Instagram Reels set for face-off with TikTok, YouTube, big makeover soon

Instagram is planning to extend the length of Reels to take on YouTube and TikTok. Check out what the rumours say.

Instagram might allow users to record video for up to 10 minutes. Know more here. (Instagram)

Ever since Meta introduced Instagram Reels, creators have raised concerns over the duration of the videos. Since then, we have seen the reel duration go from 30 seconds to 3 minutes and also saw the introduction of the video-creating tab IGTV where users can upload longer videos. Now, it is rumoured that Instagram may have been working to increase the length of Reels by an even bigger margin. Check out what the leaks say.

Instagram Reels length

According to a post shared by Alessandro Paluzzi on X (Formerly Twitter), Instagram Reels duration may go up to 10 minutes - it has a maximum length of up to 3 minutes currently. The leaker also shared screenshots of the Reel duration to confirm the claim, however, no official announcement has been made by Meta yet.

If the change is confirmed by the company, it could become a strong competitor against TikTok. Additionally, it also may align the app's video length more closely with that of YouTube. According to an Engadget report. Instagram and TikTok features are very similar to each other.

Engadget reports that they tried to confirm the rumour with Meta but the company stated that it was an "internal prototype." However, they also confirmed that the screenshot shared by the leaker is very real.

Meta also revealed that the Reel duration may not be tested externally. Therefore, It is still unclear whether the reel lengths will be increased, but if they do, it will surely change the whole concept of the reel format, which users seem to enjoy. Then the app will be based on long-form videos like YouTube.

While Instagram and TikTok are increasing their video lengths, YouTube is focusing more on its Shorts, its immersive short video format. Recently, the company added ads on Shorts and began sharing ad revenue with content creators on the platform. Another platform that is experimenting with short video format is Twitch which has introduced a new ‘Discovery feed' for short videos. However, it is not monetized as of now.

We have to wait and see if Reels will be made longer. If they are, then it'll be interesting to see how users will respond to the long-format videos.