The Best Time to Post Instagram Reels in 2025 (Mon. to Sun.)
Looking for the best time to post Instagram Reels? You’ve likely seen different answers. That’s normal. Each article uses its own data, so recommendations vary.
In this guide, we pull those studies together and give you a clear, day-by-day reference. We also show you how to find your best time to post Instagram Reels using Instagram Insights and simple A/B tests.
Worried that some “best times” are very early or very late? Don’t stress. We’ll show you how to schedule Reels automatically across time zones.
About “Best Time to Post Reels”
The data for this guide comes from SocialPilot, Sprout Social, Shopify, Later, Hootsuite, and Buffer. There isn’t a single, universal best time to post Instagram Reels. Each source studies different accounts, time frames, and regions, so their suggested times can conflict.
Use these times as a starting point, not a rule. Check your Instagram Insights, test a few posting windows, and track reach, plays, saves, and comments. Keep iterating. Regular testing is the fastest way to find your best time to post Instagram Reels.
How the Instagram Reels Algorithm Works
No matter when you post Reels, you need to understand Instagram’s algorithm first.
The Instagram algorithm is like a smart helper that decides which Reels to show you. Its main job is to keep you on the app by showing content you will probably like. It learns about your interests by looking at which Reels you watch, like, comment on and share.
In 2025, the algorithm has become even smarter, using advanced AI to understand both content and user behavior.
1. The Initial Test with Your Followers
When you post a Reel, Instagram first shows it to a small group of your most engaged followers. In the first few hours, it checks how they react. Likes, comments, shares, and watching to the end all signal quality. Strong early engagement helps your Reel reach more people.
2. Key Signals the Algorithm Looks For
The algorithm looks at a few key signals to decide if your Reel should reach more people.
- Watch time: How long people watch matters more than likes. Full plays and replays are strong signals of quality.
- Engagement: Likes and comments help. Shares help the most because they show others recommend your Reel.
- Originality: The algorithm now heavily favors original content. It can detect if a video has been downloaded from other platforms like TikTok, especially if it has a watermark, and will show it to fewer people.
3. Reaching a Wider Audience
If your Reel does well at first, the Algorithm shows it to people who don’t follow you. It appears on Explore and in the main Reels feed. That’s how a Reel can go viral and reach thousands—or even millions—more viewers.
The Best Time to Post Instagram Reels (Mon. to Sun.)
Finding the best time to post Instagram Reels isn’t always easy, but research on millions of posts shows clear patterns. Your audience is unique, so results will differ. Use the times below as a starting point because they match when most people are active on Instagram. All times are shown in your local time zone.
Weekdays (Monday to Friday)
Weekdays are generally the best days to post on Instagram for high engagement. People often check their phones during work breaks or while commuting.
Mornings (6 AM to 10 AM)
Posting early in the morning, around 6 AM to 8 AM, is effective because you can catch people as soon as they wake up and check their phones. Another strong window is from 9 AM to 12 PM, especially on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, as people settle into their workdays and take social media breaks.
Lunchtime (12 PM to 2 PM)
This is a peak time for many users who are on their lunch break and scrolling through Reels. A study by Adobe found that noon is the most popular time for creators to post, and Reels posted at this time get very high views.
Afternoons (2 PM to 5 PM)
This is another strong period, especially on Mondays and Tuesdays. Buffer’s analysis shows that 3 PM to 5 PM on weekdays is a great time to post Reels as people wind down their workday.
Weekends (Saturday and Sunday)
Engagement on weekends can be different. People’s schedules are less predictable, but there are still key times to post.
Saturdays
A recent study revealed that Reels posted on Saturdays get the highest average number of likes. Additionally, posting late at night, specifically at midnight, also results in very high views, with an average of 25,000 views per Reel.
Sundays
Early morning, around 5 AM, and the evening, from 6 PM to 9 PM, are good times to post on Sundays. People are often relaxing and preparing for the week ahead, which means they spend more time on their phones.
