TikTok is testing a new feature allowing users to upload 60-minute videos, the company confirmed to TechCrunch on Thursday. This feature is currently available to a limited group of users in select markets, and there are no immediate plans for a broader rollout.
First noticed by social media consultant Matt Navarra, this new capability represents a significant shift from TikTok’s original 15-second video format. Over the years, TikTok has gradually increased its video length limits, transitioning from its short-form video roots towards embracing longer content to compete more directly with YouTube.
According to TikTok, creators have expressed a desire for more time to create content such as cooking demos, beauty tutorials, educational lessons, and comedic sketches. The 60-minute video option aims to provide creators with greater flexibility to experiment with these types of content.
By allowing longer video uploads, TikTok is positioning itself in even closer competition with YouTube. The expanded time limit could also pave the way for new content types, including full episodes of TV shows. For example, last year, Peacock released the first episode of “Killing It” on TikTok in five parts. With the new 60-minute limit, such content could be uploaded in a single, uninterrupted video.
This move could attract networks that currently use YouTube to share the first episodes of TV shows to consider TikTok as an alternative platform. While not all users may prefer longer content on TikTok, the company is enhancing its platform to support an improved long-form content viewing experience. This includes testing a horizontal full-screen mode and video-scrubbing thumbnails, as well as a fast-forward feature introduced last year.
As with any test feature, it remains uncertain when or if TikTok will make the 60-minute video upload option widely available.