# Instagram Reel size, cover size and length limits

Canonical: https://postmesh.app/blog/instagram-reel-size

By PostMesh team. Published 2026-10-26; updated 2026-10-31.

Make Instagram Reels 9:16, which is 1080 x 1920 pixels, at 30 frames per second or more. Instagram accepts ratios from 1.91:1 to 9:16, recommends a 420 x 654 cover, and lets you record up to 20 minutes in the app, though Reels over 3 minutes aren't recommended to new audiences.

Instagram publishes its Reel rules in two places, and they don't match. The Help Center describes what the Instagram app accepts. The developer reference describes what scheduling tools can send through Instagram's API, and it adds hard limits on file size, length, bitrate and codecs. This guide puts both side by side, explains which one applies to you, and walks through the settings that decide whether a Reel looks sharp, fills the screen and gets shown to new people.

## The short answer

Export your Reel at 1080 x 1920 pixels (9:16), at 30 frames per second, as an MP4 with H.264 video and AAC audio. Keep it at 3 minutes or less if you want Instagram to recommend it to people who don't follow you, and under 300 MB and 15 minutes if a scheduler will post it. Design the cover at 420 x 654 with the important part in the middle, and pick it before you share, because Instagram's help page says you can't change it afterward.

- 9:16: The shape Instagram recommends for Reels
- 1080 x 1920: 9:16 at the common 1,080-pixel width
- 30 fps: Minimum frame rate on Instagram's help page
- 3 min: Reels longer than this aren't recommended to new audiences

*From Instagram Help and Instagram's API reference, sourced in the sections below.*

If you're sizing a photo rather than a video, the [Instagram post size guide](/blog/instagram-post-size) covers feed photos, and the [social media image sizes guide](/blog/social-media-image-sizes) covers every network. If you're not sure whether something should be a Reel, a Story or a feed post at all, see [Instagram post vs Story vs Reel](/blog/instagram-post-vs-story-vs-reel).

## What size is an Instagram Reel?

Instagram's [help page on Reel sizes](https://www.facebook.com/help/instagram/1038071743007909) says you can upload a Reel with an aspect ratio between 1.91:1 and 9:16. It asks for a frame rate of at least 30 fps and a resolution of at least 720 pixels. Instagram's [API reference](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/instagram-graph-api/reference/ig-user/media) recommends 9:16, and at the common 1,080-pixel width that's 1080 x 1920.

| Setting | Instagram app (Help Center) | Instagram API (schedulers) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Aspect ratio | 1.91:1 to 9:16 | 0.01:1 to 10:1, 9:16 recommended |
| Resolution | At least 720 pixels | At most 1,920 pixels wide |
| Frame rate | At least 30 fps | 23 to 60 fps |
| Length | Up to 20 minutes recorded and edited | 3 seconds to 15 minutes |
| File | Not stated on the help page | MP4 or MOV, up to 300 MB |
| Video | Not stated on the help page | H.264 or HEVC, up to 25 Mbps |
| Audio | Not stated on the help page | AAC, up to 48 kHz, mono or stereo, 128 kbps |

**Posting in the Instagram app**
- Ratios from 1.91:1 to 9:16
- At least 720 pixels and 30 fps
- Up to 20 minutes
- No file size or codec published

**Posting through the API**
- Ratios from 0.01:1 to 10:1, 9:16 recommended
- Up to 1,920 pixels wide, 23 to 60 fps
- 3 seconds to 15 minutes
- MP4 or MOV, up to 300 MB

*The app and the API publish different rules. A 1080 x 1920 MP4 at 30 fps meets both.*

### Which set of rules applies to you?

If you post from the Instagram app on your phone or from instagram.com, the Help Center rules apply. If a scheduling tool posts for you through Instagram's API, the developer rules apply, and they're stricter in the ways that matter most: a 15-minute cap, a 300 MB cap and a list of accepted codecs. Some tools publish another way; check what your tool says about its own limits. The safest plan is a file that passes both, which is exactly what 1080 x 1920 at 30 fps does.

### What the API file rules mean in plain terms

Instagram's API reference lists a few technical rules that most people never see, because phones and editors meet them by default. The container must be MP4 or MOV with no edit lists and the moov atom (the file's index) at the front. The video must be progressive scan, with a closed GOP and 4:2:0 chroma subsampling. Audio must be AAC at 48 kHz or less, mono or stereo, at 128 kbps. If a scheduler rejects a file that plays fine on your computer, one of these is usually the reason, and re-exporting from a standard editor with an H.264 MP4 preset fixes it.

