Instagram has begun testing a new format for horizontal videos lasting up to 90 minutes, which will allow users to post full-length podcasts, interviews and entertainment programmes directly on the social network. Short clips from these videos can be shared via Reels with a link to the full version. The new feature was announced on 26 October 2026 by Instagram Head Adam Mosseri and Vice President of Product Tessa Lyons.
- Instagram is testing a new ‘Features’ format for landscape videos up to 90 minutes long.
- Full episodes of podcasts, interviews and shows will appear in the main feed and in the «Interesting» section.
- Creators will be able to link up to eight short Reels to a single long video.
- The horizontal videos will be available to watch on smartphones and televisions.
Instagram will allow users to post full-length shows and podcasts
The new format has been named Features. Unlike the usual short vertical clips, it allows for the posting of horizontal videos lasting up to an hour and a half.
Instagram The new feature is aimed primarily at podcasters, comedians, bloggers and entertainment programme creators who need more time to explore a topic.
Users will be able to watch full episodes without having to go to third-party platforms. These videos will appear in the main Instagram feed, as well as in the Explore section, where algorithms recommend new content.
According to Instagram’s vice-president Tessy Lyons, the platform aims to provide creators with more opportunities to engage with an audience that wants to watch not only short clips but also full-length programmes.
Instagram had previously attempted to develop long-form videos via IGTV, which was launched in 2018. However, in 2022, the company abandoned the standalone app and focused on developing Reels.
You’ll be able to create short Reels from long videos
Alongside Features, the company is testing a tool called ‘Clips as Reels’, which will combine short clips with full-length videos.
Creators will be able to select the most interesting moments from an interview, podcast or show and post them in the Reels format. Up to eight such clips can be linked to a single long video.
Viewers who see a short clip in the recommendations will be able to watch the full video directly on Instagram.
For example, the author of an hour-long interview could publish individual excerpts featuring the interviewee’s most interesting answers. Each of these would lead up to the full episode.
Short Reels will therefore remain a tool for attracting new audiences, whilst long videos will help keep viewers on the platform.
Instagram is preparing long-form videos for viewing on televisions
The new format will be rolled out not only in the mobile app, but also on the TV version of Instagram.
The company is gradually expanding the capabilities of Instagram for TV, which is already available in the US on a range of Amazon Fire TV and Google TV devices, as well as Samsung televisions. It has also announced that support for Apple TV is being expanded.
The landscape format is better suited to large screens, which is why Instagram sees televisions as one of the key areas for the development of long-form videos. Users will be able to discover interesting episodes on their smartphones and then switch to watching them on their TV.
At the same time, Instagram is developing the ‘Series’ format, which allows thematically related Reels to be grouped into series on creators’ pages.
When will the new videos be available to all users?
The first trials of ‘Features’ and ‘Clips as Reels’ were carried out amongst a select group of creators in Brazil.
From 26 October 2026, Instagram began expanding its trial to selected creators in the US. The programme is open to creators of podcasts, entertainment programmes and other long-form video content.
At present, not all users can upload 90-minute videos. The company plans to gradually increase the number of participants in the trial, but has not yet announced an exact date for the global launch of Features.
The issue of monetisation also remains unresolved. At this initial stage, Instagram is not introducing a fully-fledged system for sharing advertising revenue for Features, similar to YouTube. At the same time, creators can use their own advertising integrations and collaborate with brands.
Why it matters
The launch of Features signals a shift in Instagram’s approach to video content. Over recent years, the social network has been actively developing short vertical videos, which have become one of the main ways users interact with the platform.
The company is now trying to combine short videos, full-length programmes and TV viewing into a single service.
This also intensifies Instagram’s competition with YouTube, where long interviews, podcasts and original shows have already become an integral part of the platform.
For creators, the new format will mean the ability to publish full episodes without having to redirect followers to other websites. At the same time, the success of Features will depend not only on ease of viewing, but also on monetisation opportunities and the extent to which Instagram promotes long-form videos.
