Instagram just announced its biggest pivot since IGTV
On October 26, 2026, Adam Mosseri appeared in a video alongside Instagram's VP of product, Tessa Lyons, to announce a new long-form video section called Features. It will let creators post horizontal videos up to 90 minutes long, a massive jump from the 20-minute cap on Reels. This is Instagram's first serious push back into long-form video since IGTV was shut down.
What makes this notable is who's saying it. Mosseri has publicly stated he was against long-form video on Instagram, worried that someone watching a 10, 20, or 30-minute video wasn't out there watching and sharing Reels, photos, or carousels instead. His reversal signals this isn't a minor experiment Instagram will quietly drop. It's a strategic bet on where attention and ad dollars are heading, particularly on connected TV, where Reels-style short clips don't really work.
What's actually live right now
Features has already been testing in Brazil and is now expanding to a small group of creators in the U.S. The Hollywood Reporter reports Instagram plans to grow that U.S. test to tens of thousands of creators, though there's no confirmed public rollout date. Early named testers include Emma Grede (podcast host and Skims co-founder) and creator Monet McMichael.
Long-form Features videos will show up on the Explore page and in the main feed. For select creators in the test, Reels can link directly to a full-length Feature, functioning as a trailer or preview that pulls viewers from short-form into long-form content. Instagram is also updating its TV app to prioritize Features, with support for Samsung, Fire TV, and Google TV, and an expansion to Apple TV in the U.S. Tessa Lyons said she expects the big screen to become the primary place people watch these longer horizontal videos.
Monetization is unresolved, and that matters
There's no revenue-sharing program for Features, and Mosseri has said there are no plans for one yet. This is a real gap compared to platforms like YouTube, where long-form monetization is well established. Instagram says creators can bring existing sponsorship deals into their Features and that it will help creators without brand deals find partners.
One detail worth noting: Instagram isn't requiring exclusivity. A creator can post the same long-form video on YouTube and Instagram at the same time. That lowers the risk of testing Features, since creators aren't being asked to choose one platform over another, at least not yet.
Series is the other half of this story
Alongside Features, Instagram has a format called Series, which collects episodic Reels in one place on a creator's profile so viewers can watch them in order. Instagram plans to test Series in more countries and bring it to the U.S. by the end of 2026 or early 2027.
Put together, Features and Series suggest Instagram is building toward a structure where short Reels act as entry points, Series organizes them into a watchable sequence, and Features houses the longer, deeper version of the content. This is a close parallel to how YouTube already works, where short clips drive discovery and full videos capture watch time and ad revenue. Analysts have pointed out that Reels alone is already a $50 billion revenue business, and the broader industry context is a scramble among platforms for long-form connected TV ad dollars.
What short-form creators should actually do right now
This is not a call to immediately start producing 90-minute videos. The test is limited, monetization is unconfirmed, and Instagram has given no firm timeline for broader access. Jumping in prematurely, especially without a monetization path, isn't a smart use of limited production time.
What's worth doing instead is structuring your current short-form output so it's ready to extend later. That means treating Reels less like disposable one-offs and more like episodes that could plausibly connect to something bigger: a consistent premise, recurring characters or hosts, and hook-driven openings that leave room for a longer version of the story. If Features and Series roll out broadly in the way Instagram is describing, creators who already have a consistent cast and an episodic structure will be able to repurpose what they've built rather than redesigning their entire content approach from scratch.
This is exactly the kind of groundwork Episodo is built around, helping creators maintain a consistent AI cast and episodic format so short clips can later be assembled or extended into longer connected content without starting over.
- Don't rush into 90-minute videos while the test is small and monetization is unclear
- Start tagging or grouping Reels by recurring theme, character, or storyline now
- Keep a consistent visual cast and tone so clips can be stitched into a longer narrative later
- Watch for Series rolling out in the U.S., expected late 2026 or early 2027, as the likely organizing layer before Features opens up broadly