Instagram Reel Size: 1080 × 1920 Pixels at 9:16

Updated September 2026 · By Joseph Pugliese, founder of Linklay

Last verified: September 7, 2026

Use 1080 × 1920 pixels at a 9:16 aspect ratio for a full-screen Instagram Reel. Instagram officially accepts a wider range of Reel aspect ratios, but 9:16 is the standard vertical production format.

Quick answer

The recommended Instagram Reel size is 1080 × 1920 px at 9:16. Instagram’s official Reel guidance allows aspect ratios from 1.91:1 through 9:16 and requires at least 720-pixel resolution and 30 frames per second.

At a glance

Spec	Value
Recommended production size	1080 × 1920 px
Recommended ratio	9:16
Official accepted ratio range	1.91:1 to 9:16
Official minimum resolution	720 pixels
Official minimum frame rate	30 FPS
Current profile-grid preview	3:4 crop in current 2026 UI

What should you use?

A 9:16 Reel fills the vertical mobile viewer and gives you the most predictable canvas for subtitles, faces and product footage. Instagram may accept a less-tall frame, but that does not mean every ratio uses the available screen equally well.

How Instagram handles this

The Reel can also appear in surfaces other than the full-screen Reel viewer. Current 2026 profile grids use a taller 3:4 preview, so keep the subject and headline away from the extreme top, bottom and sides. Design for the full 9:16 frame, then preview how the same video cover or frame looks when cropped in the grid.

Practical guidance

Do not present 1080 × 1920 as Instagram’s only accepted pixel size. The official Help Center publishes minimum resolution and ratio rules rather than a single mandatory 1080 × 1920 upload dimension. Linklay should be more precise than competing guides by separating “recommended production size” from “hard platform requirement.”

Sources and verification

Verified against Instagram Help Center and Hootsuite on September 7, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size should an Instagram Reel be?

1080 × 1920 pixels at 9:16 is the standard full-screen production target.

Does Instagram require exactly 1080 × 1920?

No. Instagram publishes an accepted aspect-ratio range and minimum resolution rather than one mandatory pixel size.

What is the minimum Instagram Reel resolution?

Instagram says Reels should have a minimum resolution of 720 pixels.

What frame rate does Instagram require for Reels?

At least 30 frames per second.

Sources

Instagram Help Center, Reel size and aspect ratios https://help.instagram.com/1038071743007909
Hootsuite, Instagram Reels for business in 2026 https://blog.hootsuite.com/instagram-reels/