How Long Can a Video Be on IG? Reels, Stories, Feed, and Live Limits Explained

How Long Can a Video Be on IG? Reels, Stories, Feed, and Live Limits Explained

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If you’ve ever wondered “how long can a video be on IG?” you’re not alone. Instagram supports multiple video formats—Reels, Stories, Feed/Instagram Video, and Live—each with its own time limits, aspect ratios, and best practices. Below is the quick answer, followed by practical tips to choose the right format, keep viewers engaged, and avoid upload errors.

The quick answer: Instagram video length limits at a glance

Limits can change and sometimes roll out gradually by region or account type. As of now, these are the common caps most creators see:

Reels length explained

Reels are Instagram’s short-form, vertical videos designed for discovery.

• The 90-second cap: Reels can be up to 90 seconds long. If you attempt to upload longer content as a Reel, Instagram may prompt you to trim or post as a different format (e.g., a Feed video) instead.
• Aspect ratio and size: Reels are optimized for 9:16 vertical (1080×1920). Keep essential text and graphics away from the edges to avoid UI overlays.
• How to tell longer stories:
• Create multi-part series (Part 1, Part 2, etc.) and use a consistent hook and thumbnail style.
• Pin a Reel to your profile and organize related Reels into a guide or highlight.
• Use the caption to link parts and add a call-to-action like “Save for Part 2.”

Best practices

• Hook in the first 2 seconds.
• Aim for 7–15 seconds when reach is the goal; stretch to 30–60 seconds for more context or education.
• Include captions and on-screen text for sound-off viewing.

Stories length and flow

Stories are ephemeral, lightweight updates ideal for behind-the-scenes and quick promos.

• Length: Up to 60 seconds per Story segment (slide). If you upload a longer clip, Instagram auto-splits it into consecutive segments.

When to choose Stories vs. Reels

• Use Stories for immediacy, daily touchpoints, quick polls/questions, and links.
• Use Reels for algorithmic discovery and evergreen short-form content.

Keep viewers tapping through

• Keep individual segments concise and purposeful.
• Mix formats: video + photo + text slides + stickers (polls, quizzes, links).
• Add progress through narrative beats: hook, context, payoff, CTA.

Pro tip: Place key text and CTAs within safe zones (roughly center 60% of the screen). Avoid the very top and bottom where UI elements can overlay.

Feed/Instagram Video posts for long-form

Feed videos let you go deep—tutorials, webinars, product demos, interviews.

• Length: Up to 60 minutes per post.
• Where they appear: On your grid and in your profile’s video tab; can also appear in Explore.

Ideal use cases

• Education and thought leadership
• Product walkthroughs and feature updates
• Event recordings and interviews

Format tips

• Vertical-first wins on mobile. Consider 4:5 (1080×1350) for the feed grid to maximize screen real estate without cropping.
• If your content is horizontal (16:9), use tasteful pillarboxing with titles/captions in the vertical margins to keep it thumb-stopping.
• Add chapters/timecodes in the caption for longer videos.

Instagram Live: up to 4 hours per session

Live is built for real-time connection, Q&A, and launches.

• Duration: Up to 4 hours per session.
• Replays: You can save replays, trim the beginning/end, and share them to your feed or as a Reel excerpt. Add a clear title and cover image to boost replay consumption.

When Live beats pre-recorded

• Announcements, launches, and limited-time offers
• Audience Q&A and office hours
• Co-host interviews with guests for social proof

Engagement tips

• Promote the Live 24 hours in advance with a Story sticker and a countdown.
• Script anchor points (intro, agenda, CTA) but leave room for interaction.
• Pin key comments and repeat CTAs for late joiners.

Ads and length by placement

Ad duration caps generally map to the organic format:

• Reels ads: Typically up to 90 seconds, but shorter often performs better.
• Stories ads: Usually align to the 60-second segment; can sequence multiple segments.
• Feed video ads: Can be longer, but creative effectiveness tends to drop with duration.

Why short wins: In paid placements, attention is earned, not given. Many advertisers see the best results under 6–15 seconds, especially for top-of-funnel objectives.

Where to verify

• Meta Ads Manager (placement-level specs during ad setup)
• Meta Business Help Center (latest policy/spec pages)

Creative advice

• Front-load branding and value props within the first 3 seconds.
• Design for sound off with captions and visual cues.
• Test multiple cuts: 6s, 10s, 15s, and a longer variant for remarketing.

