TikTok experiments with 15-minute videos

In a power move that could give YouTube a run for its money, TikTok is dabbling in 15-minute video uploads. But don’t fret about your data plan just yet—the feature is currently only being tested with a select group of users in certain regions.

Social media consultant Matt Navarra was the first to spot this change. He shared a screenshot that spilled the beans on this new feature, a message visible only to those privileged few with access to the 15-minute option.

The screenshot revealed that these longer videos aren’t just limited to the TikTok app – they can be uploaded from desktops too.

Post by @mattnavarra

View on Threads

This isn’t TikTok’s first dance with longer videos. The platform started as the home of 60-second clips before increasing its limit to 10 minutes in February 2022. Now, it’s exploring even longer content.

The goal? To give creators more flexibility. No more multi-part video series—creators can now share their content in one go. This could be a boon for those sharing educational content, comedy sketches, or even elaborate makeup tutorials.

But this move also puts TikTok in direct competition with YouTube, the traditional hub for long-form content. It’s a bold strategy, and only time will tell if it pays off.

However, not everyone is thrilled about the possibility of longer TikToks. The platform’s appeal often lies in its quick, entertaining videos. But TikTok seems to be one step ahead, having recently launched a feature that lets you fast-forward videos.

As one Threads user puts it: “I love how TikTok ruined the attention spans of an entire generation and are now slowly trying to be more like YouTube.”

As for when this feature might roll out to all users, TikTok remains tight-lipped. Representatives for TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment. So, for now, we’ll have to wait and see.

Have any thoughts on this? Drop us a line below in the comments, or carry the discussion to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Kevin Raposo

Kevin is KnowTechie's founder and executive editor. With over 15 years of blogging experience in the tech industry, Kevin has transformed what was once a passion project into a full-blown tech news publication. Shoot him an email at kevin@knowtechie.com or find him on Mastodon or Post.