## What is the best resolution for an Instagram Reel?

Export at 1080 x 1920, 9:16, at 30 fps. That fits every rule in the table: it's inside the app's ratio range, above the 720-pixel minimum, under the API's 1,920-pixel width cap, and inside both frame-rate ranges. If you want a little more detail, 1440 x 2560 is also under the API's width cap, and it's the resolution Meta's [Ads Guide for Reels](https://www.facebook.com/business/ads-guide/update/video/instagram-reels) recommends for Reels ads. The file will be larger, so watch the 300 MB limit if a scheduler is posting it.

### Should I upload a Reel in 4K?

Not through the API. A vertical 4K video is 2,160 pixels wide, which is over the API's 1,920-pixel cap, so a scheduler that sends it straight to Instagram will have it rejected. Instagram's help page doesn't publish a maximum for the app, but there's no benefit you can count on from going above 1080 x 1920 or 1440 x 2560. Scale 4K footage down when you export. Starting from 4K still helps, because you can crop and reframe without dropping below 1,080 pixels wide.

### What frame rate should a Reel be?

Instagram's help page asks for at least 30 fps. The API accepts 23 to 60 fps, so a 24 fps film-style export goes through a scheduler but sits under what the help page asks for. 30 fps is the safe default; 60 fps is fine for fast motion such as sports or gaming. Meta's Ads Guide also asks for a fixed frame rate, so export at a constant rate rather than letting the editor vary it.

### Bitrate, codec and audio settings

The API caps video at 25 Mbps and accepts H.264 or HEVC. H.264 is the safer pick of the two, since it's the more common export option in editors. Use AAC audio at 48 kHz and 128 kbps, stereo or mono. A higher bitrate doesn't help past the cap, and on long Reels the 300 MB file limit forces a lower bitrate anyway, as the length section below shows.

> A wider video, such as 16:9, is still accepted as a Reel, but it won't fill a vertical phone screen. Shoot or crop to 9:16 if the Reel is meant to be watched full screen.

## Where should I put text so Instagram's buttons don't cover it?

Instagram's organic help pages don't publish safe zones for Reels. The closest first-party numbers come from Meta's Ads Guide for Reels ads, which suggests keeping at least 14% of the top, 35% of the bottom and 6% on each side free of text, logos and other key elements. Meta gives the reason: so they aren't cropped, covered by the profile icon or the call-to-action, or pushed to the edge on screens taller than 9:16.

That guidance is written for ads, not for your own Reels. Organic Reels also show your username, caption and buttons over the video, though, so the ad margins are a sensible starting point. Treat them as a guide, not an Instagram rule. On a 1080 x 1920 frame, the percentages work out like this:

| Edge | Meta's ads guidance | On 1080 x 1920 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Top | Keep at least 14% clear | About 270 pixels |
| Bottom | Keep 35% clear | About 670 pixels |
| Left and right | Keep 6% clear on each side | About 65 pixels each |
| What's left | The area for text and faces | About 950 x 980 pixels in the middle |

### Where to put on-screen captions and titles

Put titles and key text in the middle band, roughly between 270 and 1,250 pixels from the top. That keeps them clear of the top edge and away from the caption and buttons at the bottom. Faces work best in the same band. If you burn subtitles into the video, place them just above the bottom 35% rather than at the very bottom, where they'd sit under your caption.

## What size is an Instagram Reel cover?

Instagram's help page recommends a cover of 420 x 654 pixels, which it describes as a 1:1.55 ratio. That isn't the same shape as a 9:16 video, so a frame pulled from the Reel won't match it exactly. Keep the title and any face near the middle so the cover reads in both shapes.

### How the cover gets cropped

Instagram's API reference adds detail for covers sent by a scheduler. A cover must be a JPEG of 8 MB or less, in sRGB (other color spaces are converted), and 9:16 is recommended. If the image isn't 9:16, Instagram uses the middle-most 9:16 rectangle. When the Reel is shared to the feed, it uses the middle-most 1:1 square. So the center of your cover is the only part that's sure to show everywhere.

Instagram's help pages don't publish how the profile grid crops a cover. The practical answer is the same either way: put the subject and any words in the center third of the image, and keep the edges plain.

### Can I change a Reel cover after posting?

Instagram's help page says that at the moment you can't edit the cover photo after you've uploaded the Reel. Choose it before you share. The help page offers no way to swap a cover once the Reel is up, so give it a second look on the cover screen, at full size and as a small thumbnail, before you tap Share.

