TikTok is testing the ability for users to upload 60-minute videos, the company confirmed on Thursday. This feature is available to a limited group of users in select markets, with no immediate plans for a broader rollout.
First noticed by social media consultant Matt Navarra, this feature represents a significant shift from TikTok’s original format. Initially, the app allowed users to upload 15-second videos, but it has gradually increased this limit over the past few years. While TikTok gained popularity for its short-form video format, it has been slowly embracing long-form content to compete more directly with YouTube.
According to TikTok, although creators can create multipart stories by directing viewers to subsequent parts, it frequently receives requests from creators for more time to produce content like cooking demos, beauty tutorials, educational lesson plans, and comedic sketches.
The purpose of the increased time limit is to provide creators with the flexibility to experiment with new or expanded types of content. This move positions TikTok in even closer competition with YouTube. By allowing 60-minute videos, TikTok likely aims to attract creators who typically post their content on YouTube to also share their videos on its platform.
The expanded time limit could also enable a new type of content on TikTok: full episodes of TV shows. Last year, Peacock made the first episode of “Killing It” available for free on TikTok, but it was divided into five parts. With a 60-minute upload limit, networks would no longer need to segment an episode into multiple parts.
Many networks already upload the first episode of a TV show on YouTube to attract new viewers. With this expanded time limit, they could do the same on TikTok. Networks are already using TikTok to reach viewers, and the increased upload time limit could encourage them to share more content on the platform.
While not everyone may be interested in watching longer content on TikTok, the company has been enhancing the viewing experience for those who do. It has been testing a horizontal full-screen mode and video-scrubbing thumbnails. Last year, TikTok introduced a feature that allows users to fast-forward videos by holding down the right side of the screen.
As with any test feature, it’s unclear when or if TikTok plans to launch the 60-minute video upload option widely.
