Instagram Video Length: Limits and What Happens If You Exceed
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Instagram is a flexible platform, allowing creators to post everything from single images and carousels to short and long videos. However, it isn’t exactly a “post whatever you want, however you want” type of platform.
Every content format on Instagram comes with its own technical requirements. One of the most crucial is video length. It not only impacts how the platform processes your content but also how it promotes it. If you go too long, Instagram might split your video or trim it, resulting in awkward cuts.
Unfortunately, creators often find this out only after uploading their content.
In this guide, we explore Instagram video length limits, what happens when you exceed them, and how best to work around them. We also provide some video best practices to help boost your content’s performance.
Why Instagram Video Length Limits Exist
As with any rule on Instagram, the platform limits video length to improve user experiences. The truth is, users don’t go to Instagram for 2-hour or 3-hour videos, as they do on YouTube. They go there for quick entertainment and easy-to-digest content. As a platform focused on improving user retention, Instagram gives them what they want by limiting video lengths.
Video length limits also help standardize Instagram content. This makes it easier for the algorithm to compare video performance signals such as video completion rate, watch time, and replays.
How Long Can Instagram Videos Be?
Video length limits typically vary by your chosen content format. Some formats allow you to post hour-long videos, while others limit you to a few minutes.
Here’s a breakdown of video length limits by content format:
Reel Length
Instagram Reels are short-form videos, much like TikTok videos. They’re designed for scrolling and fast discovery, not long sit-down viewing. So, it’s no surprise that the length limit here is a little tight.
The maximum length of a Reel is 20 minutes. We know what you’re thinking: that’s not really tight. However, just because you can post 20-minute-long videos doesn’t mean you should. Users tend to prefer shorter options, and so does the algorithm. According to Instagram, Reels over 3 minutes long aren’t recommended to new audiences. So, it’d be better to make your content as concise as possible.
In-Feed Post Length
While sometimes confused for Reels, in-feed videos are entirely different. Instagram places them in the feed, alongside photos and carousels, as opposed to the Reels tab.
Users typically scroll the feed more intentionally than they do the Reels tab. So, Instagram provides a more flexible video length here — you can post up to 60 minutes worth of content (only via Instagram’s desktop site). For carousels, you can add up to 20 videos, each up to 60 seconds long.
In-feed videos are a great option for educational content, brand announcements, or any other type of content that requires a little more breathing room than Reels offer.
Note: As with reels, just because you can post 60-minute-long videos doesn’t mean you should. Only go the long route when you absolutely have to. Otherwise, stick to short videos to encourage completion.
Story Length
Instagram Stories are meant to be easy and quick to consume. So, they have the shortest length limit: 60 seconds.
This isn’t to say that you can only record one-minute videos. You can post longer, but Instagram will automatically split them into 60-second segments.
Live Video Length
Instagram Live videos have the longest allowed length: up to 4 hours.
Unlike other features, like Reels and Stories, Lives are designed for real-time interaction. Users who join them make active decisions to do so (knowing they might be lengthy), which is why Instagram is more flexible here.
Story ads (appear between creators’ Stories): 120 seconds
Profile Reels (appear as users scroll Reels): 15 minutes
Instagram feed ads (added to users’ feeds, showing up as they scroll): 60 minutes
Profile feed ads (appear in between organic content on users’ profiles): 60 minutes:
Instagram Explore ads (show up as users scroll content in the Explore tab): 60 minutes
Instagram Video Length Limits
Content Type
Max Length
Key Notes & Best Practices
Reels
20 minutes
Designed for fast discovery and scrolling. Instagram does not recommend Reels longer than 3 minutes for new audiences. Short, concise videos usually perform better.
In-Feed Videos
60 minutes (desktop only)
Appear alongside photos and carousels in the feed. Better suited for educational content, brand updates, or storytelling that needs more context.
Carousel Videos (In-Feed)
Up to 20 videos, each up to 60 seconds
Allows sequential storytelling. Best used when content can be broken into short, digestible clips.
Stories
60 seconds per Story
Longer videos are automatically split into 60-second segments. Optimized for quick, low-effort consumption.
Instagram Live
Up to 4 hours
Built for real-time interaction. Viewers join intentionally, so longer formats are acceptable here.
Story Ads
120 seconds
Appear between users’ Stories. Shorter ads generally perform better due to swipe behavior.
Profile Reels Ads
15 minutes
Shown while users scroll Reels. Despite the long limit, short-form ads usually convert better.
Feed Ads
60 minutes
Inserted into users’ feeds. Length flexibility is high, but attention span is still limited.
Profile Feed Ads
60 minutes
Displayed between organic posts on profiles. Best used selectively for deeper content.
Explore Ads
60 minutes
Shown in the Explore tab. Short, engaging formats are recommended to match browsing intent.
What Happens When You Exceed Instagram’s Specified Video Lengths?
A couple of things can happen when you upload a video that exceeds your chosen placement’s length limit. These include:
Instagram automatically splits your video: This happens with Story videos. If your recording exceeds 60 seconds, the platform will automatically split it into multiple 60-second segments.
Instagram trims your video: This happens with Reels and in-feed videos that are too long. If you exceed the 20-minute or 60-minute limit, the platform will automatically cut them.
To ensure your content goes up as intended, trim your videos as required during editing. For example, if you want to post to Reels but have an hour-long recording, split it into multiple parts to align with Reels’ requirements. This way, you can avoid the awkward cuts that are almost guaranteed when Instagram does the trimming for you.