Choosing the right format for your goal

• Discovery and reach: Short Reels (7–15 seconds) with a strong hook, clear visual payoff, and a save/share CTA.
• Retention and depth: Feed/Instagram Video posts (2–10 minutes) for tutorials, case studies, and thought leadership.
• Immediacy: Stories for daily touchpoints, limited-time offers, and link-based CTAs; Live for real-time Q&A and launches.

Suggested target lengths

• Reels: 7–30 seconds for reach; up to 60–90 seconds for education/entertainment.
• Stories: 1–4 segments for quick updates; up to 8–12 segments for richer narratives (use interactive stickers to reset attention).
• Feed video: 2–6 minutes for practical topics; up to 20–30 minutes if deeply educational and chaptered.
• Live: 15–60 minutes; trim replay to a tight highlight if posting to feed.

Upload specs to avoid errors

To minimize failed uploads, trimming, or unexpected quality drops, follow these specs:

Core formats

• File type: MP4 (H.264 video codec) with AAC audio.
• Frame rate: 24–30 fps is typical; avoid variable frame rates if possible.
• Aspect ratios:
• Reels/Stories: 9:16 (1080×1920 recommended)
• Feed vertical: 4:5 (1080×1350)
• Feed horizontal: 16:9 (1920×1080) with mindful cropping/thumbnails
• Bitrate: Use efficient compression. For 1080p, 8–20 Mbps is common; use higher for high-motion content.

Audio

• Codec: AAC at 128–256 kbps.
• Normalize loudness to avoid clipping; ensure clear dialogue for auto-captions.

Captions and accessibility

• Turn on auto-captions in-app or upload an SRT file for longer videos.
• Burn-in key lines for Reels/Stories where SRT upload isn’t available.
• Use high-contrast text and keep typography within safe zones.

Thumbnails and safe areas

• Upload a custom cover image (1080×1920 for Reels/Stories; 1080×1350 or 1080×1080 for feed).
• Keep faces, logos, and key text away from the top/bottom 14% to avoid UI overlays.

Export recipe (example)

• Resolution: 1080×1920 (vertical) or 1080×1350 (feed)
• Codec: H.264, High profile, CABAC on
• Bitrate: Target 12–16 Mbps for 1080p; CBR or constrained VBR
• Audio: AAC 48 kHz, 160 kbps stereo

FFmpeg command example for a vertical Reel

ffmpeg -i input.mov \
  -vf "scale=1080:1920:force_original_aspect_ratio=increase,crop=1080:1920" \
  -r 30 -c:v libx264 -profile:v high -pix_fmt yuv420p -preset slow -b:v 12M \
  -c:a aac -b:a 160k -ar 48000 output_reel.mp4

File size tips

• Instagram can handle large files, but massive uploads may fail on slow connections.
• Keep exports efficient rather than lossless; visually transparent compression is usually enough.
• If uploads stall, try reducing bitrate, shortening duration, or using a faster encoder preset.

Staying current and troubleshooting

Instagram iterates frequently, so “how long can a video be on IG” is a moving target. Verify before big campaigns.

How to check the latest limits

• Instagram Help Center: Search for “video lengths” and “Reels/Stories specs.”
• Upload screen: The app often shows current caps and will prompt you to trim if needed.
• Meta Business Help Center: For ad placements and duration caps.

Quick troubleshooting

• Video gets trimmed at upload:
• You exceeded the format’s limit (e.g., a Reel over 90 seconds).
• Exported at an unsupported frame rate or variable frame rate; re-export at constant 30 fps.
• The aspect ratio doesn’t match; reframe to the target ratio.
• Upload won’t finish:
• File size/bitrate too high for your connection; lower bitrate or use Wi‑Fi.
• Corrupted file metadata; re-export from your editor or transcode with FFmpeg/HandBrake.
• Quality looks worse after posting:
• Instagram re-compressed your file; increase bitrate modestly and avoid double-compression.
• Ensure your source is 1080p or higher, with sharp text and minimal noise.

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Final takeaways

• Reels: up to 90 seconds; best for reach and discovery in 9:16.
• Stories: up to 60 seconds per segment with auto-splitting; ideal for quick, interactive updates.
• Feed/Instagram Video: up to 60 minutes; perfect for long-form education and demos.
• Live: up to 4 hours; unbeatable for real-time engagement and Q&A.
• Ads: Limits vary by placement, but creative under 15 seconds often outperforms.

Match your message to the format, design for mobile-first attention, and double-check limits in the Help Center and Ads Manager before you hit publish. In short, keep it short for discovery, go longer when depth is the goal, and always optimize for vertical viewing and captions. A quick preflight—length, aspect ratio, bitrate—will prevent most upload errors and quality surprises.