Everything you need to know about Instagram Reel dimensions

If you enjoy scrolling Instagram, you know Reels are where it’s at. Long-time users of the app will remember a time when feeds were full of photos. Now, when you open the ’gram, you’re met with a long trail of videos. 

In 2022, Instagram announced that all videos longer than 15 seconds would become Reels – full-screen vertical videos similar to the content on TikTok. The app has a page dedicated to Reel content, showing users videos they might like – even if they don’t follow the video’s creator. 

If you’re a business, content creator or casual Instagram user trying to boost engagement, it’s time to ride the Reels wave. To take advantage of this hot content form, it’s essential to learn how to make these videos correctly using recommended Reel dimensions and guidelines. 

Dimensions for Instagram Reels

Instagram’s algorithm pushes videos based on what it thinks users will most likely interact with and enjoy. As a result, the app boosts engaging, funny and high-quality content and deprioritizes low-res videos and ones bearing a watermark. 

Great content has to look great. If you want your Reels to have their moment in the virtual sun, they must meet the app’s sizing requirements to display correctly. Here’s everything you need to know to take your content to “the next dimension” with the correct Instagram Reel size. 

Aspect ratio

Reels are vertical videos, which means they’re taller than they are wide. This informs their aspect ratio – a term referring to the ratio of width to height. Uploading content with an aspect ratio that’s incompatible with the app’s predetermined size for Reels affects a video’s framing and potentially distorts the content or crops out important details. 

To avoid squeezing or stretching a video to fit into a “box” of a different size, stick to the predetermined Instagram reels ratio of 9:16. Using this ratio, users on any mobile device will be able to view your video correctly. The Instagram app also allows users to upload videos in the 4:5 ratio format, but we recommend sticking with 9:16. 

Resolution

Keep a video looking sharp by following Insta’s optimal resolution specs. For Reels, that’s a minimum resolution of 600 x 1067 pixels and a maximum resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels. Want to post even higher-quality content? You’ll have to wait. Instagram doesn’t support 4K videos yet.

Video format 

Instagram only supports .mp4 and .MOV files. To avoid any hiccups, film and save content in one of these formats – but if you can’t, you can convert the videos before uploading them.

Video file size

There’s no correct file size for Instagram Reels. The size of your video depends on a number of factors, including the number of frames and resolution. The only rule to watch out for is the size limit: the maximum size for a Reel is four gigabytes. Any larger, and you won’t be able to upload it.

Length

Instagram Reels can be between 15 and 90 seconds. The perfect Reel length isn’t just about sticking to Instagram’s duration guidelines – it also affects how your content holds viewers’ attention. To boost engagement, it’s important to find the sweet spot.

3 tips for sizing your Instagram Reels correctly

Once you have a stunning video ready to upload, the work isn’t over just yet. Here are three tips for posting a perfectly sized Reel:   

• Keep content front and center: Instagram’s feed will crop the top and bottom of your video to display it as a square (don’t worry: clicking on the video will reveal its true size). It’s essential to ensure the most important information in the video is centered – this makes viewers more likely to engage with your content. For example, if you use subtitles, make sure they’re within the cropped dimensions. 
• Make your IG frame size the same for gallery view and full screen: If you want to take things a step further, you can avoid any confusion by sizing videos to look the same in the gallery view and full-screen mode. This way, there are no chance users viewing the video on their feeds will miss out on any information. Resize your video by editing in black bars at the top and bottom of the frame to account for the difference between feed posts and full-screen videos. The viewer will only see the black bars if they open the Reel in full-screen mode.
• Create your own thumbnails: When uploading a Reel, you can choose which frame will represent the video in the gallery view of your account. Alternatively, you can select a cover photo from your camera roll to head up the video. Use this space to create a thumbnail that features the video’s title or description – just be sure it meets the 9:16 aspect ratio requirement.    

Up your IG game

Now that you’re a pro at Reels, take the rest of your Instagram game to the next level with great captions, stunning collages and engaging backgrounds on your Stories.

And don’t forget about the bio – your Instagram bio is prime real estate and a great place to direct followers to the rest of your web presence. Adding a Linktree to your bio allows you to link out to other platforms like Twitter, TikTok, and a personal website, all in a few characters.