What size is an Instagram Reel?
An Instagram Reel is 1080 pixels wide by 1920 pixels tall, a 9:16 aspect ratio. The minimum is 720 × 1280 px at 30 fps. Export at 1080 × 1920 for the sharpest result after Instagram compresses the upload.
Instagram Reel Size: Dimensions, Aspect Ratio & Safe Zones
1080 × 1920
pixels
9:16
aspect ratio
| Size in pixels | 1080 × 1920 pxWidth × height |
|---|---|
| Aspect ratio | 9:16Vertical, full screen |
| Minimum | 720 × 1280 px30 fps or higher |
| Accepted ratios | 1.91:1 to 9:16Only 9:16 fills the screen |
| Max length | 3 minutesLonger limits are rolling out to some accounts |
| File type | MP4 or MOVH.264, AAC audio |
| Safe zone | Top 14% · bottom 35%≈270 px top, ≈670 px bottom |
| Cover | 1080 × 1920 pxGrid shows the center 1080 × 1440 (3:4) |
Source: Instagram Help Center and Meta safe-zone guidance.
Pixels
Instagram Reel size in pixels
An Instagram Reel is 1080 pixels wide by 1920 pixels tall. That is a 9:16 aspect ratio: for every 9 pixels across, 16 pixels down (1080 ÷ 1920 = 0.5625).
Any 9:16 resolution works. Instagram compresses every upload, so 1080 × 1920 is the sweet spot between sharpness and upload time.
| Resolution | Pixels | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| 720p | 720 × 1280 px | Minimum Instagram accepts |
| 1080p | 1080 × 1920 px | Standard. Use this. |
| 1440p | 1440 × 2560 px | Fine, but downscaled |
| 4K | 2160 × 3840 px | Large files, little visible gain |
Compare
Reels vs. Feed vs. Story
| Reels | Feed post | Story | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 1080 × 1920 px | 1080 × 1350 px (4:5) or 1080 × 1440 px (3:4) | 1080 × 1920 px |
| Aspect ratio | 9:16 | 4:5 or 3:4 (1:1 and 1.91:1 also work) | 9:16 |
| Max length | 3 min (longer for some accounts) | Feed videos post as Reels; carousel clips up to 60 s | 60 s per Story; longer videos split into 60 s parts |
| Safe zone | Top 14% (≈270 px), bottom 35% (≈670 px) | Grid crops to 3:4; 4:5 loses ≈34 px per side | Top and bottom 14% (≈250–270 px) |
Instagram post size: use 1080 × 1440 px (3:4) if you want the profile grid to show the whole image, or 1080 × 1350 px (4:5) for a little more width in the feed. Instagram story size is the same as a Reel: 1080 × 1920 px.
Avoid the UI
Safe zones
Instagram draws buttons, the caption, and your username on top of the video. Keep text and faces out of these areas. Pixel values are for a 1080 × 1920 frame.
Top 14%
Bottom 35%
Safe area
≈950 × 980
≈950 × 980
| Area | Keep clear | What covers it |
|---|---|---|
| Top 14% | ≈270 px | Reels header, camera icon, and account details on some layouts |
| Bottom 35% | ≈670 px | Username, caption, audio label, and the progress bar |
| Right edge | ≈65 px (6%) | Like, comment, share, and audio buttons |
| Left edge | ≈65 px (6%) | Breathing room so text is not clipped |
| Safe center | ≈950 × 980 px | Put captions, faces, and on-screen text here |
Convert
Instagram Reel size in cm and inches
Instagram only reads pixels. Inches and centimeters depend on the PPI or DPI your design app uses. If the app asks for a physical size, use 3.6 × 6.4 in at 300 DPI, or type 1080 × 1920 px directly.
| Resolution setting | Inches | Centimeters |
|---|---|---|
| 72 PPI (screen) | 15 × 26.67 in | 38.1 × 67.73 cm |
| 96 PPI (Windows / web) | 11.25 × 20 in | 28.58 × 50.8 cm |
| 150 DPI | 7.2 × 12.8 in | 18.29 × 32.51 cm |
| 300 DPI (print) | 3.6 × 6.4 in | 9.14 × 16.26 cm |
CapCut
How to set Reel size in CapCut
- 01
Start a project
Open CapCut, tap New project, and add your clips.
