On October 26, 2026, Instagram announced Features, a new long-form, horizontal video format. The Verge reports that Instagram head Adam Mosseri and VP of product Tessa Lyons revealed the format in a roughly six-and-a-half-minute announcement video. Variety reports Instagram is testing different length limits, including videos up to 90 minutes. Instagram’s TV app is also now available on Apple TV in the US.
Is Instagram trying to replace YouTube? The reporting frames this as a direct challenge to YouTube and TikTok, not a replacement. Instagram Features long-form video started as a limited creator test, not a public launch. Features had already been in testing with some creators in Brazil and is now expanding to a small test in the US, according to Instagram spokesperson Megan Buckley, as cited by The Verge. The Hollywood Reporter says Instagram plans to expand that US test to tens of thousands of creators.
Instagram hasn’t published the eligibility criteria for who gets access. Instagram also hasn’t said how, or whether, creators will get paid. If you open Instagram today and don’t see anything new, nothing is broken; you just aren’t in the test.
What Happened
Here’s what’s been reported as of October 26, 2026. The details below come from Instagram’s announcement video and spokesperson comments, as covered by The Verge, Bloomberg, The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, and TheNextWeb.
What Exactly Is Instagram ‘Features’?
Features is a new video format for content that doesn’t fit Instagram’s usual short, vertical Reels. Think of Reels as the snack aisle and Features as the sit-down dinner. According to The Verge, the format targets things like:
- Podcasts: Full episodes rather than 30-second highlight clips
- Interviews: Long conversations that lose their flow when chopped up
- Comedy specials: Sets that need room to build
- Vlogs: Day-in-the-life videos that run longer than a Reel
The big change is shape and length. Features are horizontal (widescreen, like a TV or YouTube video) instead of the tall, vertical format Instagram is known for.
(And yes, “Features” is a slightly confusing name. Try searching “Instagram new features” and see how many results you get about everything except this.)
How Long Can These Videos Be?
The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, and TheNextWeb all report videos up to 90 minutes. Variety describes Instagram as testing different video length limits, including up to 90 minutes, so treat that as a tested upper limit rather than a final spec. If that limit holds, it would cover many full podcast episodes.
How Do Linked Reels Work With Features?
This is the clever part. Instagram is also testing linked Reels. A creator posts a short, vertical Reel that connects viewers straight to the matching full-length Feature. Variety’s breakdown says up to eight clips can point to one long video.
Say a podcaster has a 70-minute episode. They cut a punchy 30-second clip as a Reel. Someone scrolling sees the clip, gets hooked, and jumps right into the full episode without leaving Instagram. Reels become the movie trailer, and Features become the movie.
That matters because creators today often post a clip and then say “full episode on YouTube, link in bio.” Linked Reels aim to keep that whole journey inside Instagram.
What Is ‘Series’?
Instagram is also testing Series, a dedicated home for episodic Reels on a creator’s profile. Variety reports it has been in testing since spring 2026 with select creators in the US, India and Mexico, and is expanding to more countries through the end of 2026. If a creator posts a multi-part story or a recurring segment, viewers might be able to follow it in order. It’s a bit like a playlist with a “next episode” mindset.
Live Video Discovery
Instagram is also working on discovery for Live videos. Variety reports that Lives will soon show up beyond a creator’s existing followers, including in the Reels tab, with discoverability improvements being tested in Indonesia and Brazil. That would help live streams find new audiences.
Is This Related to Instagram’s TV App?
Yes. According to The Verge, Instagram’s TV app launched late last year as a Reels-focused pilot on Amazon Fire TV devices in the US, then expanded to Google TV and Samsung TVs. Variety reports it is now available on Apple TV in the US, with livestream support coming “soon.”
Instagram is positioning long, widescreen video for big screens, even though some viewers will still watch on mobile. Getting Instagram onto an Apple TV 4K, a Fire TV Stick, or a Google TV streamer is how Instagram gets into the living room, where YouTube is already very comfortable.
Who This Affects
Here’s the short version of who this touches right now, and who it doesn’t.
- Selected creators in the US and Brazil: Posting access is currently limited to creators included in the test. Instagram describes the US group as “a small test,” with plans to expand to tens of thousands of US creators, according to The Hollywood Reporter, and the format had already been tested with some creators in Brazil. Instagram has not published broader eligibility rules.
- Everyday Instagram users: You might start seeing Features or linked Reels from test creators, but posting access is currently limited to creators included in the test. Instagram has not published broader eligibility rules, so it’s unclear when or whether that will change.
- Podcasters: This is the group Instagram seems most interested in. A full episode posted natively on Instagram is a different deal than clips that point to YouTube or Spotify.
- Apple TV owners in the US: You’re getting access to Instagram’s TV app, which other streaming platforms already had.
- Everyone outside the US and Brazil: The reported Features tests cover the US and Brazil, though Series is in testing in India and Mexico. The Apple TV expansion is also reported as US-only.
Details: What’s Confirmed vs. What Isn’t
Here’s where things stand as of October 26, 2026, based on the reporting.
| Item | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Features format (horizontal, long-form) | Testing with some creators in Brazil; expanding to a small US test | The Verge, Variety |
| Up to 90 minutes long | One of several length limits being tested | Variety, The Hollywood Reporter |
| Linked Reels (up to 8 clips per video) | Testing in Brazil; expanding to small US test | Variety |
| Series (episodic Reels) | Testing since spring 2026 in the US, India and Mexico | Variety |
| Wider live video discovery (incl. Reels tab) | Coming soon; improvements tested in Indonesia and Brazil | Variety |
| Instagram TV app on Apple TV (US) | Available now; app launched as a Fire TV pilot late last year | Variety, The Verge |
| Creator payments for Features | Not yet, per Variety | Variety |
| Future monetization options | Instagram says it’s exploring brand, fan, and platform-based earnings | Variety |
| Full rollout timeline | Not announced | N/A |
| Exact eligibility rules | Not announced | N/A |
Will Creators Get Paid for Features Content?
