Netflix and Paramount are rolling out short-form vertical video features in their streaming apps, joining a broader Hollywood push to mimic the swipeable format popularized by TikTok and YouTube Shorts as those platforms capture more viewing time from traditional TV and long-form streaming.

According to Business Insider, the moves reflect efforts by major streamers to adapt to shifting audience habits, particularly among younger viewers who spend increasing time on mobile short-form video. Netflix, which tried and later abandoned a similar feature, is testing a new vertical feed. Paramount is accelerating plans for up to 1 million short clips under an internal initiative called Project Eagle.

Industry analysts suggest these strategies are designed to increase daily engagement and mobile usage. However, they also come with risks. Previous efforts to lure users away from free social media platforms have, at best, had mixed results.

Netflix launched its first short-form experiment, called Fast Laughs, in 2021, offering vertical clips of comedies and other shows in a dedicated mobile feed. The feature was retired after about two years because it "never took off."

The streamer has since resumed testing a vertical video feed in its mobile app, featuring clips from Netflix shows and movies. Co-CEO Greg Peters said on the company's January earnings call that the feed has been in testing for several months and will expand to include video podcasts, which the service began offering in January.

"We're going to roll this out later in 2026 and just like our TV UI, it then becomes a starting point, it becomes a platform for us to continue to iterate, test, evolve and improve our offering," Peters said, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The company is redesigning its mobile user interface as part of a broader effort to compete for consumer attention that includes social media platforms.

Co-CEO Ted Sarandos added on the same call that Netflix competes against "an even wider set of options that include streaming, broadcast, cable, gaming, social media, big tech, video platforms."

Paramount is taking an even more aggressive approach. Internal documents viewed by Business Insider show the company prioritizing short-form video in its Paramount+ mobile app under Project Eagle. Executives aim to add as many as 1 million short-form clips "as quickly as possible" by repurposing existing content from its library, with plans to explore user-generated content similar to TikTok's model.

Dan Reich, head of global product and design for Paramount+, wrote in a mid-January email that the team was working to "jump-start efforts to get a million clips into our Short Form UX as quickly as possible." The initiative aligns with Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison's push for a more tech-forward strategy.

The efforts come as short-form video platforms erode time spent on long-form streaming and traditional television. Nielsen data show YouTube's share of U.S. television viewing has doubled since May 2021. YouTube Shorts alone are viewed more than 200 billion times a day globally. Streamers see vertical clips as a low-cost way to create "tasters" that could drive users to full-length shows and movies while building daily viewing habits on mobile devices.

Yet the path is not straightforward. Netflix's Fast Laughs experience offers a cautionary lesson: premium streamers' short-form efforts have struggled to replicate the addictive, interactive and user-generated appeal of TikTok and YouTube. Analysts warn that short-form video is harder to monetize than long-form content and may not fully offset the challenges of rising production costs or subscriber churn.

Kasey Moore, founder of the industry site What's on Netflix, said the goal of the new vertical features is to use short clips as entry points to longer content rather than to compete directly with ad-supported social feeds.

Brandon Katz, a senior analyst at Greenlight Analytics, noted that while short-form is essential for engaging younger audiences, "not attempting it isn't an option."

Hernan Lopez, founder of Owl & Co., a streaming consulting firm, said streamers need vertical video to create the mobile frequency and engagement that long-form viewing alone cannot provide.

Disney is pursuing similar steps, having added vertical video to its ESPN app and planning a rollout to Disney+ later in 2026, including some AI-generated clips. Peacock has also tested short-form clips. The broader industry trend underscores a recognition that smartphones have become a primary screen for many viewers, especially Gen Z and younger millennials, who increasingly discover and consume content through algorithm-driven short feeds. The strategies carry broader implications for Hollywood.

By repurposing library titles into short clips and experimenting with user-generated content, streamers hope to lower content costs and reduce reliance on expensive scripted series. Success could help retain subscribers who might otherwise cancel after finishing a favorite show. Failure, however, could highlight the limits of premium platforms trying to copy free social media models without the same level of creator tools or community features.

As of late March 2026, Netflix's full mobile redesign remains months away, and Paramount's Project Eagle is still in early testing phases. Executives at both companies have declined further public comment on timelines or expected results.

The outcome will test whether Hollywood can translate its vast content libraries into the bite-sized, endlessly scrollable experiences that now dominate mobile screens — or whether TikTok and YouTube will continue to claim the bulk of short-form viewing time.

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TikTok, Netflix