Instagram announced on October 26 that it is testing a long-form, horizontal video format called Features, with length limits of up to 90 minutes under test. The format started with creators in Brazil and is now expanding to a small US test, alongside Clips as Reels, a Series hub and Instagram for TV on Apple TV.
What Instagram announced
Features is a new upload type for long-form horizontal video aimed at podcasts, vlogs, interviews and episodes, according to Variety and TechCrunch. Instagram is testing several length limits, with 90 minutes at the top end. It is a clear change of direction for an app that shut down IGTV years ago and has spent most of the last five years pushing short vertical Reels.
Alongside it, Clips as Reels lets a creator link up to eight short clips back to one long video, so Reels becomes the discovery layer for longer content. Instagram is also expanding Series, a profile home for episodic Reels, and says Live broadcasts will soon show in the Reels tab beyond a creator's followers.
- Features: long horizontal video, up to 90 minutes in testing, Brazil first, small US test now
- Clips as Reels: up to 8 clips pointing to one Feature
- Series: episodic Reels hub on profiles, expanding to more countries through end of 2026
- Instagram for TV: now on Apple TV in the US, after Samsung, Fire TV and Google TV
What it does not include yet
There is no new ad placement announced. Meta has not said ads will run inside Features, and an Instagram representative told Variety it is too early to share a long-term monetization model. Instagram says it is funding some longer content directly with creators and exploring ways for them to earn from brands, fans and Instagram.
Adam Mosseri was candid about the shift, telling TechCrunch he had long been against doing long-form video on Instagram. Reels remains the core format, according to the company.
Why media buyers should pay attention
Long-form viewing on TV screens is where YouTube earns a large share of its ad revenue, and Instagram is now building the same inventory: longer sessions, living-room screens and episodic shows. If watch time shifts into Features and Series, new placements usually follow, and Meta tends to fold them into Advantage+ placements by default rather than as opt-in extras.
In the near term, the bigger effect is on creator deals. Creators who can hold attention for 20 to 60 minutes become more valuable for integrations and partnership ads, and the Clips as Reels setup means one sponsored long video can generate several short discovery assets.
What to do now
Nothing changes in Ads Manager today. Use the test period to watch which creators in your verticals start publishing Features, and price integrations with clip rights included so short cutdowns can run as partnership ads. If you buy on Reels heavily, keep an eye on placement breakdowns over the coming months for any new Instagram TV or long-form surfaces appearing in your reports.
What it means for you
- No ads in Features yet; this is a creator and viewing-time play for now
- Write clip rights into creator contracts so long videos can feed partnership ads
- Watch placement breakdowns for new Instagram TV or long-form surfaces
- Expect any new placement to appear inside Advantage+ placements by default
Sources
- TechCrunch: Instagram goes from short-form to 90-minute videos
- Variety via Yahoo: Instagram testing videos up to 90 minutes, launches on Apple TV