A simple summary table to help you remember:
| Day | Best Posting Times (Local Time) | Why It Works |
| Monday | 6 AM–8 AM & 7 PM–9 PM | People check phones at the start and end of the first workday. |
| Tuesday | 9 AM–12 PM & 6 PM–8 PM | Mid-morning breaks and evening relaxation lead to high engagement. |
| Wednesday | 12 PM–1 PM & 8 PM–10 PM | Lunch breaks and post-dinner scrolling are peak times for views. |
| Thursday | 6 AM, 11 AM, 12 PM | Early morning and lunch hours capture users before their day gets busy. |
| Friday | 11 AM, 2 PM, 4 PM | Engagement is high as people look forward to the weekend. |
| Saturday | Midnight | Late-night posts get high views and Saturday posts get the most likes . |
| Sunday | 5 AM & 6 PM–9 PM | Catches early risers and people relaxing before the new week. |
How to Find the Best Time for Posting Instagram Reels?
Here are some effective strategies to help you find the best posting times:
Use Instagram Insights
Your best source of data is Instagram’s own analytics tool, called Insights. It is completely free and available to all Creator and Business accounts. Insights tells you exactly when your followers are most active.
Here is how to find this information :
- Go to your Instagram profile and tap the “Professional Dashboard” button.
- Under “Account Insights“, tap “See All.”
- Go to the “Total Followers” section and scroll down to the bottom.
- Here, you will find a chart called “Most Active Times“. You can view data for hours and days.
This chart shows you the days and hours when most of your followers are on the app. Posting during these peak times gives your Reels the best chance of getting high early engagement.
A/B Testing
A/B testing is a method where you compare two similar versions of a Reel to see which one performs better. It is a powerful way to stop guessing and start making decisions based on data. For posting times, the process is simple:
- Create Two Similar Reels: Make two videos that are very similar in style and topic.
- Isolate One Variable (Time): Post the first Reel on a specific day and time (e.g., Tuesday at 9 AM). Post the second Reel on the same day the following week, but at a different time (e.g., Tuesday at 6 PM).
- Define Your Success Metric: Decide what you want to measure. For Reels, good metrics are Plays (Views), Watch Time, or Shares.
- Analyze the Results: After a few days, compare the performance of both Reels. The one with better results tells you which time slot was more effective for your audience.
Testing can be slow if you only run one Instagram account. GeeLark speeds things up when you manage many accounts.
With GeeLark, you control multiple Instagram accounts at once on real Android cloud phones. You can easily publish different versions of your Reels at different times.
So you can gather data on engagement in real-time, making your A/B testing process much more efficient and less time-consuming.
If your audience or followers are in different time zones, you don’t need to stay up late. You can use GeeLark to set the post time and choose the video, and your Reel will publish automatically for each account.
Analyze Your Competitors
Take some time to analyze your competitors’ accounts. Note the day and time they posted their most successful content. Many third-party analytics tools can also provide detailed reports on your competitors’ posting frequency and best times. Some free tools, like Toolzu and Pathsocial, can help you with competitor analysis.
And look at their top-performing Reels. You can often identify these by looking for the ones with the highest number of views or likes.
Also, consider whether their audience overlaps with yours or if there are differences. This can give you valuable insights into the best times to reach your target audience.
Use Automation to Find Your Best Posting Time
Finding the best time to post Instagram Reels takes testing. If you manage many accounts, doing this by hand at different times is not realistic. You need automation.
GeeLark gives each Instagram account its own cloud phone. Every account runs in a separate, isolated environment with its own setup. This separation lowers the risk of flags or bans.
With GeeLark’s automation, you can schedule Reels for any time, day or night. Use the Post Reels on Instagram template to upload videos in advance and set test times across all accounts. Because everything runs in the cloud, posts go out 24/7—even when your computer is off.
With GeeLark’s automation, you can quickly test the best posting times across different niches and regions using multiple Instagram accounts. If you’ve tried other social media tools, give GeeLark a try—it’s free to start, so why not?