Quick Answer
Instagram is testing Features, a horizontal video format that can run for up to 90 minutes, with select U.S. creators. The October 26, 2026 test is designed to connect short clips with complete videos, while Reels remain central to the app. Creators should treat Features as a limited experiment and plan long videos around a clear reason for viewers to continue watching.
Key Takeaways
- Instagram Features videos can run for up to 90 minutes.
- The initial U.S. test is limited to select creators.
- Features uses a horizontal format instead of the standard vertical Reels layout.
- Creators can attach up to 8 short clips to a longer Feature video through Clips as Reels.
- Instagram has not announced a dedicated ad-revenue-sharing program for Features.
What are Instagram Features videos?
Instagram Features videos are a new horizontal long-form video format that can run for up to 90 minutes. Instagram announced the test on October 26, 2026, in a video featuring Instagram head Adam Mosseri and VP of Product Tessa Lyons. Instagram’s announcement video describes Features as an experiment rather than a broadly available product launch.
Instagram Features changes the practical scope of video publishing on the app because most Instagram video activity has centered on shorter Reels. A 90-minute limit creates room for podcasts, interviews, tutorials, live-event recordings, lectures, and longer narrative videos that need more context than a short clip can provide.
Instagram Features does not replace Reels. Mosseri said Reels will remain a core part of Instagram, and the company is presenting the two formats as complementary. For most creators, that means short clips can still serve as discovery tools, while a Feature can provide the complete discussion or demonstration behind a clip.
The practical limitation is availability. Instagram has started with select U.S. creators, so most accounts should not expect immediate access or redesign an entire publishing strategy around Features until the company expands the test.
How long can Instagram Features videos be?
Instagram Features videos can run for up to 90 minutes. The 90-minute ceiling is the central change in the test because it gives creators a substantially longer publishing option inside Instagram without requiring viewers to leave the app for a full video.
Instagram has not described a minimum length for Features in the available announcement details. A creator does not need to treat a 90-minute maximum as a target, because length alone does not make a video more useful. A complete tutorial may need 12 minutes, while an interview or recorded discussion may reasonably require much more time.
Instagram’s longer-video experiment also reflects a wider shift in how creators distribute video. Creators already separate preview clips from complete episodes across platforms, particularly for podcasts and educational material. Readers following changes in creator video production may recognize that longer formats also create more editing, review, captioning, and storage work before publishing.
The most sensible approach is to use the format only when the subject benefits from a complete explanation. A long Feature video needs a clear opening, structured sections, and a useful conclusion, because viewers can leave at any point if the video does not establish its purpose early.
How do Clips as Reels connect short videos to Features?
Instagram’s Clips as Reels test lets creators attach up to 8 short Reels clips to a longer Feature video. The feature is meant to create a direct path from a short excerpt, such as a podcast moment, to the complete video that gives the clip its broader context.
Tessa Lyons said the setup is intended to help viewers continue into a full video after finding a short clip. Details from the Features test indicate that Instagram is treating the short clip as an entry point rather than as a separate piece of content with no connection to a longer upload.
Clips as Reels matters because short video is usually easier to discover than a full-length episode. A useful clip can show a strong moment, answer one focused question, or introduce an expert guest. The connected Feature can then give viewers the fuller explanation, including context that may not fit cleanly into a brief Reel.
Creators should avoid using all 8 attached clips simply because the option exists. Each clip needs to stand on its own while accurately representing the longer video. A misleading preview may create clicks, but it can also cause viewers to leave the complete Feature quickly if the topic or tone does not match.
| Format element | What Instagram is testing | Practical use for creators |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Horizontal videos up to 90 minutes | Publish interviews, tutorials, podcasts, or longer explanations. |
| Clips as Reels | Up to 8 short Reels clips attached to a Feature | Use short excerpts to guide interested viewers to the complete video. |
| Reels | A continuing core Instagram format | Use short videos for discovery, updates, and focused ideas. |
| Series | A developing profile format for episodic Reels | Group related short episodes around one topic or narrative. |
Will Instagram Features replace Reels?
Instagram Features will not replace Reels under the current plan. Mosseri said Reels remain a core part of Instagram, and the company has described long-form Features and short-form Reels as formats that can work together rather than compete for the same role.
Instagram’s distinction makes practical sense because the formats solve different viewer needs. Reels can introduce a subject quickly, while a Feature can provide a complete interview, explanation, or discussion. A creator who posts a short product tip can use a longer Feature to explain the full setup, limitations, and follow-up questions.
Instagram is also developing Series, a creator-profile format for grouping episodic Reels under a dedicated topic or narrative. The reported test details show that Instagram is exploring several ways to organize content beyond an individual post in the feed.
Creators should therefore avoid treating Features as a reason to stop making short video. The better approach is to decide which format suits the actual subject. A short announcement may work best as a Reel, while a detailed conversation, class, or analysis may justify a longer horizontal Feature.
