Instagram Features Explained: 90-Minute Videos for Pakistani Creators (2026)

Instagram spent years training us to think small: fifteen seconds, thirty seconds, maybe three minutes if you were lucky. Now it wants the opposite: a full podcast episode, a long interview, a comedy set with time to build. That is Instagram Features long-form video, a horizontal format announced on October 26, 2026, with videos tested at up to 90 minutes. If you are a creator in Pakistan, don't rush to change everything tomorrow. Features is still a limited test, mostly in Brazil and a small group of creators in the United States. But the direction is clear enough to plan around. What Instagram Features Actually Is Instagram Features is long-form, horizontal video: widescreen, like YouTube or TV, instead of the tall vertical frame Reels made normal. It is aimed at content that falls apart when chopped up: full podcast episodes, long interviews, comedy specials, and vlogs that need more than a quick clip. Reports put the tested length at up to 90 minutes, although Variety has described that as one of several limits Instagram is testing, not a final promise. The reporting on the announcement is worth reading in full: https://www.online-tech-tips.com/instagram-features-longform-horizontal-video/ Why Instagram Is Betting On Long Video Now Here's the honest version: Instagram is tired of being the trailer while YouTube gets the movie. A creator posts a sharp 30-second clip, then tells viewers to go watch the full episode somewhere else. Every step in that journey loses people. Features tries to close that gap: if clip and full video live in one app, the viewer has no reason to leave. Instagram's TV app, now also on Apple TV in the US, hints long video is meant for living rooms too. YouTube still has the stronger hand, with years of search habit and a monetization system creators understand. How Linked Reels Change The Funnel This is probably the part that matters most for small creators. Instagram is testing linked Reels: short vertical clips that point straight to a full Feature, with up to eight clips per long video reported. So a podcaster with a 60-minute episode could cut five or six hooks, post them as Reels over a week, and let each one carry viewers into the full episode. That changes how you should think about a long video. It is no longer one piece of content. It is one long piece plus a handful of short doors into it. For example, a cooking creator in Lahore films a 40-minute recipe session, then cuts a Reel about the one spice mistake most people make, another about the cheapest way to get the same taste, and a third showing the final dish. Each works alone, and each invites the right viewer to watch more. Our earlier guide explains why those openings matter: https://elitedigitalhub.click/blogs/instagram-reels-algorithm-october-2026-what-pakistani-creators-must-change-now What This Means For Pakistani Creators Let's be realistic about timing. Features has not been announced for Pakistan, no eligibility rules have been published, and Instagram has not said how, or whether, creators will get paid. Variety's coverage notes Instagram is still not paying creators a share of ad revenue for this format, although it is exploring future earning options. Read that angle here: https://www.tipranks.com/news/metas-instagram-takes-aim-at-tiktok-and-youtube-with-90-minute-videos So no, this is not a new income stream yet. It is a preparation window, and those are where small creators gain ground, because big channels tend to wait until a feature is already crowded. Who should care most right now? Podcasters who only publish clips, teachers who keep getting asked for the full lesson, shop owners with a real story behind their product, and comedy creators whose best material needs setup and a payoff that a 30-second clip keeps cutting off. If your content only works in 20 seconds, Features won't change your week. If you keep saying "the full version is on YouTube," it might change your year. A Practical Plan Before Features Reaches Pakistan You don't need new equipment to get ready, just a small change in how you record. 1. Record one long version, not just the clip. Next time you film a tutorial or a shop tour, let the camera run and keep the full take, even if you only post a Reel from it today. That full take is your future Feature, already shot. 2. Film horizontal when the topic deserves it. A steady phone, turned sideways, with clear audio is enough. Viewers forgive simple visuals, not audio they can't hear. 3. Cut three hooks from every long video: the surprising moment, the useful tip, and the funny or emotional beat. Testing them shows what your audience wants more of. 4. Open with the topic, not a long greeting. In the first ten seconds, say what the video will give the viewer. 5. Keep your YouTube strategy intact. Don't stop posting where you already earn, and don't promise clients money Instagram hasn't promised. Treat it as extra reach, not replacement income. If video editing or Reels strategy feels like the hard part, structured training helps. Elite Digital Hub's courses in Jhelum cover video editing, social media marketing, and content creation: https://elitedigitalhub.click/courses — and if you would rather have a team handle your content, see our services here: https://elitedigitalhub.click/services What Not To Do Yet Don't buy a full studio setup for a format you can't access yet. Don't stop making Reels because long video sounds more serious. Reels are still the discovery engine, and linked Reels only work if people see the short clip first. Don't copy someone else's long video and re-upload it either. Both Instagram and YouTube tightened originality rules in October 2026. And don't announce "Instagram pays creators now" to your audience or clients. It doesn't, not in the YouTube sense, and getting that wrong will cost you trust. The smart move is boring, in a good way: keep posting short-form, keep saving long takes, and learn which topics your audience watches to the end. Frequently Asked Questions What is Instagram Features? A new long-form, horizontal video format announced on October 26, 2026, designed for podcasts, interviews, comedy specials, and vlogs, with videos tested at up to 90 minutes. Is Instagram Features available in Pakistan? Not yet. The test has covered creators in Brazil and a small group in the United States, and Instagram has not published eligibility rules or a rollout timeline. How do linked Reels work with Features? A short vertical Reel links directly to the full long video. Reporting suggests up to eight clips can point to one Feature, so one episode can be promoted through several hooks without sending viewers to another app. Will creators get paid for Instagram Features? No general revenue share has been announced. Instagram is reportedly exploring future earning options, but for now treat it as a reach opportunity, not a confirmed income source. Should Pakistani creators stop using YouTube for long videos? No. YouTube remains the established home for long-form monetization and search. Keep your YouTube strategy, keep making Reels, and start saving strong long takes for when Features arrives. Start small: one long recording this week, three honest hooks cut from it, and a note on which hook worked. Repeated, that habit turns a new format into a real advantage.