TikTok is testing 15-minute video uploads, as it looks to rival YouTube

TikTok, popularly known for its short-video format is said to be testing 15-minute long-form videos, aiming to rival Twitter (now X) and YouTube.

According to social media expert Matt Navarra, who shared a screenshot of the update granting users access to this extended format, the upcoming feature is currently under trial in select regions and is being offered to a limited user group.

If launched, users would be able to upload 15-minute long videos to the platform from both the TikTok app and the platform's desktop version – which is expected to empower content creators with enhanced flexibility, signalling TikTok's evolution into a versatile platform.

Before now, this video limit had been reviewed a couple of times, with the maximum duration increasing from 15 seconds to 60 seconds and later to 10 minutes in February 2022.

In the past few years, TikTok has blurred the lines between short-form and long-form video formats, and as such, we are still not sure if we should describe the platform as a short-form video platform.

The move would put TikTok, boasting over 1 billion users globally, in direct competition with YouTube, which boasts over 2 billion users globally and is traditionally considered a longer-form video platform. It’s also worth noting that TikTok has also inched further into YouTube’s territory with a horizontal full-screen mode that’s being tested in select regions.

While not everyone has an appetite for long videos, the degree of adoption for this shift towards extended video content within TikTok's community remains to be seen.