Instagram Tests 90-Minute Videos, Breaking From the Short-Clip Race
Instagram is reportedly experimenting with much longer videos, including content designed for television, a notable turn from the short-form push across social media.
According to TechCrunch, Instagram is shifting its strategy toward videos that run as long as 90 minutes, a notable change after years in which nearly every major social platform focused on brief vertical clips. The outlet points out that even LinkedIn had pursued short-form video, which underscores how broad that earlier push was.
Engadget reports that Instagram is experimenting with longform video again, and that one of the places viewers could watch it is on a television. That detail suggests the company is considering living-room viewing, not only the phone screens where most of its content is consumed today.
Both outlets describe the move as a change in direction rather than a finished product. The coverage does not include a full rollout schedule, which users or regions would get access first, or how creators would be paid for longer work.
Taken together, the reports suggest Instagram is willing to test whether its audience wants to stay for much longer sessions, rather than simply moving from one brief clip to the next.
Background
Short vertical video took off after TikTok popularized a format built around quick, endlessly scrolling clips. Instagram answered in 2020 with Reels, and YouTube followed with Shorts. For a while, the short clip became the default way platforms tried to win new viewers, because it suits quick phone sessions and feeds that reward constant novelty.
Longform video has a different history. YouTube built its reputation on tutorials, interviews, podcasts, lectures, music and entertainment that people search for and watch at length. Many viewers watch those videos on televisions through connected devices, which has made the big screen an important destination for the format.
The economics differ as well. Longer videos typically earn money through mid-roll advertising, subscriptions and sponsorships, which can reward creators who invest in extended production. Short clips have often been monetized through bonuses or shared revenue pools, and those models have changed several times as platforms experiment with payouts.
Platforms also measure attention differently. A short clip can spread quickly and attract a large audience in a single day. A longer video can build loyalty, encourage repeat visits and produce more time spent per session, which matters for advertisers. Strategies in this industry tend to swing in cycles, with companies shifting emphasis as they chase growth and revenue.
Why it matters
If Instagram succeeds with longer videos, it would enter territory YouTube has long defended. It would also test whether a feed designed for quick scrolling can hold attention for an hour or more, which is a different skill from grabbing attention in a few seconds.
For viewers, the change could mean one app serving both quick breaks and sit-down viewing. For creators, longer formats demand more planning and production, and could favor people who already make documentaries, interviews or serialized work. For advertisers, extended videos open new ad placements and longer attention spans, along with fresh questions about measurement and brand safety.
The move also signals that competition among platforms is not only about shrinking content into ever-shorter units. Companies are now competing for time in the living room, where big screens and extended viewing habits carry real value. Because the reporting is preliminary, the significance will depend on how Instagram designs discovery, navigation and monetization for long content.
What to watch
Watch whether Instagram confirms a broader launch or keeps the feature in limited testing. Pay attention to how longer videos sit alongside Reels in the app, and whether the company builds a dedicated television experience with its own interface.
Creator payout terms and advertising formats will reveal how seriously the company is committed. Also look at how YouTube responds, and whether other platforms follow with their own long-form plans. Finally, watch audience reaction, since the clearest test is whether people want to watch long videos inside an app built around quick scrolling.
Viewpoints
Commentary from our columns: three angles on this story.
The User what changes for people who use it
Imagine opening Instagram after dinner and choosing between a three-second clip and a feature-length video. For many people the app is a habit built around quick breaks, so longer videos could change that habit in ways that feel fun or frustrating. If the feed starts mixing hour-long content with short reels, people may find it harder to tell what they opened the app to do.
The television angle is the most interesting part to me. Plenty of households already stream from phones to big screens, and a clear living-room experience could make Instagram a place to settle in rather than scroll. Still, users will judge the change on simple questions. Can they find what they want? Can they save and resume a video? Does the app stay easy to use? If Instagram answers those questions well, the switch could feel less like a pivot and more like a new option worth trying.
The Ledger the business angle
The business logic is easy to see. Long videos hold attention for much longer, which gives a platform more room for advertising and more chances to build loyalty. A long viewing session can be worth more to advertisers than a string of brief clips, provided the ad inventory is priced and placed well.
The harder question is who gets paid. Creators have spent years learning how short-form payouts work, and a move toward long videos would require new incentives, such as shared ad revenue or subscriptions, to justify the extra production work. YouTube also has a long head start in this lane, with established viewing habits and a library people already trust. Instagram's advantage is its enormous existing audience. If it can convert even a fraction of that attention into longer watch time, the bet could pay off. The risk is spending heavily on a format users never fully adopt.
The Skeptic open questions and weak points
Before celebrating or dismissing this shift, it is worth asking what the reporting actually shows. It describes a direction, not a finished product. We do not yet know how widely the feature will roll out, how it will be ranked or who will see it first.
Longform video is also not automatically better for a social app. Feeds built around speed and novelty may struggle to hold people through long material, and creators who make short clips may lack the skills or time for longer ones. There is also an open question about whether television viewing of social content is a durable behavior or a idea that sounds good in announcements. Each of these questions remains open. Raising them is not a prediction of failure. It is a reminder that "experimenting" means the verdict is still a long way off.