Instagram Reel length
An Instagram Reel can run up to 20 minutes in the Instagram app, and up to 15 minutes when you post it with an app like deploy.social, through Instagram's own publishing API.
Instagram Reel length, by where you post it
| Where you post from | Max length | Minimum length | File size |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Instagram app | 20 minutes | Not published | Not published |
| An app like Deploy, through the API | 15 minutes | 3 seconds | 300 MB |
Two limits for two ways of posting
Instagram's Help Center says you can record clips that add up to 20 minutes in the app. Its developer reference for posting through the API, the one Deploy and other posting tools use, caps a Reel at 15 minutes and 300 MB.
Length isn't the only thing to plan for. The same help page says Reels over 3 minutes won't be recommended to new audiences, so a Reel meant to reach people who don't follow you yet works best at 3 minutes or less.
Shape
- Recommended
- 9:16 vertical, 1080 by 1920 pixels.
- Also accepted through the API
- Anything from 0.01:1 to 10:1, so square and wide Reels post fine too.
How deploy.social handles it
Deploy posts a Reel through Instagram's API, so it checks your video against that API's own limits before it posts: 3 seconds to 15 minutes, and up to 300 MB once it's resized to fit. A clip recorded at the app's looser 20-minute ceiling still has to fit inside the API's 15 minutes to go out through Deploy or any other posting tool.
Questions
How long can an Instagram Reel be?
Up to 20 minutes in the Instagram app, and up to 15 minutes when you post it with an app like deploy.social. Instagram says Reels over 3 minutes won't be recommended to new audiences.
What's the file size limit for an Instagram Reel?
300 MB through Instagram's API, which is what apps like deploy.social post through. Instagram doesn't publish a file size limit for a Reel made in the app itself.
What's the minimum length for an Instagram Reel?
3 seconds through the API. The app's own help page doesn't print a minimum of its own.
Does an Instagram Reel have to be vertical?
No. Instagram recommends 9:16, but its API accepts anything from 0.01:1 to 10:1, so square and wide videos still post as Reels.
Post your next Reel through Deploy.
Deploy checks it against Instagram's 15-minute, 300 MB API limit before it posts, along with six other platforms' limits. 5 videos a month are free.
Keep reading
- Instagram caption limit
2,200 characters, and Instagram's newer 5-hashtag limit.
- Video sizes and lengths
Every platform's length, size and caption limits on one page.
- TikTok to Instagram Reels
The same video on Instagram, without the TikTok watermark.
- Platform guides
Every destination's API, limits and quirks, from the docs.