant location for long-form creators. However, Variety and Yahoo both reported that, unlike YouTube, Instagram is still not sharing ad revenue with creators for these 90-minute videos. [1][3][4][5][7]

The update comes as Instagram expands its overall video strategy amid rising competition with TikTok and YouTube, Bloomberg reported. In addition to testing 90-minute uploads, Yahoo reported that Instagram has launched an application on Apple TV. [6][7]

Instagram previously focused on visual and short-form video tools, including ephemeral Stories in 2016 and Reels in 2020. By the third quarter of 2025, Instagram had reached over 3 billion monthly active users. Meanwhile, YouTube attracts approximately 2.7 billion monthly active users as of February 2026, with creators uploading more than 500 hours of video every minute. [10][11]