Instagram has begun testing Features, a horizontal video format that runs up to 90 minutes. Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, announced it on 26 October 2026 in a video with product chief Tessa Lyons. Instagram long-form video pays creators no share of advertising revenue.
Features is a test, not a general launch. Instagram spokesperson Megan Buckley said the format had already been running with some creators in Brazil and was expanding to a small test in the United States.
What Features Is
Features is a separate upload type for long, widescreen video, sitting alongside Reels rather than replacing it. It is Instagram’s second attempt at long-form content, after IGTV, which the company launched roughly eight years ago and later shut down.
- Maximum length: 90 minutes per video.
- Orientation: Horizontal, in contrast to the vertical framing of Reels.
- Where it plays: The Instagram mobile app and the Instagram TV app.
- Saving for later: A viewer can save a long video in the phone app and send it to the TV app.
- Intended creators: Podcasters, comedians and others whose work does not fit a short vertical clip.
Mosseri said the television experience is not finished, telling viewers it is “going to take a little bit of time”. Two related pieces are still being built: discovery for live video, and an episodic hub for Reels on creator profiles.
How Reels and Features Work Together
Instagram’s design has short clips feeding the long video rather than competing with it. Through a tool Instagram calls Clips as Reels, a creator cuts a Feature into Reels, and those Reels carry a link back to the full-length video.
The intended pattern is a podcast clip or a stand-up excerpt in the Reels feed that sends an interested viewer to the whole episode. Mosseri described the aim as “trying to make it so that the short-form and the long-form video can be symbiotic”.
Lyons was explicit that the older format is not being demoted, saying “Reels is still going to be a core part of Instagram.” The company has not said how Features videos will be ranked in the main feed or in recommendations.
What Creators Earn on Instagram Long-Form Video
Instagram pays creators nothing per view on Features, and has announced no advertising revenue share for the format. Existing brand deals a creator already holds carry over, and Instagram’s subscription tools still work, but there is no equivalent of a per-video payout.
Mosseri has described three income routes on Instagram: “You can get paid by the platform directly, you can get paid by a fan, and you can get paid by a brand,” he said on the Colin and Samir Show. In practice the first of those is small. Instagram runs a limited performance-based programme, and Mosseri said of it that “we spend more money than we make back by a long shot, and so it doesn’t really make sense to scale up”.
Asked about pay for Features, a Meta spokesperson told TechCrunch: “It’s too early to share a long-term monetization model.” Lyons framed the opportunity differently, saying there is “a big opportunity for us to help creators who don’t yet have that infrastructure and that business behind them”.
How the Pay Compares With YouTube
The gap with YouTube is the central problem for any creator weighing where to post a 90-minute video. YouTube publishes fixed revenue shares; Instagram has published none for this format.
| Platform and format | Creator share of ad revenue |
|---|---|
| YouTube long-form, Watch page | 55% of net ad revenue |
| YouTube Shorts | 45% of allocated Creator Pool revenue |
| Instagram Features | None announced |
| Instagram Reels | No per-view payment |
The YouTube percentages come from Google’s own YouTube Partner Program documentation, which requires creators to accept the relevant monetisation module. TechCrunch notes that Meta could place advertising inside long-form videos, but the company has not said it will.
This is the second time this month that creator economics on a major video platform have shifted without a payout change, after the YouTube Shorts algorithm update that cut reach but left monetisation alone.
Who Can Post Features and Where
As of 29 October 2026, Features is limited to selected creators in Brazil and the United States. There is no public sign-up, and Instagram has not named a date for any other country.
The Hollywood Reporter reports that Instagram intends to widen the US test to tens of thousands of creators, a figure the company has not confirmed publicly. Mosseri said the format would “start rolling out in a limited capacity” and reach more people later. The announcement video itself was geo-restricted: 9to5Google reported being unable to play it from outside the United States.
Ordinary accounts can watch Features where it has rolled out, but cannot upload one unless Instagram has included them in the test.
Why Mosseri Reversed His Position
Mosseri opened the announcement by conceding he had resisted this for years, saying “for a long time, I have been against doing long-form video on Instagram”. He has argued publicly in the past that Instagram should stay focused on short-form content.
The stated reason for the change is that creators who build an audience on Reels have nowhere on Instagram to publish the longer work that audience then wants, and leave for YouTube to do it. Mosseri also cautioned that the product is unfinished, saying “it is early, and we are testing and listening to feedback as we go”.
Instagram has made smaller format additions at this pace before, including its rollout of comments on Stories.
What Instagram Has Not Decided
- A pay model: Meta says it is too early to describe one, and has set no date to announce it.
- Advertising in Features: Meta has not confirmed whether ads will run inside long-form videos.
- Wider availability: No countries beyond Brazil and the United States have been named, and no timetable given.
- Feed ranking: Instagram has not said how Features videos compete with Reels for distribution.
- The previous Reels ceiling: Coverage of the launch described the old limit as 20 minutes, but Instagram’s published Reels maximums have varied by account, and the company did not restate the figure.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Can an Instagram Long-Form Video Be?
Up to 90 minutes in the Features format. Videos are horizontal rather than vertical, and the limit applies only to Features, not to Reels.
Does Instagram Pay Creators for Features Videos?
Not per view, and not through an advertising revenue share. Instagram has announced no payout model for Features, and a Meta spokesperson said it is too early to describe one.
Can I Post a Features Video Yet?
Only if Instagram has added your account to the test. It is running with selected creators in Brazil and a small group in the United States, with no public sign-up.
Does Features Replace Reels?
No. Tessa Lyons, Instagram’s VP of product, said Reels remains a core part of the app. Features is a separate upload type, and Reels can be cut from a Feature to link back to it.
Where Can I Watch Instagram Features Videos?
In the Instagram mobile app and the Instagram TV app, where the format has rolled out. A video saved in the phone app can be sent to the TV app to watch there.
