You’re below since you’re questioning how much time Instagram Reels can be.

Have you thought of the length of time they must be?

Creating a well-watched Instagram Reel is just as much art as it is scientific research. I believe people will be stunned to hear the last– but working with the Instagram formula needs some rigorous testing.

Scroll-stopping hooks, post timing, keyword phrases, and reel length are all variables I’ve held under the microscopic lense on my Instagram maker trip (Debunking the black box that is a social media algorithm is my Roman Realm.)

And now I have some measurable data on Instagram Reel size. We took a look at over 2 7 million Instagram Reels released through Buffer between January 1 and August 15, 2026, with the aid of Buffer’s information science group (thanks, Steve and Iggy ).

This study was interesting! I nearly expected the super-short clips to be the top entertainers, especially in terms of reach and interaction That could not have been better from the truth.

• Reels between 90 secs and 3 mins obtained the most get to
• Reels longer than 3 minutes obtained the most involvement.

If you’re interested in the approach behind the research study, you’ll find that below. Initially, we’ll get straight right into the Instagram limits.

The length of time can Instagram Reels be?

Instagram Reels can be approximately 20 mins long, whether you record in the Instagram camera or upload from your cam roll. (This rolled out slowly, so a couple of accounts might still see a 90 -2nd or three-minute cap.)

The catch is that just reels of three minutes or much less are eligible for referral to new audiences. Transcend 180 secs and Instagram reveals you a little alert: “Reels over 3 minutes won’t be recommended to new target markets.” Your fans can still see the reel, but it’s unlikely to show up in the reels tab, on discover or in non-followers’ home feeds.

90 -second to 3 -minute reels obtain one of the most reach

Instagram Reels between 90 secs and three minutes got to roughly 4– 7 % even more distinct accounts than the same account’s normal reel.

We compared each account’s performance to itself, so the data wasn’t skewed by Instagrammers with massive followings — a lot more on that particular below!

That + 7 4 % is a typical across accounts. The account sitting in the center of the pack saw a smaller lift, closer to 4 %. When the average sits well above the middle like that, it usually suggests a minority of accounts did unusually well and pulled the average up. So most accounts saw something nearer the bottom of that variety than the top– which is why we’re pricing quote an array at all, instead of one neat number (despite the fact that it’s making my eye twitch a little).

Reach is the statistics I discover most beneficial right here since it counts one-of-a-kind accounts that saw the reel. It’s the closest thing we need to a procedure of circulation: just how much Instagram pushed your video clip beyond individuals that currently follow you.

Reach drops substantially for reels greater than 3 minutes long

Reels of 180 seconds or longer reached 49 3 % fewer people than the exact same account’s standard, and got 45 9 % less sights.

Instagram professionals will likely recognize why: upload a reel longer than 3 minutes and you’ll get a little alert on the application that states “Reels over 3 minutes won’t be suggested to new audiences.”

In other words, three-minute+ reels most likely won’t show up in the reels feed, check out web page, or as suggested videos in the home feed of folks who could like your content.

Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, is quite clear on the reality that Instagram is not trying to be YouTube– long-form video clip is not the platform’s emphasis.

So, while you practically can upload reels that are as long as 20 minutes, anything over 180 seconds will likely cost you get to.

Lengthy reels get even more interaction

Interestingly, this doesn’t suggest shorter reels are always much better. If you’re wanting to nurture the target market you currently have, lengthy reels might be a solid wager.

Reels of 180 seconds or more had an engagement rate 2 65 percent points over their account’s baseline– easily the highest of any bucket. For the common account, the lift was smaller at 1 1 factors, however it was still the standout.

So those reels reach regarding fifty percent as lots of people, and individuals they do get to are more probable to comment, like, conserve, or share. It makes sense, really. Someone that endures 4 mins of your video has actually currently opted in. There are fewer people in the room, but the space is … a little friendlier?

In my mind, this means length is much more concerning your goals than efficiency. If you’re trying to get in front of people who have actually never come across you, three mins is your tough quit. If you’re deepening a connection with individuals that already follow you, going longer might be truly worthwhile.

We located a similar reach-versus-engagement trade-off with carousels , which recommends this pattern isn’t one-of-a-kind to reels.

Below 90 seconds, length doesn’t seem to matter

The containers from under 15 secs as much as 89 seconds all landed within about 3 percent of standard, in both instructions. Under- 15 s were 1 5 % listed below on reach; 30– 59 s were 2 7 % over. Those gaps are tiny enough that I wouldn’t reconstruct a web content schedule around them.

So, if you have actually been agonizing over whether to cut a reel from 45 secs to 30 (existed, pal), our information suggests that choice is close to a coin turn. The hook, the subject, the editing and enhancing, and the value you’re offering almost certainly matter greater than the difference between 30 and 60 secs.

In this case, top quality > amount (or do not have thereof).

So how long should your reels be?

If reach is your goal, I would certainly recommend 90 secs to 3 minutes as your sweet place.

If you’re making something longer than three minutes, make it for your existing audience. Tutorials, long-form narration, and neighborhood content all have a practical instance.