### Setting a cover through a scheduler

The API gives schedulers two ways to set a cover. One is a separate cover image. The other is a time position in the video, in milliseconds, with the first frame as the default. If both are sent, the cover image wins. Whether you can use either depends on your tool, so check before you schedule a Reel whose cover matters.

## How long can an Instagram Reel be?

Instagram's [help article on creating Reels](https://www.facebook.com/help/instagram/2720958398006062) says you can record one clip or several that add up to 20 minutes. Through the API, Reels run from 3 seconds to 15 minutes. So a 16-minute Reel can be posted from the app but can't be scheduled through Instagram's API.

**How long is your Reel?**
- Under 3 seconds → Too short for the API. Add a few seconds or post it from the app.
- 3 seconds to 3 minutes → Can be recommended to new audiences. Post it any way you like.
- 3 to 15 minutes → Posts from the app or a scheduler, but won't be recommended to new audiences.
- 15 to 20 minutes → App only. The API stops at 15 minutes.

*Lengths from Instagram Help's page on creating Reels and Instagram's API reference. Over 20 minutes is over the app's limit.*

### The 3-minute recommendation rule

The same help article says Reels over 3 minutes won't be recommended to new audiences. A longer Reel still posts; it just won't be suggested to people who don't already know your account. If reach to new viewers is the point, keep Reels at 3 minutes or less.

| Length | What happens |
| --- | --- |
| Under 3 seconds | Too short for the API, which starts at 3 seconds |
| 3 seconds to 3 minutes | Can be recommended to new audiences |
| 3 to 15 minutes | Accepted in the app and through the API, but not recommended to new audiences |
| 15 to 20 minutes | App only. The API stops at 15 minutes. |
| Over 20 minutes | Over the app's limit |

### How the 300 MB limit caps quality on long Reels

Through the API, a Reel has to fit in 300 MB, and the video bitrate can't go over 25 Mbps. Together those set a ceiling on quality that drops as the Reel gets longer. The table below is our own arithmetic from those two limits: 300 MB is 2,400 megabits, divided by the length in seconds. It ignores the small overhead of the file itself, so aim a little under these figures.

| Reel length | Highest average bitrate that fits in 300 MB | What limits you |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 minute | 25 Mbps (about 190 MB) | The 25 Mbps cap |
| 90 seconds | 25 Mbps (about 280 MB) | The 25 Mbps cap |
| 3 minutes | About 13 Mbps | The 300 MB cap |
| 5 minutes | About 8 Mbps | The 300 MB cap |
| 10 minutes | About 4 Mbps | The 300 MB cap |
| 15 minutes | About 2.7 Mbps | The 300 MB cap |

For a short Reel, export at a high bitrate and you'll stay under 300 MB. For a long one, set a target bitrate in your editor that fits the length, or the file will be too big to schedule. The Instagram app doesn't publish a file size limit, so this only matters when a tool posts through the API.

## Can an Instagram Reel be horizontal or square?

Yes. Instagram's help page accepts ratios from 1.91:1, which is wider than 16:9, to 9:16. A horizontal or square video uploads as a Reel. What changes is how much of the screen it fills. A 9:16 video fills a phone held upright. A 1:1 video fills the width and leaves space above and below. A 16:9 video fills even less. Instagram's help pages don't say exactly how each shape is displayed in each part of the app, so the safe assumption is that anything other than 9:16 will look smaller.

**Your footage isn't 9:16. Should you crop it?**
- It's 4K horizontal → Crop to 9:16. A 2160-pixel-tall frame gives 1215 x 2160, which scales down to 1080 x 1920.
- It's 1080p horizontal → A 9:16 crop is only about 608 pixels wide, under 720. Post it horizontal or reshoot.
- It's square → Post it as is, or add a top and bottom design. Cropping a square to 9:16 cuts a lot.
- It's taller than 9:16 → Crop to 9:16. The app's range stops at 9:16.

*Crop widths are simple arithmetic: frame height times 9, divided by 16.*

### Reposting a 16:9 video as a Reel

A 1920 x 1080 video is 1.78:1, inside Instagram's range and exactly at the API's 1,920-pixel width cap, so it uploads as it is. The trade-off is that it shows small on a vertical screen. Cropping it to 9:16 fills the screen but leaves a frame about 608 pixels wide, under the 720 pixels Instagram's help page asks for, so it will look soft. If the original is 4K, the crop is about 1215 x 2160, which you can scale cleanly to 1080 x 1920. The guide to [posting a YouTube video on Instagram](/blog/how-to-post-a-youtube-video-on-instagram) covers the rights side, and [how to clip a YouTube video](/blog/how-to-clip-a-youtube-video) covers cutting a short section from a longer one.

