Instagram has decided to double the maximum permissible length of videos posted on Reels to 60 seconds from 30 seconds and added a captions sticker to the video feature.
Reels last August with a 15-second limit, doubling it to 30 seconds last September. Instagram said its community has been asking for the ability to create longer Reels, adding that users can still make videos of shorter lengths, should they choose to do so.
The new captions sticker converts audio into text-based captions so that people can enjoy Reels with their sound off. It is debuting in a handful of English-speaking countries, with plans to soon boost the number of countries and languages.
Reels. up to 60 secs. starting today. pic.twitter.com/pKWIqtoXU2
— Instagram (@instagram) July 27, 2021
Instagram’s team actually posted a meme on its official Twitter profile showing the progression of Reels, starting with no Reels and progressing to the new time limit. The same Tweet also confirmed that users can now record Reels that are up to 60 seconds long, starting from today.
Instagram appears to be making this move to keep competing with TikTok, which recently upped its own video limit to three minutes. Considering TikTok users can create 60-second videos and have had the ability for some time, Instagram is still playing catch up.