Video specs · Instagram Reels
Instagram Reels video specs
Reels length, shape, frame rate, and safe zone as Instagram and Meta document them — including the 3-minute line for recommendations that matters more than the 20-minute cap.
Last verified against the official pages listed below.
- Maximum length
- 20 minutes (record and edit)[1][2]Reels longer than 3 minutes are not recommended to new audiences.
- Aspect ratio
- Between 1.91:1 and 9:16[3]9:16 fills the screen; wider uploads are shown with padding.
- Minimum quality
- 30 fps and 720 pixels[3]
- Recommended resolution
- Organic: not published · Ads: 1440×2560[4]1080×1920 is the common organic target.
- Cover image
- 420×654 px (1:1.55)[3]
- File format and size
- Organic: not published · Ads: MP4 or MOV, up to 4 GB[4]
- UI safe zone
- Ads: keep 14% top, 35% bottom, 6% each side free[4]On a 1080×1920 frame that is roughly 269 px top, 672 px bottom, and 65 px per side (our arithmetic, not Meta’s).
Safe zone on Instagram Reels
Meta is the only one of the three platforms that publishes safe-zone numbers, and they are for Reels ads: leave at least 14% of the top, 35% of the bottom, and 6% on each side free of text, logos, and key visuals.
Organic Reels show less interface than an ad, but the same bottom caption area and right-hand buttons. Using the ad guidance for organic posts is a conservative default.
What changed recently
- Instagram’s help page now says Reels can be recorded and edited up to 20 minutes, while the page’s own summary still mentions 3 minutes — the 3-minute mark is where recommendation to non-followers stops.
Instagram Reels in HypeNest: export only
HypeNest cannot publish to Instagram. You can create and review vertical clips in HypeNest, export the MP4, and upload it to Instagram yourself. Direct publishing is live for YouTube and TikTok only.
Start freeFAQ
- How long can an Instagram Reel be?
- Instagram says you can record and edit Reels up to 20 minutes, but Reels over three minutes are not recommended to new audiences.
- What size is an Instagram Reel?
- Instagram accepts aspect ratios from 1.91:1 to 9:16 with at least 30 fps and 720 pixels. 1080×1920 is the common target; Meta’s Reels ad spec recommends 1440×2560.
- Can HypeNest post to Instagram Reels?
- No. HypeNest exports the clip for you to upload to Instagram. Direct publishing is available for YouTube and TikTok only.