Not through a YouTube-style revenue share, at least for now. Variety’s headline says Instagram is still not paying creators a share of ad revenue, and Instagram hasn’t announced revenue-sharing terms or payout rules for Features.
That’s not the same as no money at all. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lyons said Instagram is working on “a few different deals” with early Features creators, and existing ad deals will carry over into the videos.
Variety also reports that Instagram says it is exploring future ways for creators to earn money from brands, fans, and Instagram itself, including performance-based incentives. None of that has been finalized, and it’s not clear when or whether it will apply to Features specifically.
That’s a big deal. Monetization is the main reason long-form creators stay on YouTube. Until Instagram publishes official terms, don’t assume Features will earn you anything beyond reach and exposure.
How It Stacks Up
Instagram isn’t hiding its target here. Bloomberg frames the move as part of an escalating rivalry with TikTok and YouTube. The Verge describes Features as an attempt to pull long-form viewing, and the creators who make it, away from YouTube.
The research doesn’t include comparable published numbers (like upload limits or payout rates) for each platform. So here’s a qualitative comparison based only on what’s been reported:
| Instagram Features (test) | YouTube | TikTok | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main format | Horizontal long-form, plus vertical Reels | Long-form horizontal video, podcasts | Primarily short-form vertical |
| Reported length | Up to 90 minutes (reported) | Long-form is its core | Short-form focus |
| Creator payouts for long video | Not yet, per Variety; future options being explored | Dominant home for creator monetization | Not covered in this reporting |
| TV presence | Fire TV, Google TV, Samsung and Apple TV (US) | Established | Not covered in this reporting |
| Availability | Test in Brazil; small US test, with planned expansion to tens of thousands of US creators | Public | Public |
Is This a Direct Challenge to YouTube?
Yes, that’s how the reporting frames it. But “challenge” and “replace” aren’t the same thing.
YouTube still has the things that keep long-form creators loyal: an established monetization system and years of habit from viewers who search it like a TV guide. Instagram’s advantage is a different one. Its audience is already there, scrolling Reels every day. Linked Reels try to turn that scrolling into watch time on longer videos.
TikTok is in the picture too, but more loosely. Bloomberg ties Instagram’s broader video strategy to TikTok’s growth, while most of the Features coverage focuses on the YouTube comparison. The Series test, which groups short Reels into episodes, looks like Instagram trying to cover both flanks at once.
The Reaction
Reaction to the Features test is still forming. The clearest early signal is from the creators Instagram recruited: The Hollywood Reporter names podcast host and Skims co-founder Emma Grede and creator Monet McMichael among the early testers.
What Readers Can Do Now
For most readers, the one practical step is checking whether the Instagram TV app is available on your device. For the small group of test creators, keeping the app updated is sensible, but it doesn’t guarantee access, since Instagram may enable the test server-side without requiring an update.
On iOS
- Open the App Store and update Instagram to the latest version. Updating keeps you current, but it won’t by itself grant access to the test.
- Keep posting as usual. The reporting we reviewed doesn’t describe a way to request access.
On Android
- Open the Google Play Store and update Instagram.
- As with iOS, availability is limited to selected test creators, and Instagram may enable the test server-side rather than through an app update.
On the Web
Current reporting focuses on mobile testing and doesn’t confirm whether Features works on Instagram’s website, so web availability is unconfirmed either way. Instagram.com is still useful for keeping an eye on your profile and any announcements in the meantime.
On Your TV
If you want to watch more Instagram video on a big screen, the TV app is the part of this news you can act on. It’s available on Fire TV, Google TV and Samsung TVs, and now on Apple TV in the US. Check your TV’s app store for Instagram.
For podcasters and creators: Don’t tear up your YouTube strategy, and keep publishing where you already earn money. If you’re in the test, treat Features as a reach experiment, not a revenue source, and use linked Reels to see whether short clips drive people to full episodes. Most creators already shooting horizontal video for YouTube can likely start with the setup they have.
Our Take
Who should care: Podcasters and long-form creators who already get decent reach on Reels. Linked Reels could solve a real headache, the “full episode on YouTube, link in bio” dance that loses viewers at every step. Keeping the clip and the full episode in one app is a smart idea, and Instagram’s daily audience is a real advantage.
Who should switch: Nobody, yet. The test is still limited, eligibility rules haven’t been published, and there’s no ad-revenue share for Features, though Instagram says it’s exploring future earning options and is working on deals with some early creators. Asking creators to move long videos to a platform without a general revenue share is a tough sell while YouTube has one. Until Instagram publishes monetization terms and a rollout timeline, this is worth watching, not betting on.
Who can ignore it for now: Everyday viewers outside the confirmed test markets, and anyone who just uses Instagram for photos and friends. The one exception is US Apple TV owners, who get the TV app now.
Is Instagram trying to replace YouTube? It’s trying to take a bite out of it. Whether that bite gets bigger depends almost entirely on whether creators get paid.
Wrapping Up
Instagram’s Features test brings horizontal videos of up to 90 minutes and linked Reels to a small group of creators, alongside the TV app’s arrival on Apple TV in the US. It’s still a test with no confirmed payouts or timeline, so keep your current strategy.
Honestly? The idea is strong, and linked Reels are the most interesting piece. But long-form creators follow the money, and right now there isn’t any here.