Instagram extends reels to 3 minutes and introduces new features

"Reels have traditionally been limited to 90 seconds, but we've received feedback that this restriction is too limiting for creators who wish to share longer content," wrote Instagram head Adam Mosseri in a post.

Hyderabad: In an effort to amplify user engagement and entice creators, Instagram has grown the length of Reels from the limit of 90 seconds to three minutes. The announcement was made on Saturday by Instagram head Adam Mosseri about the new update that is intended to give the creators extra long content to incriminate themselves in competition with TikTok in its extended video format rolled out in 2023.

“We’ve historically limited Reels to 90 seconds, but we’ve heard the feedback that this is too restrictive for those wanting to share longer content,” Instagram head Adam Mosseri wrote in an Instagram post.

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The update will also come with other changes, from a redesigned profile grid that does away with Instagram’s iconic square images for a rectangular layout. It appears similar to TikTok’s profile pages. On Sunday, Instagram launched what it has nicknamed “Edits,” a new video creation app similar in function to CapCut, a tool very much in vogue among TikTok users. The app is now already in stores, but it becomes fully functional as of February.

These updates fall within Instagram’s ambition to snatch TikTok users amidst ever-growing uncertainty surrounding TikTok’s American future. After TikTok recently briefly shut out its users because of legal restrictions, users began exploring alternatives like RedNote, while Instagram’s growth has been negligible.

The latest moves by Instagram reflect its efforts to remain relevant amid competition from other social media platform formats. But privacy concerns hang high, especially with the introduction of a new feed that displays Reels your friends have liked or commented on. While it somehow does help create engagement, critics maintain it could amount to a breach of the user’s privacy.

As Instagram ages, only time will tell whether it will succeed at converting TikTok users, especially now that rival platforms are making moves.