### Square Reels

A 1080 x 1080 video is accepted in the app and through the API. It fills the width of the screen and leaves the rest empty. If you're reusing a square feed video, it's usually better to post it as is than to crop it to 9:16, which would throw away almost half the width.

## Why does my Instagram Reel look blurry?

Instagram's help page on Reel sizes says you can set Reels to always upload at the highest quality, though higher-quality uploads may take longer. If your Reels look softer on Instagram than on your phone, this setting is the first thing to check. The help page gives the path: go to your profile, tap Menu, tap Media quality under Your app and media, and turn on Upload at highest quality.

Instagram: Profile › Menu › Media quality › Upload at highest quality

*The path Instagram Help gives for always uploading Reels at the highest quality.*

### Other causes of a soft Reel

- The source is too small. Under 720 pixels is below what Instagram's help page asks for, and scaling up can't add detail that wasn't recorded.
- The crop threw away pixels. Cropping horizontal 1080p footage to 9:16 leaves about 608 pixels of width, as shown above.
- The bitrate is too low for the length. A 15-minute Reel squeezed into 300 MB averages under 3 Mbps, which is visibly softer than a short clip.
- The frame rate is low. Under 30 fps is below the help page's minimum, and motion looks less smooth.
- The file was compressed twice. A video downloaded from one app and uploaded to another has been compressed again along the way. Export once from the original footage.

Stories have their own causes and fixes, covered in [why is my Instagram Story blurry](/blog/why-is-my-instagram-story-blurry).

## How do I export a Reel at the right size?

1. Set the project to 1080 x 1920, 9:16
2. Reframe horizontal footage instead of adding black bars
3. Export at a constant 30 fps (60 for fast motion)
4. Choose MP4, H.264 video, AAC audio at 128 kbps
5. Check the length and the file size
6. Make a 420 x 654 cover with the subject centered

*These settings meet both Instagram's help page and its API reference.*

1. **Set the canvas to 1080 x 1920**: Use a 9:16 project in your editor. If your footage is horizontal, crop or reframe it instead of adding black bars, which waste the screen.
2. **Pick 30 fps or higher**: Instagram's help page asks for at least 30 fps. Keep it at 60 or below, and keep it constant.
3. **Export MP4 with H.264**: Use AAC audio at 128 kbps. Keep video at or below 25 Mbps, and lower it for long Reels so the file stays under 300 MB.
4. **Check the length**: Stay at 3 minutes or less for recommendations, and under 15 minutes if you schedule it through the API.
5. **Prepare the cover**: Design it at 420 x 654 with the main subject centered, and set it when you upload, since it can't be changed later.

### Example: a 4K, 60 fps clip from your phone

A vertical 4K clip is 2160 x 3840. The shape is already 9:16 and 60 fps is inside both ranges, so only the size needs to change. Through the API, 2,160 pixels is over the 1,920-pixel width cap, so scale it to 1080 x 1920 on export. Check the file size too: a 4K file can be large, and anything over 300 MB won't go through a scheduler. If you post from the app, you can upload the clip as it is, but exporting at 1080 x 1920 first means you know exactly what Instagram receives.

### Example: a 16:9 video from your YouTube channel

A 1920 x 1080 YouTube video is inside Instagram's ratio range, so it can go up horizontal with no changes. To fill the screen, crop it, which only works well from a 4K master, as shown in the horizontal section above. Either way, check the length: a YouTube video over 3 minutes won't be recommended to new audiences as a Reel, and over 15 minutes can't be scheduled through the API. Cutting a 30 to 90 second highlight is usually the better Reel.

### Example: a screen recording

A screen recording takes the shape of your screen. Meta's Ads Guide notes that some screens are taller than 9:16, and a recording from one of those will be taller than Instagram's range too, so crop it to 9:16 before you upload. A recording from a computer is usually horizontal, which brings you back to the horizontal choices above. A raw screen recording rarely matches 1080 x 1920 exactly, so re-export it at 1080 x 1920 and a constant 30 fps rather than uploading the file as it came off the device.

