Instagram Reel size: 1080 x 1920 px, aspect ratio 9:16. That's the short answer. But if you've ever uploaded a Reel that looked perfect on your phone and came out cropped, blurry, or with your text cut off in the feed preview, the table below explains exactly why and how to fix it.
Key Takeaways
- Correct Instagram Reel size is 1080 x 1920 px at a 9:16 aspect ratio
- Instagram crops Reels to 4:5 (1080 x 1350 px) in the feed preview, keep text and faces out of the top and bottom 13% of your frame
- Recommended frame rate is 30fps; file size cap is 4 GB; max duration is 90 seconds
- Cover images display as 1:1 squares in your profile grid, design your cover with that crop in mind
- AI video tools like InVideo AI export in correct Reel dimensions by default, no manual export settings needed
Instagram Reel Dimensions at a Glance
Here are the exact Instagram Reel specs as of May 2026:
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Resolution | 1080 x 1920 px |
| Aspect Ratio | 9:16 |
| Feed Preview Crop | 4:5, 1080 x 1350 px (safe zone) |
| Max File Size | 4 GB |
| Max Duration | 90 seconds |
| Min Duration | 3 seconds |
| Supported Formats | MP4, MOV |
| Frame Rate | 30fps (60fps supported) |
| Video Bitrate | 3,500 kbps+ recommended |
| Audio Format | AAC, 128 kbps minimum |
| Cover Image | 1080 x 1920 px (crops to 1:1 in grid) |
These specs haven't changed significantly since 2024, but the safe zone rule catches a lot of creators off-guard. (Source: Instagram Help Center)
What Happens When You Get the Instagram Reel Size Wrong
Wrong dimensions don't just look bad. They actively hurt your reach.
If your video is too wide (16:9): Instagram letterboxes it with black bars or crops it to fit. Your content shrinks. Your subject gets smaller. CTR drops.
If your video is low resolution: Instagram's compression algorithm punishes low-bitrate uploads. A 720p video uploaded to a platform optimized for 1080p will look noticeably soft compared to a natively shot 9:16 clip, especially on Retina displays.
If your text sits too close to edges: Instagram's safe zone crops approximately 13% from the top and bottom when your Reel appears in the feed (4:5 preview). A creator named Priya launched a product drop last month with her CTA text pinned at the very bottom of the frame. In full-screen view, the text was visible. In the feed, it was gone. The Reel still got 40K views, she just lost half her click-throughs because nobody saw the call to action.
Want to go further with your Reels? If you're creating content at volume, how to make faceless Reels with AI covers the full workflow, from scripting to export, without a camera or video editor.
Instagram Reel Safe Zone: The Feed Preview Crop
This is the most common mistake, and it's not obvious unless you know to look for it.
When someone scrolls their Instagram feed, your Reel doesn't display as a full 9:16 vertical video. It displays cropped to 4:5, which is 1080 x 1350 px. That means Instagram cuts approximately 270 pixels from both the top and bottom of your frame.
What to keep inside the safe zone:
- Your subject's face (don't let heads get cut at the top)
- Any text overlays or captions
- Calls to action
- Product close-ups or key visual moments
- Your logo, if it appears on-screen
Safe zone rule of thumb: Keep all critical content within the middle 70% of your vertical frame. Treat the top 15% and bottom 15% as decoration only.
Most professional editing apps (CapCut, Premiere, DaVinci Resolve) let you overlay a 4:5 guide frame on your 9:16 canvas. Turn it on before you start placing text.
Instagram Reel Cover Image Dimensions
Your cover image is 1080 x 1920 px, same as the video. But how Instagram displays it depends on where it's seen:
| Location | Display |
|---|---|
| Full-screen Reel view | 9:16, full image visible |
| Profile grid / tab | 1:1 square crop (center-cropped) |
| Reels tab (top row) | 9:16 thumbnail |
The profile grid crops to a square from the center of your cover image. If you have a face or key graphic at the very top or bottom of your cover, it'll disappear in the grid.
Fix: When designing a cover image, place your key visual element in the center square of a 9:16 canvas. Think of it as a 1:1 image floating in the middle of a taller frame.
How to Export Reels at the Right Dimensions
Here's the exact export settings for the most common tools:
CapCut (Mobile & Desktop)
- Resolution: 1080p
- Frame rate: 30fps
- Aspect ratio: 9:16
- CapCut defaults to 9:16 for new projects, just make sure you don't start in 16:9 by accident.
Adobe Premiere Pro
- Sequence preset: Vertical 1080 x 1920, 29.97fps
- Export: H.264, bitrate 10-15 Mbps for maximum quality
Canva
- Canvas size: 1080 x 1920 px
- Download as: MP4 video, 30fps
- Canva's "Instagram Reel" template pre-sets this automatically.
AI Video Tools (InVideo AI, Pictory)
This is where things get easier. Tools like InVideo AI have Instagram Reel presets built in — you select "Instagram Reel" at project creation and the canvas, aspect ratio, and export settings are handled automatically. No manual configuration.
I've used InVideo AI for short-form promo clips and the output exports at 1080 x 1920 by default. If you're producing Reels at volume and want to skip the export settings entirely, this is the practical reason to use an AI video tool over a manual editor.
Creating promo Reels for a product launch? My guide to creating a promo video with AI walks through the exact workflow, from brief to export, using AI tools with zero production budget.
The Short Version
Get these right and you'll never have a cropped Reel again:
- Resolution: 1080 x 1920 px
- Aspect ratio: 9:16
- Safe zone: Keep critical content in the center 70% of the frame (4:5 crop in feed)
- Format: MP4, H.264
- Frame rate: 30fps
- Max duration: 90 seconds
Once the specs are locked, the next bottleneck is production time. If you're posting Reels consistently, whether for a personal brand, a product, or a client, my faceless Reels guide covers the full workflow: script, voiceover, visuals, and export, no camera required.
Create Instagram-optimized Reels faster with AI — read my promo video guide to see how to go from brief to final export using AI tools with zero production budget.
Last updated: May 5, 2026. Specs verified against Instagram's official Help Center.
FAQs
What is the ideal size for an Instagram Reel?+–
1080 x 1920 pixels at a 9:16 aspect ratio. This fills a vertical mobile screen edge-to-edge and is the native format Instagram was built around.
What aspect ratio should Instagram Reels be?+–
9:16 for full-screen display. Avoid 16:9 (landscape) and 1:1 (square) — Instagram will either add black bars or crop them to fit.
Does Instagram crop Reels?+–
Yes. When your Reel appears in the feed scroll, Instagram crops it to 4:5 (1080 x 1350 px). Keep text and key visuals in the central 70% of your frame to avoid losing content in this crop.
What is the max length for an Instagram Reel?+–
90 seconds as of May 2026. The minimum is 3 seconds.
What file format should I use for Instagram Reels?+–
MP4 is the recommended format. MOV also works. MP4 with H.264 encoding gives the best balance of quality and file size.
Can I post a 1:1 or 16:9 video as a Reel?+–
You can upload them, but Instagram will either letterbox or crop the video. You will see reduced quality and a worse viewer experience compared to natively shot 9:16 content. Always shoot or export at 9:16.
Why does my Reel look blurry after upload?+–
Most often a bitrate issue. Make sure you are exporting at 3,500 kbps or higher. Uploading over a poor Wi-Fi connection can also trigger Instagram's compression — always upload on a stable connection.
What is the ig reel size for 2026?+–
Same as the full Instagram Reel spec: 1080 x 1920 px at 9:16. IG reel size and ig reel dimensions refer to the same format — 1080p vertical, 9:16 aspect ratio, MP4 format.