Where will Instagram Features videos work?
Instagram Features videos are intended to work in Instagram’s mobile app and TV app. The TV app matters because horizontal video generally fits television screens more naturally than vertical video, especially for interviews, demonstrations, and longer programs.
Instagram has also cautioned that the TV experience will take time to develop. That limitation matters because a format can technically appear on a TV app before the viewing controls, discovery tools, recommendations, and playback behavior feel complete enough for regular long-form viewing.
Instagram’s mobile app remains important even for a horizontal format. Many viewers will first find a connected Reel on a phone and then choose whether to continue into the complete Feature. Creators should therefore make the opening moments easy to understand on a small screen, even if the full production is designed for wider displays.
The practical response is to test readable titles, clear audio, and visual framing that works across screen sizes. Creators who also use editing tools may want to monitor changes to cloud storage for video projects, because longer uploads generally require more source footage and exported files than short clips.
Can creators make money from Instagram Features?
Instagram has not announced a YouTube-style ad-revenue-sharing program for Features. Lyons instead pointed to existing creator payment paths involving platform payments, fans, and brands, which means monetization details remain less defined than the video length limit itself.
Instagram Features may still be useful for creators whose current business model already includes brand partnerships, paid communities, fan support, products, or services. A longer video can give a creator more room to explain a subject and establish expertise, but the format alone does not create a new payment system.
The absence of a dedicated revenue-sharing announcement is an important limitation for creators comparing Instagram with platforms built around long-form viewing. A creator should not assume that a 90-minute Feature earns money based on views, watch time, or advertising unless Instagram publicly defines a program with eligibility and payment terms.
Creators should review the available monetization options in their own accounts and keep sponsorship disclosures clear when a brand pays for content. Creators who use AI tools in video workflows should also consider how audiences interpret synthetic material, especially as platforms begin adding labels for generative AI content in other media categories.
Who can use Instagram’s 90-minute videos now?
Instagram’s 90-minute Features videos are currently available only to select creators in a U.S. test. Instagram began the U.S. test after an earlier creator test in Brazil and said it planned to expand access in the coming months.
Instagram has not published a general sign-up process, eligibility checklist, subscription tier, or public release date for all accounts in the available announcement details. That means creators should be cautious about posts or services claiming they can unlock Features immediately for a fee or through an unofficial account change.
A limited creator test helps Instagram observe how people upload, discover, and watch longer videos before a wider release. The company can also evaluate whether Clips as Reels and other discovery tools help viewers move from short previews to complete videos, rather than treating a long upload as another isolated post.
Creators who do not have access can still prepare by organizing existing video ideas into short clips and complete episodes. The practical goal is not to create 90-minute videos in advance, but to build a workflow that can support a full-length video when the format becomes available.
What should creators do before publishing a long Instagram video?
Creators should plan Instagram Features videos around a specific viewer need before recording. A long video works best when it answers a complete question, documents a full conversation, teaches a process, or covers an event that loses value when reduced to a short clip.
- Define the complete subject before recording, such as an interview, tutorial, panel, or episode.
- Outline the opening, major sections, and conclusion so viewers understand the video structure quickly.
- Record horizontal footage that remains understandable on both phone and TV screens.
- Create short clips that accurately represent the complete Feature without removing essential context.
- Review music, footage, sponsorship disclosures, and other rights before publishing.
- Check account access and publishing options before promising an audience a Feature release date.
Creators should also protect account access before testing new publishing tools. Long-form content can take considerably more time to make, so losing an account or having a collaborator’s access misused creates a larger practical loss. Use a unique password, enable available account protections, and verify whether every collaborator still needs access.
Creators should stop and use Instagram’s official support process if an account is unexpectedly restricted, a publishing control appears to be missing after access was granted, or a third party asks for login credentials. Unofficial access offers can expose an account to takeover attempts and do not establish legitimate eligibility for a limited test.
FAQ
What are Instagram 90-minute videos called?
Instagram’s 90-minute videos are called Features. Features is a horizontal long-form video format that Instagram began testing with select U.S. creators on October 26, 2026.
How long can Instagram Features videos be?
Instagram Features videos can run for up to 90 minutes. Instagram has not presented the 90-minute maximum as a required length, so creators can use shorter long-form videos when the topic needs less time.
Are Instagram Features available to everyone?
Instagram Features are not available to everyone during the current test. Instagram started with select U.S. creators after an earlier creator test in Brazil and plans to expand access in coming months.
Can creators attach Reels to an Instagram Feature?
Creators can attach up to 8 short Reels clips to a longer Instagram Feature through the Clips as Reels test. The connection is designed to let viewers move from a short excerpt into the complete video.
Will Instagram pay creators for Features videos?
Instagram has not announced a dedicated ad-revenue-sharing program for Features videos. Instagram has instead referenced existing payment paths involving platform payments, fans, and brands.