- 02
Set the ratio to 9:16
Tap Ratio in the bottom toolbar (desktop: the Ratio button under the player) and pick 9:16.
- 03
Fill the frame
Pinch or scale each clip to fill the frame, or use Background → Blur for wide clips.
- 04
Check the safe zone
Keep captions out of the top 14% and bottom 35%. Drag text boxes toward the center.
- 05
Export at 1080p
Tap the resolution menu (desktop: Export), set 1080p and 30 fps, then export as MP4.
Menu names can shift between CapCut versions. If you do not see Ratio, look for Format or Canvas.
16:9 to 9:16
Horizontal / 16:9 footage in a vertical Reel
A 1920 × 1080 clip dropped into a 9:16 frame only covers the middle 1080 × 608 px. Pick one of these fixes.
| Method | How | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Crop to fill | Scale the 16:9 clip until it fills 1920 px tall (about 316%). You keep the middle third of the frame. | One centered subject |
| Blurred background | Fit the clip to 1080 px wide (1080 × 608) and fill the rest with a blurred copy of the same clip. | Wide shots you cannot crop |
| Split screen | Stack the 16:9 clip on top and a second clip (gameplay, B-roll, captions) below. | Faceless story and commentary formats |
| Reframe with keyframes | Crop to fill, then pan the frame with keyframes to follow the action. | Moving subjects |
One export, every app
Cross-platform size chart
TikTok video size and YouTube Shorts size match a Reel: 1080 × 1920 px at 9:16. One master file works on all three if you keep text inside the shared safe area.
| Format | Size | Ratio | Max length | Keep clear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Instagram Reels | 1080 × 1920 px | 9:16 | 3 min (longer for some accounts) | Top 14%, bottom 35% |
| Instagram Story | 1080 × 1920 px | 9:16 | 60 s per Story | Top and bottom 14% |
| Instagram post | 1080 × 1350 px or 1080 × 1440 px | 4:5 or 3:4 | Videos post as Reels | Grid crops to 3:4 |
| TikTok video | 1080 × 1920 px | 9:16 | 10 min in-app; longer uploads on many accounts | Bottom caption area and right-side buttons |
| YouTube Shorts | 1080 × 1920 px | 9:16 (1:1 also counts) | 3 min | Bottom title area and right-side buttons |
Length limits change often and can differ by account. Check the upload screen in each app before you plan a long video.
FAQ
Instagram Reel size FAQ
Can I post a 16:9 or 4:5 video as a Reel?
Yes. Instagram accepts Reels from 1.91:1 to 9:16, but only 9:16 fills the screen. Other ratios play with empty space around them. Reframe or crop to 9:16 first if you want full-screen playback.
What is the Instagram Reel cover size?
Make the cover 1080 × 1920 px. The profile grid shows a 3:4 crop from the center (1080 × 1440), so keep the title and face inside that middle area.
Is a Reel the same size as a TikTok and a YouTube Short?
Yes. All three use 1080 × 1920 px at 9:16, so one export works everywhere. The on-screen buttons sit in slightly different places, so keep text inside the shared safe area: clear of the top 14% and bottom 35%.
Should I upload Reels in 4K?
You can upload 2160 × 3840 (4K), but Instagram compresses playback, so most viewers will not see the difference. 1080 × 1920 is the reliable target and uploads faster.
Make a Reel at this size
Skip the blank canvas: the faceless video template maps your own script onto a reference Reel's cuts and caption timing, so you start from a working vertical layout.
Once you export at this size, run the finished Reel through the Instagram transcript generator to get its captions as text or an SRT file.
Sources: Reels resolution and size, Instagram Help Center; Understand three-minute YouTube Shorts, YouTube Help. Last checked November 11, 2026.