If this length is new area for you, I extremely recommend trial reels They’re a low-risk means to check this out, because they most likely to non-followers initially. For finest outcomes, rotate up 2 versions of the exact same reel, maintaining variables like modifying, hook, music, and so on all exactly the same. Let them sit for around 24 hours to obtain a clear sight of which can work best. I hope you’ll marvel!

Interestingly, you can still share test reels for reels longer than 3 minutes (I tested it) if this is something you wish to discover.

And if you desire the fuller image on what moves Instagram distribution, size is one aspect amongst a number of– the very best time to publish, according to 9 6 million blog posts and just how the Instagram algorithm really works are fantastic reads for a much deeper dive.

Exactly how to upload a reel much longer than 3 minutes

If you have actually obtained a tutorial or a long-form story that won’t fit into 180 secs, you can still publish it. Videotape it in the Instagram camera or upload it from your video camera roll as usual. Anything approximately 20 mins will certainly undergo.

Simply share your eyes open. In our information, reels over 3 minutes got to 49 3 % less people than the exact same account’s standard. Individuals that did view engaged more, though: these reels had an involvement rate 2 65 portion points over baseline, the greatest of any kind of length we considered.

If you prefer to not quit the reach, there are 2 workarounds:

• Cut it into a collection. Two two-minute components can both be suggested to new audiences, where one four-minute reel can not.
• Post a brief variation and send individuals to the lengthy one. A 90 -second teaser that indicates the complete video clip on your account or in your Stories keeps the reach and still serves the individuals who desire the deep dive.

This section addresses the “Individuals additionally ask” inquiries Google reveals for these searches: “Can an Instagram reel more than 3 minutes?”, “Exactly how do I post a 5 minute reel on Instagram?” and “Can I upload a 7 minute reel on Instagram?”.

Instagram Reels vs. TikTok vs. YouTube Shorts length

If you’re cross-posting the same video clip, below’s just how the restrictions compare:

A three-minute cap functions across all 3, that makes cross-posting with Barrier a little less complex (one video, no re-edits).

Research study method

Every Instagram Reel sent out with Barrier in between January 1 and August 15, 2026, that was efficiently released, had not been deleted, and had a tape-recorded period. The information collection was 3, 780, 620 reels with a useful length. We narrowed this down a little additional for precision (more listed below).

We arranged them right into six containers: under 15 secs, 15– 29 secs, 30– 59 secs, 60– 89 secs, 90– 179 secs, and 180 secs or longer.

The difficult component was comparing them fairly. If you simply ordinary reach throughout all Instagram Reels, a handful of massive accounts skew the information, and you end up measuring target market size rather than size.

So instead of contrasting reels to every various other, we contrasted every account to itself. An account needed to have actually posted a minimum of three draw in a container for that pail to be included in the research, and had to have actually utilized at least 2 different buckets to get in the contrast at all.

After that we asked: when the very same account posts reels of different lengths, which lengths land over that account’s regular degree?

That left 2, 730, 166 attract the reach contrast and 2, 463, 999 in the engagement-rate comparison. Sights and reach are wildly manipulated– one viral reel can out-reach a thousand common ones– so both were log-transformed prior to contrast, which is a statistician’s method of stopping a single monster message from setting the average for every person. Engagement rate was covered at the 99 th percentile, around 54 8 %, because the raw data consists of values as high as 827, 200 % where the common denominator was small or busted.

More Instagram Reels sources

FAQ

What is the optimum length for an Instagram Reel?

20 minutes. Only reels of 3 mins or less can be recommended to people who don’t follow you, though, so most creators treat three mins as the practical restriction.

Can an Instagram Reel more than 3 mins?

Yes, up to 20 minutes. Yet Instagram won’t advise it to new audiences. In our data, these reels reached regarding half as many individuals as an account’s regular reel.

The length of time is also long for an Instagram Reel?

If you want to get to new people, anything over three minutes. If you’re posting for your existing followers, longer reels had the greatest engagement rate in our evaluation.

Is a 5 -second reel also short?

Not always. Reels under 15 secs landed just 1 5 % below their account’s typical reach in our data, which is close sufficient that the hook and subject will matter much more than the length.

How long can Instagram Stories be?

Up to 60 secs per clip. Longer video clips are divided into multiple 60 -2nd Stories instantly.

What is the very best size for an Instagram Reel?

For reach, 90 secs to three mins. In our analysis of 2 7 million reels, that container got to 4– 7 % more special accounts than each account’s very own standard. Below 90 seconds, the differences in between lengths were little enough to ignore.

Why do reels over 3 minutes carry out badly?

In our data, they reached 49 3 % less people than the same account’s standard. Instagram does not advise reels past 3 mins to non-followers.

Should I make longer reels then?

Only if you’re making them for individuals that already follow you. Reels over three minutes had the highest engagement price in our information– 2 65 percentage points over standard– yet from roughly half the target market.

Does reel length matter greater than content?

Our data suggests not, a minimum of below 90 seconds. Every container from under 15 secs to 89 secs sat within about 3 percent of standard.