TikTok Is Testing A New Horizontal Full-Screen Mode

Video-focused social networking service – TikTok has commenced roll-out for the new horizontal full-screen mode. According to reports, selected TikTokers will notice a new full-screen button on the typical square and rectangular videos. The button changes the TikTok video into a horizontal full-screen format, much like a similar option on YouTube.

TikTok has confirmed the limited test, in which the full-screen button has emerged on the screen of several users in recent weeks. Reports have revealed that the new feature puts YouTube and the social platform even closer together. TikTok’s emphasis on portrait video has mainly distinguished it from YouTube, forcing creators to create content specific to each platform and its uniqueness.

That said, if this full-screen mode finally rolls out, this means creators can now create a single video that can make it to both YouTube and TikTok. This also means we might start to see more longer-form video content on TikTok that would have traditionally only made it to YouTube. After years of experimenting with ever-longer uploads, TikTok increased its maximum video length to 10 minutes early this year.

While TikTok is been generous by offering an expansion of its video content beyond only short videos, rivals like Instagram and YouTube have each introduced short-form content under the guises of Reels and Shorts. Even more, Snapchat provides Spotlight, a tab in the app that presents short-form video content.

The test of TikTok’s horizontal full-screen mode comes after a long-awaited trial of its in-app shopping function. TikTok Shop, which has previously debuted in countries including the US and Indonesia, enables users to make purchases without ever leaving the app.