Longer TikTok videos now available with new 10-minute limit

TikTok announced Monday that it is rolling out a new feature expanding the maximum length of uploads from 3 minutes to 10 minutes. It is believed that longer content will make TikTok more capable to handle monetization and other features flexibly. This latest development reminds of the streaming platform Quibi, which also allowed 10-minute videos but has since been shut down in December 2020.

“We’re always thinking about new ways to bring value to our community and enrich the TikTok experience,” a TikTok spokesperson said in an email statement.

While TikTok believes this will “unleash even more creative possibilities,” rival social media platforms have gone the opposite way. Following TikTok’s success, Meta has recently released Facebook Reels globally. With a limit of 60 seconds, it has provided means for in-stream monetization for creators in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

YouTube itself has introduced in 2020 a short-form video platform through YouTube Shorts, which similar to Reels had a time limit of 60 seconds per upload. Meanwhile, Snapchat has its own short-form version called Spotlight, a feature that also allows 60 seconds per Spotlight snap.

Matt Navarra, a social media consultant from the United Kingdom, foresees the possibility of TikTok doing away with length limits altogether in the future. He further noted that the platform has been earning negative media attention lately as “more people see TikTok’s as one of the worst platforms for Ukraine/Russia misinformation.” In connection to this, longer content is regarded as a potential remedy to the demand for more substantive coverage.