Instagram Reel size (2026): video, cover and grid crop
Reel dimensions from Meta’s documentation, how your cover appears on the grid, and a resizer for Reel covers.
Reel size dimensions at a glance
- Reel / cover 9:161080 × 1920Recommended
The Reel itself and its cover image.
- Grid crop 3:41080 × 1440
Check how the cover looks on your profile grid.
Free Instagram reel resizer
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Reel size specs from Meta and Instagram
- Recommended ratio
- 9:16 (1080 × 1920 pixels)source
- Ratios accepted (API)
- 0.01:1 to 10:1source
- Length (API)
- 3 seconds to 15 minutessource
- File (API)
- MOV or MP4, H.264 or HEVC, up to 300 MBsource
- Frame rate and width (API)
- 23 to 60 fps, up to 1,920 pixels widesource
- Cover image (API)
- JPEG, up to 8 MB, 9:16 recommendedsource
Instagram Reel cover size
Make the cover 1080 × 1920 (9:16), the same as the Reel. Meta’s API docs say that if the cover isn’t 9:16, Instagram uses “the middle most 9:16 rectangle”.
The cover is also cropped twice more. The profile grid shows a 3:4 rectangle from the middle. When a Reel is shared to the feed, Meta’s docs say the cover is cropped to the middle 1:1 square.
- Put the title and face in the centre third of the cover.
- Use “Grid crop 3:4” in the resizer to check what your grid will show.
Where do the Reel buttons sit?
Your caption and username sit at the bottom of a Reel, and the like, comment and share buttons run down the right side. Instagram doesn’t publish exact numbers.
Our rule of thumb: keep text out of the bottom 420 pixels, the top 220 pixels and the right 140 pixels of a 1080 × 1920 Reel. “Show guides” shades those areas.
How long can a Reel be?
Through Meta’s publishing API, a Reel can run from 3 seconds to 15 minutes. In the app, Instagram raised the Reel limit to 3 minutes in January 2025.
Limits in the app change more often than the API, so check the app for your account.
Turn Reel comments into DMs
A Reel that asks “Comment GUIDE and I’ll send it” gets comments you can answer privately. Meta allows one private reply per comment, sent within 7 days.
BuzzWire’s comment-to-DM automation sends that DM with your link automatically.
Comment GUIDE, get the guide
Ask viewers to comment a keyword on your Reel, and BuzzWire DMs each of them your link. Free plan: unlimited DMs, sent within Instagram’s limits.
Start free →Frequently asked questions
What size is an Instagram Reel?
1080 × 1920 pixels, a 9:16 vertical video. Meta’s publishing API accepts ratios from 0.01:1 to 10:1, but recommends 9:16 to avoid cropping or blank space. Videos up to 1,920 pixels wide are accepted, so 1080 × 1920 is the practical standard.
What is the Instagram Reel cover size?
1080 × 1920 pixels (9:16), the same as the Reel. If the cover isn’t 9:16, Instagram uses the middle 9:16 rectangle. Your profile grid then shows a 3:4 slice from the centre, so keep the title and face in the middle of the cover.
How does the profile grid crop a Reel?
The grid shows a 3:4 rectangle from the middle of the Reel cover, so roughly the top and bottom 240 pixels of a 1080 × 1920 cover are hidden. Since January 2025 the grid uses 3:4 tiles for every post type, including Reels.
How long can an Instagram Reel be?
Meta’s publishing API accepts Reels from 3 seconds to 15 minutes, with a 300 MB file limit. In the app, Instagram raised the limit to 3 minutes in January 2025. Check the app for your account, because in-app limits change more often than the API.
Should I film Reels at 4K?
You can film at 4K, but export the Reel at 1080 × 1920. Meta’s API lists a maximum width of 1,920 pixels and a 25 Mbps bitrate, so extra resolution is scaled down anyway. A clean 1080p export avoids a second round of compression.