Instagram has announced plans to recommend longer Reels content in its discovery surfaces, shifting from its previous guidance that creators should limit videos to 90 seconds. The platform has confirmed it will now give equal recommendation priority to Reels up to three minutes in length.

“90 seconds isn’t always enough time to tell a story just the way you want,” the company wrote on Threads. “Starting this week, we’re letting creators in the United States publish reels up to 3 minutes long in the Reels editor. We’ll let you know of any plans to expand to other regions in the near future.”

Source: @creators

Reversal of Earlier Creator Guidance 

Social Media Today notes that the update contradicts Instagram’s previous stance, announced at a creator event in May 2023, where the platform actively discouraged longer content creation. At that time, Instagram’s team explicitly stated that Reels exceeding 90 seconds received less engagement and weren’t recommended in discovery surfaces.

Technical Implementation Details 

While the 90-second limit previously applied to Reels created within the app, users could upload longer videos through their camera roll. The new update formalizes support for extended content, with Instagram stating that “appetite around long-form content is changing,” and promising continued improvements to Reels recommendations.

The platform indicates that creators who opt to post longer Reels should not experience negative impacts on their content reach. This alignment brings Instagram’s video capabilities closer to competitor TikTok’s offering, which already supports extended video formats.

For U.S. creators, the ability to post 3-minute Reels is now active within the app. Instagram’s previous recommended engagement window of 30-90 seconds appears to be superseded by this new approach to content distribution.

The platform recently rolled out “Trial Reels,” enabling creators to test video content with non-followers before sharing it with their established audience. After a 24-hour evaluation, creators can review metrics, including views, likes, comments, and shares, before deciding whether to archive or share the content with their followers.