--- title: "Instagram Reels Size, Dimensions and Safe Zone" description: "Instagram Reels size: 1080 × 1920 px (9:16). The margins to keep text out of, the 950 × 979 px safe area, and a free overlay PNG to check your video." url: https://exemplary.ai/instagram-reels-size facts_as_of: 2026-10-09 publisher: "Exemplary AI (https://exemplary.ai)" --- # Instagram Reels Size, Dimensions and Safe Zone Make Reels at 1080 × 1920 px (9:16) and keep text inside the 950 × 979 px safe area. Check a frame of your own video against the overlay, then download it. [Check your Reels frame](https://exemplary.ai/instagram-reels-size#tool-demo) [Make Reels from a video](https://exemplary.ai/signup?from=%2Fdashboard%3Fcreate%3Dclips) Make Instagram Reels at 1080 × 1920 px, a 9:16 vertical frame that fills the phone screen; Instagram accepts shapes from 1.91:1 to 9:16. Meta's guidance for Reels ads asks you to keep the top 269 px, the bottom 672 px and 65 px on each side clear of text and logos, where the app's caption, buttons and audio label sit. Reels recorded in the app can run up to 20 minutes, but Instagram doesn't recommend Reels over 3 minutes to new audiences. To make Reels from a long video, Exemplary AI's free plan includes 500 one-time credits. ## How to size a video for Instagram Reels 1. Set your project to 9:16, 1080 × 1920 px. 2. Download the overlay from the checker and put it on the top layer of your timeline. 3. Keep captions, faces and logos inside the dashed box (950 × 979 px). 4. Export, remove the overlay, and preview the Reel in Instagram before you share it: the preview shows where your caption lands. ## Instagram Reels dimensions at a glance | Fact | Value | | --- | --- | | Resolution | 1080 × 1920 px | | Aspect ratio | 9:16 vertical; Instagram accepts 1.91:1 to 9:16 | | Length | Up to 20 minutes recorded in the app; over 3 minutes is not recommended to new audiences | | Cover image | 420 × 654 px (1:1.55) | | Keep clear: top | 269 px: the Reels header and camera button | | Keep clear: bottom | 672 px: the username, caption, audio label and navigation bar | | Keep clear: sides | 65 px each: the like, comment, share and save buttons on the right | | Safe area | 950 × 979 px | | Caption and hashtags | Up to 2,200 characters and 5 hashtags | Facts checked October 2026. ## Where the safe-zone numbers come from Instagram doesn't publish safe margins for regular Reels. These are Meta's guidance for Reels ads, worked out on a 1080 × 1920 px frame; the same caption, buttons and audio label sit over every Reel, so creators use them for posts too. Meta's ads guide recommends 1440 × 2560 px for ads; 1080 × 1920 px is the same 9:16 shape. A long caption reaches higher, so keep important text above it, and check the Reel in the app before you post. Making Reels from a long video? The [Instagram Reels maker](https://exemplary.ai/instagram-reel-maker) cuts a long video into vertical clips with captions, and [horizontal to vertical video](https://exemplary.ai/horizontal-to-vertical-video) reframes a wide recording around the speaker. Posting the same clip elsewhere? See the [YouTube Shorts](https://exemplary.ai/youtube-shorts-size) and [TikTok](https://exemplary.ai/tiktok-video-size) size guides. ## Reels at the right size, with the words where people read them Start from the frame Instagram fills the screen with and keep your text out from under its interface. ### A free safe-zone overlay A 1080 × 1920 px transparent PNG with the covered margins hatched and the 950 × 979 px safe area outlined. ### Check your own frame first Drop a still from your video into the checker to see which words would sit under the caption or the buttons. It stays on your device. ### Vertical clips from a long video Exemplary AI cuts a long video into clips in 9:16, 16:9, 1:1 and 4:5, with captions burned in, ready to post as Reels. ### Captions where the app leaves room Burned-in captions can