Alternatively, you can switch to a different format. For example, if you don’t want your Story video split into multiple segments, upload it to your feed and then share it to your Stories. If you decide to go with this strategy, make the opening seconds of your video as compelling as possible to get Story viewers to click to the feed.
Instagram Video Best Practices
Mastering video length limits is just one piece of the “success on Instagram” puzzle. Here’s what else you need to do to get desired views and engagement:
Have a Clear Value-Driven Purpose
Before you hit the record button, determine the purpose of your video. Do you want to entertain your people, educate them, or encourage conversions?
Further, be clear on what you specifically want to talk about. For example, if you want to create product awareness, focus entirely on your product.
Determining your purpose in advance enables you to stay on topic once you hit record. This can help maintain your target audience’s attention. It can also make it easier for you to stick to Instagram’s video length limits.
Hook Your Audience Quickly
The opening moments of your videos determine whether users stick around. The stronger your hook, the more likely scrollers are to give your content a chance.
There are various ways to capture your audience’s attention quickly, including:
Use bold visuals: Start with scroll-stopping images or clips. For example, you can use a before-and-after transition at the beginning of your video.
Make bold statements: Call out a belief or mistake that many people make without realizing it.
Highlight your content’s value proposition: Lead with what viewers will gain from watching your video.
Ask interesting questions: Find a topic people are interested in, offer your opinion, and ask viewers for theirs.
Use Multiple Content Formats
It’s easy to get comfortable and stick to a single content format if it works. For example, many creators tend to prioritize Reels because they get more exposure than other formats.
However, not all content works best as Reels. Some may be better suited for Stories, others for in-feed videos, and others as carousel posts. For example, before-and-after reveals can work well as carousel posts, and educational content can be in-feed videos.
Use Reels to broaden your reach, in-feed (and carousel) videos to showcase your authority, and Lives to engage in real-time with your audience. Mixing things up can prevent content fatigue.
Keep Videos Short
Instagram is pretty flexible when it comes to in-feed videos and Lives. However, just because it allows longer videos doesn’t mean they should be your default.
Shorter content reigns supreme because it’s easier to watch through to the end. The more people watch your videos to completion, the more valuable they appear to the algorithm. This, in turn, results in more recommendations to users’ feeds, Reels, and Explore tabs.
To keep your content concise:
Focus on one idea per video.
Break down complex ideas into multiple videos (create a well-organized series).
Remove all filler during editing.
Avoid lengthy introductions and goodbye scenes.
Optimize Your Posting Time
Timing plays a bigger role in engagement and reach than many creators realize. Posting videos when your audience is the most active on Instagram increases your likelihood of registering immediate engagement. This, in turn, sends positive signals to the algorithm, prompting it to share your content to a broader audience.
To identify the best time to post on Instagram (for your account), tap your profile icon and then Professional Dashboard. Then, select Followers and scroll down to the Most active times section. There, you’ll find a graph showing your audience’s activity levels across different days and times.
Once you find your ideal posting timeframes, lean on GeeLark to make sure you never miss them. GeeLark is an antidetect platform that enables you to isolate multiple Instagram accounts. But that’s not all it does. It also offers automation templates that let you schedule your videos at scale.
Unlike standard automation tools, which often rely on APIs, GeeLark automates posting via cloud phones. It mimics actual user behavior, such as browsing through features and tapping the screen, making it seem like you’re actually posting the content yourself. This reduces your risk of raising automation flags.
Occasional posting doesn’t work on Instagram. To increase engagement and broaden your reach, you need to post multiple times a week.
Consistency keeps your content (and account) top of mind, increasing the chances of users stopping their scrolls and engaging once they come across your videos. It also sends positive signals to the algorithm by increasing your account’s overall engagement.
To maintain consistency, automate Instagram video publishing with GeeLark. This is especially handy if you manage multiple accounts, since GeeLark can automate posting at scale, across all of them.
Optimize Videos for Sound-Off Viewing
Many Instagram users watch videos without sound, especially when in public spaces. To keep these viewers watching, add captions and on-screen text that explain what your videos entail. Sound-off optimization also makes videos more accessible for people with hearing difficulties, increasing their chances of watching.
The more your views and the longer your watch times, the more the algorithm pushes your content.
Follow Instagram Video Length Specifications
Instagram is a valuable asset for both brands and individual content creators. However, as with any other platform, success isn’t guaranteed. To survive and thrive on the platform, you need to adhere to its video length requirements and implement tried-and-tested best practices — offer value, keep your videos short, use strong hooks, optimize your post timing, and stay consistent.
GeeLark can lighten your workload by handling post-publishing. The antidetect platform offers automation templates that ensure content goes up at specified times, whether you’re online or not. This can help you capitalize on users’ most active times as well as make it easier to stay consistent.
It depends on your chosen content format. Reels can be up to 20 minutes, in-feed videos up to 60 minutes, Stories and carousels up to 60 seconds, and Live videos up to 4 hours.
Yes, but only if they’re compelling from beginning to end. Adding unnecessary length can cause early drop-offs, sending negative signals to the algorithm. To play it safe, keep your videos as short as you possibly can while still offering value. Shorter videos perform better because they register higher completion rates and more replays. These are positive signals, so the algorithm tends to push them more to broader audiences.
If a video exceeds your chosen format’s limit, Instagram will automatically split or trim it. Unfortunately, this can result in awkward cuts that affect the quality of your content.
Yes. In-feed Instagram videos can be up to 60 minutes long. However, you can only upload them via the platform’s desktop site.
Only if you must. Long Reels are often at a disadvantage not only because people prefer short-form content, but also because Instagram doesn’t push them — it doesn’t recommend Reels over 3 minutes to new audiences.
