How to Post a Long Video on Instagram

The way to post a long video on Instagram is to upload it as a Reel. Instagram head Adam Mosseri announced in January 2025 that Reels can be up to three minutes long, up from 90 seconds. Meta's developer documentation for publishing through the API lists a larger ceiling: Reels from 3 seconds to 15 minutes, and up to 300MB. What your app lets you record or upload can depend on your account and app version, so the composer is the final word.

The limits that are confirmed

Where	Maximum Reel length	Source
Instagram app	3 minutes (announced January 2025)	Social Media Today, quoting Adam Mosseri
Instagram API (what schedulers use)	15 minutes, 3 seconds minimum, 300MB, 23 to 60 fps	Meta developer docs

Mosseri's announcement said creators had told Instagram that 90 seconds was too short. Some 2026 guides claim the in-app limit is now 15 or 20 minutes for some accounts, but those claims conflict with each other and we found no Instagram source for them. Check your Reels composer before relying on any longer number.

Meta's docs recommend a 9:16 aspect ratio for Reels to avoid cropping or blank space. Landscape video will display small, so a long horizontal video usually needs reframing.

How to post it

1. Trim and reframe. Export in 9:16, and check that important text is not hidden by the interface. Our safe zone checker helps.
2. Open the Reels composer in the app, upload the video, then add a caption and a cover.
3. Share it as a Reel.

If you schedule posts, the process is the same but queued in advance. Through posterly you can schedule a Reel with a cover and a first comment for your hashtags. See the Instagram scheduler or the Instagram MCP connector, whose example prompt is "Schedule this video as an Instagram Reel for Friday at 6pm."

If the video is longer than your limit

• Split it into parts. Post part one, two and three as separate Reels, and say so in the caption.
• Post a trailer and link the full version. Put the full video on YouTube and use a Reel as the teaser. Our YouTube guide covers long-form versus Shorts.
• Use a carousel for shorter clips. Meta says carousels can have up to 10 images, videos, or a mix of the two through the API, but Reels cannot appear in carousels. The in-app carousel limit is higher; see our Instagram carousel photo limit section.

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A note on reach

A longer file is not automatically better. Our Instagram guide covers what the algorithm rewards. Test one longer Reel against your usual ones and compare the numbers in Instagram Insights.

FAQ

How long can an Instagram video be?

Reels can be up to 3 minutes in the app, per Adam Mosseri's January 2025 announcement. Meta's API documentation lists Reels of up to 15 minutes for scheduled and API publishing.

Can you post a 10 minute video on Instagram?

Through Meta's API, yes: Reels can be up to 15 minutes and 300MB. In the app it depends on your account and version, since the confirmed in-app limit is 3 minutes and reports of longer limits are unverified.

What size should an Instagram Reel be?

Meta recommends a 9:16 aspect ratio, with a maximum file size of 300MB and a frame rate of 23 to 60 fps for API publishing.

Sources

• Social Media Today: Instagram officially expands Reels length to 3 minutes (January 18, 2025)
• Meta for Developers: IG User media reference
• Meta for Developers: Instagram content publishing