## How do I post or schedule a Reel at the right size?

On a computer, Instagram Help's page on creating Reels lists these steps. The cover and trim happen on the first Next screen, so that's where to pick the 420 x 654 cover you made.

1. Click Create on the left, then choose Post
2. Select your video from your computer
3. Click Next to choose a cover photo and trim the clip
4. Click Next to add a caption, location, tags, alt text and settings
5. Click Share

*Steps from Instagram Help's page on creating Reels.*

Write the caption before you start so you're not typing it on the last screen. The [Instagram caption character counter](/tools/instagram-caption-character-counter) checks the 2,200-character limit, the [caption generator](/tools/instagram-caption-generator) gives you a first draft, and the [hashtag generator](/tools/hashtag-generator) suggests tags. To post at a set time, the guide to [scheduling Instagram posts](/blog/how-to-schedule-instagram-posts) covers Instagram's own scheduler and other options, and [the best time to post on Instagram](/blog/best-time-to-post-on-instagram) helps you pick the slot.

### Scheduling Reels with PostMesh

[PostMesh](/platform/instagram) publishes every Instagram video as a Reel and shares it to your feed, right away or scheduled up to 30 days ahead. It checks the file before sending, so a video that's too long, too large or the wrong format is flagged in the composer instead of failing at the scheduled time. It publishes through Instagram's API, so a scheduled Reel goes out at the time you pick even if your computer is off. Accounts connected earlier with Instagram Login keep publishing through the API. Instagram's terms may restrict automated posting, so decide whether that suits your account.

| Item | What PostMesh checks for Instagram |
| --- | --- |
| Format | MP4 or MOV, H.264 or HEVC |
| Length | 3 seconds to 15 minutes |
| File size | Up to 300 MB |
| Frame rate | 23 to 60 fps |
| Shape | From 1:2 (tall) to 1.91:1 (wide), so 9:16 fits |
| Caption | Up to 2,200 characters and 20 mentions; 5 hashtags, per Instagram's help center |
| Per post | One video, published as a Reel and shared to your feed |
| Cover | No custom cover. Post from the app if the cover matters. |
| Analytics | Likes and comments for Reels PostMesh sends |

> PostMesh doesn't set a custom cover for Instagram Reels. If a specific cover matters for a Reel, post that one from the Instagram app, since the cover can't be changed afterward.

## Do trial reels have different size rules?

No. A trial reel is a normal Reel with one setting changed: it's shown to people who don't follow you first. Meta's [announcement of trial reels](https://about.fb.com/news/2024/12/trial-reels-try-content-non-followers-first/) says you turn on the Trial toggle before sharing, and your followers won't see it in their feed or Reels tab. In Instagram's API, trial reels are published as Reels with an extra setting, so the same size, length and file rules apply.

- Before sharing: Turn on the Trial toggle
- After sharing: Shown to non-followers first, not in your followers' feed or Reels tab
- About 24 hours: Views, likes, comments and shares appear
- First 72 hours: If set to share automatically, Instagram decides from the views
- Any time: You can choose share with everyone yourself

*From Meta's announcement of trial reels, last updated June 2025.*

Meta says some people may still see a trial reel through shares, such as direct messages, or on pages that group Reels by audio, location or filter. Once it's shared with everyone, it appears on your profile grid like any other Reel, which is another reason to get the cover right the first time.

## Can I post the same vertical video to TikTok and YouTube Shorts?

A 1080 x 1920 MP4 is the right shape for most short-video feeds, but length and file-size limits differ by network. The table shows what PostMesh checks for each network it publishes video to, which follows each network's API.

| Network in PostMesh | Length | File size |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Instagram Reel | 3 seconds to 15 minutes | 300 MB |
| TikTok | 3 seconds to 10 minutes, or your account's limit if lower | 4 GB |
| YouTube Short | Vertical, up to 3 minutes. Longer vertical videos upload as regular videos. | 256 GB |
| Threads | 1 second to 5 minutes | 1 GB |
| Facebook Page video | 1 second or more, no maximum checked | 1 GB |
| LinkedIn | 3 seconds to 30 minutes | 200 MB |

So a 90-second, 150 MB vertical MP4 fits all six, as long as your TikTok account allows 90 seconds. A 4-minute one uploads to YouTube as a regular video instead of a Short, and a 250 MB file is over LinkedIn's limit. PostMesh checks file type, size and caption length for every network you pick before you send, so you see the mismatch while you can still fix it.

