Overseas Marketing · Deepege Editorial Team
How Long Can Instagram Videos Be in 2026? Reels, Stories and the New 90-Minute Features
How long can Instagram videos be? Up to 20 minutes as Reels, while Story videos play as one clip up to 60 seconds, and Instagram's new Features format allows horizontal videos up to 90 minutes, but only for selected test creators. For marketers the more important number is 3 minutes: Instagram's Help Center says Reels over 3 minutes won't be recommended to new audiences.
Quick answer (checked October 31, 2026):
| Format | Maximum length | Who can use it | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reels (all video posts) | Up to 20 minutes, one or several clips | Everyone with Reels | Instagram Help Center |
| Reels recommended to new audiences | 3 minutes or less | Everyone with Reels | Instagram Help Center |
| Story video | 60 seconds shows as one clip; longer videos are split into several clips | Everyone | Instagram Help Center |
| Features (test) | Up to 90 minutes, horizontal | Selected creators in Brazil and, from October 26, 2026, the US | Instagram, as reported by Social Media Today and TechCrunch |
How long can Instagram Reels be?
Instagram Reels can be up to 20 minutes. Instagram's Help Center says you can record one or several clips that add up to 20 minutes, add effects and music, or use your own original audio. The same page adds the note that changes how you should plan: "Reels over 3 minutes won't be recommended to new audiences."
Instagram now treats video posts as Reels: the Help Center's page on uploading an Instagram video opens the same Reels instructions with the same 20-minute limit. Older guides that mention 60-minute feed videos or IGTV describe formats Instagram no longer lists (IGTV's separate app closed in 2022).
For brands this means two kinds of Reels:
- Discovery Reels (under 3 minutes): product demos, hooks, offers and tutorials meant to reach people who do not follow you yet.
- Longer Reels (3 to 20 minutes): webinars, factory tours or full tutorials for people who already follow you. They can still be watched and shared, but Instagram says it will not recommend them to new audiences.
How long can Instagram Story videos be?
A Story video up to 60 seconds plays as one clip. Instagram's Help Center says longer videos are broken up into multiple clips, which you can edit with the video trimmer; the trimmer is currently only on iOS. Stories disappear after 24 hours unless you save them to a Highlight.
What is Instagram Features?
Instagram Features is a new format for horizontal videos up to 90 minutes long, previewed on October 26, 2026 by Instagram head Adam Mosseri and vice president of product Tessa Lyons. It is a test, not a full launch:
- Who has it: selected creators in Brazil, where Instagram tested it first, and select US creators from October 26, with plans to expand in the coming months (Social Media Today). Mosseri later wrote on X that Features had not been fully launched yet (Storyboard18).
- Where it shows: in the main feed and on Explore, and Instagram's TV app will prioritize Features (The Next Web).
- Clips as Reels: a related test lets creators link up to eight Reels clips back to a longer video, so a short clip can lead viewers to the full episode.
- Series: Instagram is also building a way to group episodic Reels under one topic.
- Money: Instagram has not announced a per-view revenue share for Features. A Meta spokesperson told TechCrunch it is "too early to share a long-term monetization model." Lyons told The Hollywood Reporter that existing ad deals will carry over into the videos.
If you do not see a Features option, that is expected: access is limited to test creators.
What do Instagram's longer videos mean for brand marketing?
Instagram now wants short and long versions of the same content, linked together. A simple workflow for a brand account:
- Keep a horizontal master. If you film a webinar, podcast, factory tour or product training, keep a 16:9 version. It is the format Features uses and the one Instagram's TV app favors.
- Cut 3 to 8 vertical clips under 3 minutes. These are your discovery Reels. Each needs its own hook in the first seconds; a hook generator can draft several openings to test. If you cut clips with software, compare tools that cut long videos into clips.
- Script the cutdowns, do not just trim. A clip that makes sense on its own works better than a random slice. Write a short script per clip with a video script generator.
- Write captions that point to the full video. Tell viewers what the long version adds. Draft them with the Instagram caption generator.
- Measure before you rebuild your calendar. Features is a test with no announced revenue share. Compare reach and watch time of short clips and long videos in your own Insights first.
For brands selling abroad, the same master can become several language versions. Deepege, our own product, reads your product materials, plans short product videos, and adds voiceover, subtitles and covers in Chinese and foreign languages for platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.
FAQ
How long can Instagram Reels be in 2026?
Instagram Reels can be up to 20 minutes long, made of one clip or several. Instagram's Help Center says Reels over 3 minutes won't be recommended to new audiences, so keep discovery Reels under 3 minutes (checked October 31, 2026).
Can everyone post 90-minute videos on Instagram?
No. The 90-minute Features format is a test for selected creators in Brazil and, since October 26, 2026, select creators in the US. Instagram says it plans to expand in the coming months but has not given a date.
What is the difference between Instagram Reels and Features?
Reels are vertical videos up to 20 minutes that everyone with Reels can post. Features are horizontal videos up to 90 minutes, currently only for test creators, shown in the feed, on Explore and in Instagram's TV app. A related test lets creators link up to eight Reels to one longer video.
How long can an Instagram Story video be?
An Instagram Story video up to 60 seconds plays as one clip. Longer videos are split into several clips automatically, and you can trim them with the video trimmer on iOS.
Can you still upload 60-minute videos to Instagram?
Not as a normal post, according to Instagram's Help Center on October 31, 2026: video posts are Reels with a 20-minute limit. The only longer format is the 90-minute Features test, which is limited to selected creators.
Does Instagram pay creators for long videos?
Not through a per-view revenue share yet. Meta told TechCrunch it is too early to share a long-term monetization model, and Mosseri wrote that Instagram is "exploring multiple options to help long-form creators get paid." Brand deals remain the main way creators earn on Instagram.
FAQ
How long can Instagram Reels be in 2026?
Instagram Reels can be up to 20 minutes long, made of one clip or several. Instagram's Help Center says Reels over 3 minutes won't be recommended to new audiences, so keep discovery Reels under 3 minutes (checked October 31, 2026).
Can everyone post 90-minute videos on Instagram?
No. The 90-minute Features format is a test for selected creators in Brazil and, since October 26, 2026, select creators in the US. Instagram says it plans to expand in the coming months but has not given a date.
What is the difference between Instagram Reels and Features?
Reels are vertical videos up to 20 minutes that everyone with Reels can post. Features are horizontal videos up to 90 minutes, currently only for test creators, shown in the feed, on Explore and in Instagram's TV app. A related test lets creators link up to eight Reels to one longer video.
How long can an Instagram Story video be?
An Instagram Story video up to 60 seconds plays as one clip. Longer videos are split into several clips automatically, and you can trim them with the video trimmer on iOS.
Can you still upload 60-minute videos to Instagram?
Not as a normal post, according to Instagram's Help Center on October 31, 2026: video posts are Reels with a 20-minute limit. The only longer format is the 90-minute Features test, which is limited to selected creators.
Does Instagram pay creators for long videos?
Not through a per-view revenue share yet. Meta told TechCrunch it is too early to share a long-term monetization model, and Mosseri wrote that Instagram is "exploring multiple options to help long-form creators get paid." Brand deals remain the main way creators earn on Instagram.