Instagram tests 90 minute widescreen horizontal videos to challenge YouTube

Instagram has unveiled an overhaul of its video strategy to test long-form horizontal videos, as Business Insider, Fast Company, and The Verge report. The Meta-owned platform is calling the new widescreen format Features, according to Fast Company and The Verge. 9to5Mac, TechCrunch, and Variety report that the new format allows creators to upload videos up to 90 minutes long. [1][2][4][6][7][9]

The test is initially limited to select creators in the United States, 9to5Mac reported. Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri announced the shift in a video with vice president of product Tessa Lyons, according to Fast Company and The Verge. Mosseri told Press Publish founders Colin Rosenblum and Samir Chaudry that the change aims to keep the platform culturally relevant by showing up where users are, Business Insider reported. [1][2][4][6]

The strategic change marks a notable pivot for Instagram after years of prioritizing short-form video content, TechCrunch reported. Instagram previously launched ephemeral Stories in 2016 and short-form Reels in 2020 to compete with TikTok [13]. YouTube had expanded to approximately 2.7 billion monthly active users by February 2026 [14]. [7][13][14]

Monetization terms for the new format remain distinct from competing platforms. Variety reported that, unlike YouTube, Instagram is not sharing ad revenue with creators on these long-form videos. [9]