Instagram has begun testing a new video format called Features, which allows creators to upload horizontal videos lasting up to 90 minutes.
Instagram head Adam Mosseri and product chief Tessa Lyons announced the test on Monday, saying the format is designed for podcasters, comedians and other creators seeking to publish full-length shows directly on the platform.
The test is initially available to a small group of creators in the United States, with some creators in Brazil also participating, Instagram spokesperson Megan Buckley told The Verge.
Features will appear in users’ main feeds and on the Explore page, expanding opportunities for creators to reach audiences with longer videos.
Instagram is also testing Reels that link directly to full-length Features.
The company plans to introduce an option that allows creators to group related Reels into a series on their profiles, making it easier for viewers to discover connected content.
The initiative is designed to use shorter clips as a gateway to longer videos, rather than treating the two formats as separate products.
The move will also affect Instagram’s television app, which will prioritise Features. The app launched on Amazon Fire TV in the United States in December 2025 and has since expanded to Google TV and Samsung televisions.
Instagram is also preparing to introduce support for Apple TV. Earlier this year, the platform introduced a feature that allows users to watch Stories on television.
Instagram head Adam Mosseri has previously expressed reservations about expanding long-form video on the platform.
He argued that giving users more reasons to watch videos could leave them with less time to share content with friends, which he considers central to Instagram’s identity.
Instagram is now shifting its approach, seeking to make short clips and long-form programmes complement each other, Mosseri said.
Under the strategy, creators could publish full-length episodes of podcasts or comedy specials on the platform, while shorter clips would help attract new audiences and drive viewers to the complete programmes.
“We want to be the most culturally relevant platform, and to do that, we need to show up where people are,” Mosseri said in an interview.
