Formats
MP4, MOV
Instagram reel size
As of July 26, 2026, the Instagram reel is 1080 by 1920 pixels (9:16). Below is the full spec, then a resizer already set to that size so you can export a perfectly fitted image.
InstagramReelConvention, not published by InstagramLast verified July 26, 2026
Recommended size1080x1920 px
Aspect ratio9:16
Safe zone: Keep captions above the bottom ~35% so the description, audio and action buttons do not cover them.
Resize to 1080x1920 now
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About the Instagram reel size
Instagram Reels are 1080 by 1920 pixels, full-screen 9:16 vertical video. Reels are where Instagram pushes the most reach right now, and the frame matches Stories and TikTok, so a single vertical master travels everywhere. The important difference is the overlay: the right-hand action buttons and the bottom caption block sit over your footage, so keep on-screen text and faces out of the bottom third and away from the right edge.
Where a 1080x1920 reel gets cropped
The size you upload is not always the size people see. Each surface below re-frames the same file, so the safest layout is the one that survives every row.
| Where it appears | Shape | What happens to your image |
|---|---|---|
| Reels player | 9:16 | Full screen at 1080 by 1920 with nothing cropped, but the interface sits on top of the footage. |
| Caption and action overlay | Bottom third and right edge | The description, audio credit, like, comment, share and profile controls are drawn over your video. Keep burned-in captions and faces out of that area. |
| Profile grid tile | 3:4 | Your cover frame is cut down from 9:16 to a 3:4 portrait tile. A 9:16 frame is much taller than 3:4, so the top and bottom of the cover are trimmed. |
File size and format limits: Instagram reel
| Limit | Value |
|---|---|
| Recommended size | 1080 by 1920 px (9:16) |
| Formats | MP4 or MOV, H.264 video with AAC audio |
| Frame rate | 30 fps is the safe default; 60 fps uploads are re-encoded |
| Cover image | Uploaded at 1080 by 1920, displayed on your profile as a 3:4 tile |
Where does the Instagram Reel interface cover the frame?
Think of a Reel as a 1080 by 1920 canvas with two permanently occupied regions. The bottom roughly one third carries the account name, caption, audio track and any call to action. The right-hand column carries the like, comment, share and more controls stacked vertically.
Nothing there is cropped away, so a viewer who taps the caption can still see the footage underneath. But anything you burn into those areas competes with Instagram's own interface, which is why platform captions and subtitles should sit in the upper-middle of the frame rather than at the very bottom where a broadcast subtitle would normally go.
What size is the Reel cover on my profile?
You choose the cover from a 1080 by 1920 frame, but your profile does not show it at 9:16. Since Instagram moved profile tiles to a 3:4 portrait preview in early 2025, the cover is cut down to that shape.
A 9:16 frame has a ratio of 0.5625 and a 3:4 tile has a ratio of 0.75, so the tile is relatively wider. Instagram matches the width and trims the height: from 1920 pixels of cover, roughly 1440 survive and about 240 pixels disappear from the top and the bottom each.
In practice that means a cover with the title across the very top will lose it on your profile. Put the subject and any cover text in the vertical middle of the frame.
Quick tips
- 01Shoot and export 1080 by 1920; anything wider gets letterboxed or cropped.
- 02Keep captions and key visuals out of the bottom third where the UI sits.
- 03The Reel cover shown on your profile is re-cropped to a 3:4 tile, so pick a cover frame whose subject sits in the middle.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Instagram Reel size?
1080 by 1920 pixels, a 9:16 vertical video. It matches the Story frame, so one vertical export works for both.
What size is Instagram video?
Reels and Stories are 1080 by 1920 (9:16). In-feed video posts follow the post ratios: 1080 by 1350 portrait, 1080 by 1080 square, or 1080 by 566 landscape.
Why is my Reel cover cut off on my profile?
Profile tiles are 3:4 while a Reel cover is 9:16, so roughly 240 pixels are trimmed from the top and the bottom of the cover. Keep cover text in the vertical middle.
What aspect ratio is the Instagram reel?
The Instagram reel uses a 9:16 aspect ratio at 1080 by 1920 pixels.
Looking up the number rather than the platform? What 1080x1920 is, and everything else that uses it.
9:16 is a shape, not just this size. See every image size that uses the 9:16 aspect ratio, where it comes from, and how to crop into it.
Related sizes
Instagram post (portrait)1080x1350Instagram story1080x1920Instagram profile picture640x640Instagram portrait post1080x1350Instagram carousel1080x1350Instagram feed ad image1440x1800
How this spec was checked
Platform sizes change without notice, so this entry records what it was verified against rather than stating a number and hoping it holds. Last checked July 26, 2026.
ConventionInstagram does not publish a size for this surface. The number below is the one the industry has standardised on, which is a useful answer but not a claim about Instagram.
What changed on this spec
Every spec on this site carries one of those two labels. See the cheat sheet for the full split, and the changelog for every correction with the date it happened.
See all Instagram sizes, the full cheat sheet, or grab this spec from the JSON API.