Instagram Launches Features Long-Form Horizontal Video Format

Instagram is introducing a new long-form horizontal video format called Features, signaling a strategic shift toward widescreen content to compete more directly with YouTube. The platform aims to create a symbiotic relationship between short-form and long-form content, enabling creators to produce extended videos, such as comedy specials or podcasts, which can then be broken down into shorter clips for distribution.

This direction marks a reversal for Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri, who previously opposed long-form video. Mosseri had expressed concerns that such content would prioritize entertainment over social connection and potentially discourage the sharing of photos and Reels. The shift follows the expansion of the Instagram TV app to Apple TV, Samsung, and Google devices.

The Features format is currently being tested in the United States and with select creators in Brazil. These updates arrive alongside a new series option for Reels and improved discovery tools for live video.