Brijesh Desai 
Instagram Tests 90-Minute Horizontal Videos called Features with select US creators, targeting podcasters, comedians, and long-form content creators.
Instagram is making its biggest move into long-form video yet. The Meta-owned platform has started testing 90-minute horizontal videos with select creators in the United States through a new format called Features. The test began on October 26 and is aimed at podcasters, comedians, interviewers, vloggers, and other creators who need more room than a typical Reel.
Until now, Instagram has largely been built around short, vertical video. Features changes that. It lets selected creators upload widescreen videos of up to 90 minutes, making Instagram look much more like YouTube for full episodes, podcasts, comedy specials, interviews, and documentary-style content.
What Is Instagram Features?
Features is Instagram’s new long-form, horizontal video format. Unlike Reels, which are usually short and vertical, Features are designed for full-length viewing on both mobile devices and television screens.
The format supports videos up to 90 minutes long, although Instagram is reportedly testing several duration limits. The company has already tried Features with creators in Brazil and is now expanding the experiment to selected creators in the US.
These videos will appear in users’ main feeds and on the Explore page, rather than being hidden in a separate app or tab. That integration is important: Instagram wants long-form content to feel like a natural extension of the platform, not a separate YouTube-style destination.
How Reels and Features Work Together
The most interesting part of the update is how Instagram is connecting short and long video. Creators can link up to eight Reels to a full-length Feature, turning short clips into entry points for longer videos.
For example, a podcaster could publish a full 60-minute interview as a Feature, then post several 30-second highlight Reels. Each Reel could send viewers directly to the full episode inside Instagram. That removes the usual friction of asking followers to “watch the full video on YouTube.
Instagram head Adam Mosseri and product VP Tessa Lyons described the approach as symbiotic: short Reels drive discovery, while Features give viewers something substantial to watch once they’re interested.
Why Instagram Is Doing This
Instagram wants to keep viewers on its platform for longer. At present, many creators use Reels to promote podcasts or long videos hosted on YouTube, Spotify, or other platforms. Features could change that by allowing the entire video to live on Instagram.
The move also puts Instagram in more direct competition with YouTube, which remains the default home for long-form video, podcasts, and creator-led shows. By supporting 90-minute horizontal videos and prioritizing them in its TV app, Instagram is clearly targeting the same viewing behavior YouTube has dominated for years.
Instagram is also expanding its TV presence. The company is updating its TV app to prioritize Features, with support across Samsung, Fire TV, and Google TV, while Apple TV support is expected soon.
Who Gets Access?
This is still a limited test. Instagram began with select creators in Brazil and is now rolling out access to a small group of US creators, with reports suggesting the company plans to expand to tens of thousands over time.
Early participants include podcast host and Skims co-founder Emma Grede, beauty and fashion creator Monet McMichael, interviewer Preston Rakovsky, and football creator Donald De La Haye.
There is no public sign-up or confirmed release date for all users yet. If you don’t see the option to upload a 90-minute horizontal video, you’re probably not part of the current test.
What This Means for Creators
For podcasters and long-form creators, this could be a major opportunity. Instagram has a huge discovery engine through Reels, Explore, and its recommendation system. If Features works well, creators may be able to grow an audience with short clips and then convert those viewers into full-episode watchers without sending them elsewhere.
It could also change content strategy. Instead of treating Instagram as a promotional channel for YouTube, creators may start publishing full episodes natively on Instagram and using Reels as trailers.
However, there’s a catch: Instagram currently does not plan to share advertising revenue from Features with creators. The company may pay some early test creators directly, but there is no broad creator payout program yet. Existing brand deals can carry over, but smaller creators shouldn’t expect YouTube-style ad revenue immediately.
The Bigger Picture
Instagram’s 90-minute video test signals a clear shift in social media: platforms no longer want to be just feeds of quick entertainment. They want to become places where people watch entire shows, podcasts, interviews, and series.
For viewers, it could mean fewer redirects and more full-length content inside Instagram. For creators, it opens a new distribution channel—but also raises questions about monetization, discoverability, and whether Instagram can truly compete with YouTube’s long-form ecosystem.
Features is still early, and Instagram hasn’t announced a global rollout. But the direction is obvious: Instagram is no longer content to be just a Reels app. It wants a seat at the long-form video table.