TikTok is testing hour-long videos

TikTok is experimenting with 60-minute video uploads, the company confirmed to TechCrunch. The feature is available only to certain users, with no immediate plans to expand widely.

The company has gradually bumped up the length of videos: in January, it gave some creators access to 30-minute clips, and as of now, users can upload content as long as 10 minutes long. Content creators who sell subscriptions also have access to 20-minute-long uploads.

TikTok’s arrival kicked off an era of shortform vertical video content, but these days, the platform has been leaning into longer, more YouTube-like material. Earlier this year, some TikTok creators got notifications that their content would get a “boost” if they shared horizontal clips instead of vertical. The platform’s monetization program now requires that creators share videos longer than a minute in order to qualify.

The explosive popularity of TikTok caused countless other companies — from Meta and YouTube to even LinkedIn — to add shortform video feeds to their platforms. But as everyone else tries to recreate the appeal of the For You page, TikTok is doubling down on longform content and livestreaming, formats more strongly associated with YouTube or Twitch. TikTok regularly hosts livestreamed events, including a music competition last year, as it pushes beyond bite-sized content.