Formats
Instagram reels size in 2026
One ratio, two safe margins, and a habit: export before you add text.
The core numbers
A Reel is 1080 × 1920 in 9:16. Cover image: 1080 × 1920, with the centre 1080 × 1440 safe for the profile grid thumbnail. Anything below 720 px wide looks soft on modern phones.
The safe zones
Keep text out of the top 250 px and the bottom 320 px: that is where the interface sits. The bottom is also where captions and the sound label appear.
Export settings
H.264 or HEVC, 30 fps, 8 to 12 Mbps, audio at 128 kbps or above. Uploading a larger file is better than a compressed one: Instagram re-encodes anyway.
The mistake that ruins a good Reel
Adding text in the app after upload, then re-editing: every save is another compression pass. Write the text before export, in the editor, at 1080 wide.
What size is a Reel in 2026?
1080 × 1920 in 9:16, with 250 px hidden at the top and 320 px at the bottom.
Keep reading
The app builds this card from your published posts.
Prevz reads your Instagram account (optional, read-only), ranks your nine by likes, saves or comments, and exports a Story at 1080 × 1920 or a Post at 1080 × 1350.
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