Guide · checked October 2026
Instagram Reels specs that never get refused
The video settings Instagram accepts for Reels posted through its API, and an export recipe that always fits.
The recipe
Export 1080 × 1920 (9:16), MP4, H.264 video, AAC sound at 48 kHz, 30 frames a second, under 300 MB. Every phone and video editor can do this, and it fits Threads and Bluesky as well.
All the limits
| Instagram Reels | |
|---|---|
| Container | MP4 or MOV, with the index at the start (fast start) |
| Video | H.264 or HEVC, progressive scan, 4:2:0 colour |
| Frame rate | 23 to 60 frames a second |
| Width | Up to 1920 pixels |
| Shape | 9:16 recommended (from 0.01:1 to 10:1 accepted) |
| Sound | AAC, up to 48 kHz, mono or stereo |
| Length | 3 seconds to 15 minutes |
| File size | Up to 300 MB |
The cover
Instagram uses a moment of the video as the cover in the grid. Through the API you choose it by its time in the video; in pickthepost, by sliding to the frame you want.
Source: the Instagram Platform documentation, checked October 2026. Platforms change their limits from time to time; pickthepost checks every file against the current numbers before it posts.
How long can a Reel posted through the API be?
From 3 seconds to 15 minutes.
What is the best Reel export setting?
1080 × 1920, MP4, H.264, AAC 48 kHz, 30 fps.