Instagram Reels Videos Can Now Be Up to 3 Minutes Long

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri stated today that the platform will now allow users to upload Reels that are up to three minutes long, twice the previous restriction of ninety seconds.

He says today’s change is due to user feedback, as they feel that 90 seconds “is just too short.” Mosseri has changed his mind on pursuing long-form videos on the site. He had stated in July of last year that the platform would not pursue this, as it could undermine its “core identity to connect people with friends.”

Along with this, TikTok is preparing to shut down on Sunday in anticipation of a ban in the United States; the app began permitting 3-minute videos in 2021.

Instagram has been hesitant to increase the duration of Reels; it’s been more than two years since it began enabling minute-and-a-half videos. The company tried extending the time limit to 10 minutes but decided not to make that change yet. Instead, longer videos can still be posted outside of Reels.