Instagram begins pushing longer widescreen video with new "Features" format

Instagram, the social network owned by Meta, has announced a major push into longform horizontal video, which it calls "Features." The move puts the platform in more direct competition with YouTube, where long videos are the core format. For now the feature is available only in a limited test: a small group of users in the US is trying it, and some creators in Brazil are testing it as well, according to Instagram spokesperson Megan Buckley.

Why the stance changed

Instagram head Adam Mosseri said in a six-and-a-half-minute video with product vice president Tessa Lyons that he had opposed longform video on the platform for a long time. His concern was keeping Instagram not only a place for entertainment but also for connecting with friends. In his words, watching a longform video means fewer Reels, photos and carousels that people might send to a friend, which in turn means fewer likes and shares.

The team is now working to make shortform and longform video "symbiotic," Mosseri said. He pointed to podcasts and comedy specials as examples of content that can exist both as long videos and as shorter clips.

Other video updates

The announcement follows the launch of Instagram's TV app late last year. It began as a Reels-focused experience and a pilot on Amazon Fire TV devices in the US, and has since expanded to Google TVs, Samsung TVs and Apple TV. Earlier this year it also gained the ability to watch Stories.

Instagram is testing several other video features, including clips that point to a long video, a way for creators to build a "series" of Reels, and improvements to discovering live video. Mosseri also discussed the changes with creators Samir Chaudry and Colin Rosenblum, whose video includes clips showing how longform video will appear on the platform.