Instagram Reels size
Last updated 2026-10-20
A 9:16 video, such as 1080 by 1920 pixels, fills the Reels screen. Instagram accepts aspect ratios from 1.91:1 to 9:16 and says Reels should have at least 720 pixels and 30 frames per second. You can record and edit a Reel up to 20 minutes, but Reels over 3 minutes are not recommended to new audiences. The recommended cover is 420 by 654 pixels.
Instagram Reels size at a glance
These numbers come from Instagram's own help pages. The 1080 by 1920 row is an example of a 9:16 frame, not an Instagram figure.
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Aspect ratio | Between 1.91:1 and 9:16. 9:16 is the tallest shape Instagram accepts. |
| Full-screen example | 1080 by 1920 pixels (9:16) |
| Minimum resolution | 720 pixels |
| Minimum frame rate | 30 frames per second |
| Length | Up to 20 minutes recorded or edited |
| Reach | Reels over 3 minutes are not recommended to new audiences |
| Cover | 420 by 654 pixels (1:1.55), PNG or JPG |
| Extra video details | Progressive scan, High profile, 2 consecutive B frames, closed GOP of half the frame rate, CABAC, 4:2:0 chroma. Instagram says the basic requirements above work for most people. |
| Extra audio details | Stereo or stereo plus 5.1, 48 or 96 kHz |
How long a Reel can be
Instagram's help page says you can record and edit videos up to 20 minutes with Reels, as one clip or several clips that add up to 20 minutes. The same page says Reels over 3 minutes won't be recommended to new audiences.
The help pages we read give no separate limit for a finished file you upload. The computer steps for sharing a file from your device sit on the same page as the 20-minute limit, so plan around 20 minutes for an uploaded Reel too.
The 3-minute line is about recommendations to new audiences, so it matters most when growth is the goal. If a Reel is mainly for people who already follow you, it matters less.
Cover and grid
Instagram recommends a cover of 420 by 654 pixels, a 1:1.55 ratio, saved as PNG or JPG. On a computer you choose it with the slider below Cover photo, or pick a file from your computer. You cannot edit a cover after you upload.
Instagram's help page gives no current profile-grid crop ratio, so do not rely on one. Put the face or headline in the middle of the cover frame and keep it clear of the edges. Pick the cover before you share.
Safe areas for text
The Instagram help pages we read give no safe-area numbers for regular Reels. Meta does for Reels ads, and they are a sound starting point. Meta suggests leaving roughly 14% of the top, 35% of the bottom and 6% on each side free of text and logos, so the profile icon and call to action do not cover them.
On a 1080 by 1920 frame that works out to about 269 pixels at the top, 672 at the bottom and 65 on each side. For ads with disclaimers, Meta says to leave the bottom 40% clear.
A caption in the bottom third sits inside that bottom 35%. Move captions up to the middle or upper middle of the frame.
Set up and export Reels in Woven
Woven Video, an AI video editor for Mac, can export an MP4 that meets Instagram's basic size and frame-rate requirements. It does not post for you. You upload the file in Instagram.
Ask in chat
- Make this a vertical Reel at 30 frames per second.
- Put the captions higher so they clear the bottom of the screen.
- Export the Reel at 1080p.
Or do it by hand
- 1Set the canvas. Open Format in the toolbar and choose Vertical 1080x1920, which is 9:16. For 4:5, choose Custom… and enter 1080 by 1350.
- 2Set the frame rate. With nothing selected, open the Settings page and set Frame rate to 30 or 60. The 24 and 25 options fall below Instagram's 30 fps minimum.
- 3Keep text clear. Drag captions and text above the bottom 35% of the canvas.
- 4Export. Click Export and choose 1080p. Woven makes an H.264 MP4 with High profile video in Rec. 709 color, and saves it in your workspace's exports folder.
Common questions
A 9:16 video such as 1080 by 1920 pixels fills the screen. Instagram says Reels should have at least 720 pixels and 30 frames per second.
Instagram accepts any aspect ratio from 1.91:1 to 9:16. 9:16 is the tallest and fills a vertical screen.
You can record and edit a Reel up to 20 minutes. Reels over 3 minutes are not recommended to new audiences.
Instagram's help page describes video length through Reels: up to 20 minutes, as one clip or several. It gives no separate figure for uploaded files.
Instagram recommends 420 by 654 pixels, a 1:1.55 ratio, as a PNG or JPG. You cannot edit the cover after you upload.
Instagram accepts it, because 16:9 is 1.78:1, inside the 1.91:1 to 9:16 range. A wide video cannot fill a tall screen, so a 9:16 version looks larger.
Sources
- Instagram Help Center: Reel size & aspect ratios on Instagram, checked October 19, 2026
- Instagram Help Center: Record a reel on Instagram, checked October 19, 2026
- Meta Business Help Center: About text overlays and the Safe Zone for ads, checked October 19, 2026
- Meta Ads Guide: Image ad specs on Instagram Reels, checked October 19, 2026
Try Woven free for 3 days
Then $25/mo billed yearly ($299/yr) or $39/month. Native Mac app for short-form video.
Paste into Claude Code to install and connect Woven.