For the step-by-step on each network, see [scheduling TikTok videos](/blog/how-to-schedule-tiktok-videos), [scheduling YouTube videos](/blog/how-to-schedule-youtube-videos) and the network pages for [TikTok](/platform/tiktok) and [YouTube](/platform/youtube). The guide to [cross-posting to multiple platforms](/blog/how-to-cross-post-to-multiple-platforms) covers the workflow, and [does cross-posting hurt engagement](/blog/does-cross-posting-hurt-engagement) covers whether it's worth it.

## What should I check before I post a Reel?

| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Black bars above and below | A horizontal video placed on a vertical canvas | Reframe to fill 9:16, or post it horizontal without bars |
| Text hidden behind the caption | Text in the bottom third | Move it above the bottom 35%, as Meta's ads guidance suggests |
| Scheduler rejects the file | Over 300 MB, over 15 minutes, over 1,920 pixels wide, or an unusual codec | Re-export at 1080 x 1920, H.264, with a bitrate that fits the length |
| Reel looks soft | Low source resolution, a heavy crop, or low bitrate | Turn on Upload at highest quality and export from the original footage |
| Cover cut off on the grid | Subject near the edge of the cover | Keep the subject in the center; the cover can't be changed after upload |
| Long Reel gets little reach | Over 3 minutes | Cut a version of 3 minutes or less |

**Before you share a Reel**
- [ ] 1080 x 1920, 9:16
- [ ] Constant 30 fps or more
- [ ] MP4, H.264, AAC audio
- [ ] 3 minutes or less for new audiences
- [ ] Under 300 MB and 15 minutes if scheduled
- [ ] Text clear of the top 14% and bottom 35%
- [ ] 420 x 654 cover with a centered subject
- [ ] Upload at highest quality turned on

*Run through this once per Reel. The cover is the only item you can't fix after posting.*

If you schedule Reels to several networks at once, the free [post checker](/tools/post-checker) tests a caption against each network's limits before you commit to a time.

## Questions

### Is 1080 x 1920 the right Reel size?

Yes. It's 9:16, the ratio Instagram recommends, and it meets the app's 720-pixel minimum and the API's 1,920-pixel width cap.

### Can I upload a 4K Reel?

From the app, Instagram doesn't publish a maximum. Through the API, the width cap is 1,920 pixels, so scale vertical 4K down to 1080 x 1920 before a scheduler sends it.

### Can a Reel be horizontal?

Instagram accepts ratios as wide as 1.91:1, so a horizontal Reel uploads. It won't fill the screen the way a 9:16 Reel does.

### Why isn't my long Reel reaching new people?

Instagram's help center says Reels over 3 minutes won't be recommended to new audiences. Trim to 3 minutes or less if reach matters.

### Can I change a Reel cover after posting?

Not at the moment, according to Instagram's help center. Pick the cover before you share the Reel.

### Can I schedule a 20-minute Reel?

Not through Instagram's API, which caps Reels at 15 minutes. A 20-minute Reel has to be posted from the Instagram app.

### Is 24 fps okay for a Reel?

The API accepts it, since its range starts at 23 fps, but Instagram's help page asks for at least 30 fps. Export at 30 if you can.

### Why can't I record Reels at all?

Instagram's help page says Reels isn't available to everyone yet, and some accounts can see Reels but can't record them.

### Are Stories the same size as Reels?

Both use 9:16, 1080 x 1920. Through the API, Story videos are limited to 3 to 60 seconds and 100 MB, much shorter and smaller than Reels.

### What size should text be safe inside on a Reel?

Meta's guidance for Reels ads keeps the top 14%, bottom 35% and 6% on each side clear. On 1080 x 1920 that leaves roughly a 950 x 980 area in the middle.

## Sources

- [Instagram Help Center: Use hashtags on Instagram](https://help.instagram.com/351460621611097)

- [Instagram Help: reel size and aspect ratios](https://www.facebook.com/help/instagram/1038071743007909)

- [Instagram Help: record and create a reel](https://www.facebook.com/help/instagram/2720958398006062)

- [Instagram API reference: IG User Media](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/instagram-graph-api/reference/ig-user/media)

- [Meta Ads Guide: video ad specs on Instagram Reels](https://www.facebook.com/business/ads-guide/update/video/instagram-reels)

- [Meta Newsroom: Trial reels, try content with non-followers first (2024, updated 2025)](https://about.fb.com/news/2024/12/trial-reels-try-content-non-followers-first/)