Instagram are extending the live stream limit to four hours
Previously restricted to just one hour, Instagram Live are now allowing streams of up to four hours and allowing users to archive live streams.
Instagram are targeting other live streaming platforms such as Twitch and YouTube as they extend their stream time limit to four hours. Those live streaming concerts during the pandemic had to start a whole new stream and potentially lose viewers after one hour. This led many to use Twitch, YouTube or other competitor sites to live stream, despite having a larger number of followers on Instagram.
To take advantage of the update, your Instagram profile must be in good standing with no policy or intellectual property violations on your account. This is to stop those attempting to stream full movies or TV series.
Instagram will also be allowing users to archive streams for up to 30 days, so that fans can watch after the fact. Much like how you can archive stories or posts.
Live Now, the screen that pops up after a stream finishes and on IGTV, now features recently hosted live streams, helping users discover more relevant content, much like TikTok’s endless algorithm driven feed.
