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Instagram announced on October 26, 2026 that it is testing "Features," a horizontal video format that allows uploads up to 90 minutes long. The test is small, covering creators in the US and Brazil, and targets podcasters, comedians and similar creators. The move marks a reversal for Instagram head Adam Mosseri, who had long opposed longform video on the app.
Key facts
- Features supports horizontal videos up to 90 minutes, according to The Next Web and Engadget.
- The test is expanding to the US in a small group and is running with some creators in Brazil, according to Instagram spokesperson Megan Buckley, quoted by The Verge.
- Digital Trends says the US expansion reaches tens of thousands of creators; Engadget says only a few creators with individual Meta deals can post. The sources differ on scale.
- Instagram's TV app is on Fire TV, Google TV and Samsung TVs, with Apple TV being added.
- Instagram is also testing "Clips as Reels" and Series, a profile home for episodic Reels.
How it works
Features are meant to work alongside Reels. A creator can post short clips that link to the full video, and TechCrunch reports viewers can save the longer video to send to the Instagram TV app. Digital Trends reports the videos will be recommended through Explore and other sections, and that there is no exclusivity, so creators can post the same content elsewhere.
Mosseri said he wants shortform and longform to be "symbiotic," similar to a podcast or comedy special that exists as a full episode and as clips. His earlier worry was that longer videos would crowd out content people send to friends, which drives shares and DMs.
The TV push is central. Digital Trends says VP of product Tessa Lyons argued horizontal longform content suits big screens, where most viewing will eventually happen. Series is slated for more countries and for the US by the end of 2026 or early 2027, and live video in the Reels tab is being tested in Indonesia and Brazil.
The money question
Monetization is the open issue. 9to5Google notes that Instagram has not announced an ad share like YouTube's, and that comments on the announcement quickly raised it. According to the Hollywood Reporter, as relayed by 9to5Google and Engadget, existing ad deals carry over, and Meta says it will help creators find brand partners.
TechCrunch reports YouTube Partner Program creators receive 55% of ad revenue from their videos. Mosseri said on the Colin and Samir Show that Instagram's small performance-based program spends more than it earns back, so it does not make sense to scale. A Meta spokesperson said it is too early to share a long-term model, but that the company is exploring earnings from brands, fans and Instagram, including performance incentives.
What to watch
Instagram has tried this before. IGTV launched in 2018 and shut down in 2022 after failing to gain traction, as Engadget and The Next Web note. Mosseri said the effort will likely take time to get right, and that Meta is very committed long term.
Three signals will show whether Features is different: whether the test opens beyond selected creators, whether Meta adds a direct revenue share, and whether Apple TV support and Series reach the US on the stated timeline.