sit at the top, center or bottom of the frame; center keeps them clear of the caption and audio label. ## Get your recording ready for Reels Find the highlight, frame it vertically, and style the captions before you publish. ### [Viral clip finder](https://exemplary.ai/viral-clip-finder) Review suggested highlights and choose the moments to keep. [Find a clip](https://exemplary.ai/viral-clip-finder) ### [Horizontal to vertical video](https://exemplary.ai/horizontal-to-vertical-video) Reframe a wide recording for a vertical feed. [Reframe a video](https://exemplary.ai/horizontal-to-vertical-video) ### [Caption styles](https://exemplary.ai/caption-styles) Compare bold, clean and creative caption styles. [Preview styles](https://exemplary.ai/caption-styles) ## Common questions ### What size is an Instagram Reel? 1080 × 1920 px pixels in a 9:16 vertical frame. Instagram accepts shapes from 1.91:1 to 9:16, but only 9:16 fills the screen. ### What is the Instagram Reels safe zone? The 950 × 979 px area left once you keep the top 269 px, the bottom 672 px and 65 px on each side clear. The figures are Meta's guidance for Reels ads; Instagram publishes none for regular Reels, so check the in-app preview. ### How long can an Instagram Reel be? Up to 20 minutes when recorded in the Instagram app, but Instagram says Reels over 3 minutes won't be recommended to new audiences. ### What size is an Instagram Reels cover photo? Instagram recommends 420 × 654 px (1:1.55) for a Reels cover photo. ### How many hashtags can I use on an Instagram Reel? Up to 5 on a post, per Instagram's Help Center; the limit rolled out from December 2025. The caption itself can run to 2,200 characters. ### Can Exemplary AI make Instagram Reels at this size for free? Yes. Exemplary AI turns a long video into 9:16 clips with captions, and the Free plan includes 500 one-time credits; files up to 500 MB and 30 min long; 720p video exports with a watermark. ## Discover more Clips & Shorts - [Video trimmer](https://exemplary.ai/video-trimmer) - [YouTube Shorts Maker](https://exemplary.ai/youtube-shorts-maker) - [AI podcast clips generator](https://exemplary.ai/ai-podcast-clips-generator) - [Instagram reel maker](https://exemplary.ai/instagram-reel-maker) - [Resize videos](https://exemplary.ai/resize-videos) - [Auto video editor](https://exemplary.ai/auto-video-editor) - [Crop video](https://exemplary.ai/crop-video) - [Add image to video](https://exemplary.ai/add-image-to-video) - [Add text to video](https://exemplary.ai/add-text-to-video) - [Remove filler words](https://exemplary.ai/remove-filler-words) - [Add emoji to subtitle](https://exemplary.ai/add-emoji-to-subtitle) - [Silence remover](https://exemplary.ai/silence-remover) - [Add watermark to video](https://exemplary.ai/add-watermark-to-video) - [Add b-rolls](https://exemplary.ai/add-b-rolls) - [Word highlight in subtitle](https://exemplary.ai/word-highlight-in-subtitle) - [AI video editor](https://exemplary.ai/ai-video-editor) - [Long video to short video](https://exemplary.ai/long-video-to-short-video) - [Twitch clip maker](https://exemplary.ai/twitch-clip-maker) - [YouTube to TikTok](https://exemplary.ai/youtube-to-tiktok) - [Sermon clips](https://exemplary.ai/sermon-clips) - [Horizontal to vertical video](https://exemplary.ai/horizontal-to-vertical-video) - [Screen and webcam recorder](https://exemplary.ai/screen-and-webcam-recorder) - [Online screen recorder](https://exemplary.ai/online-screen-recorder) - [Kick clip maker](https://exemplary.ai/kick-clip-maker) - [Viral clip finder](https://exemplary.ai/viral-clip-finder) - [YouTube Shorts size](https://exemplary.ai/youtube-shorts-size) - [TikTok video size](https://exemplary.ai/tiktok-video-size) - [LinkedIn video specs](https://exemplary.ai/linkedin-video-specs) ## Make a Reel that fits the feed Start with your recording and finish a vertical clip with captions you can place and style. > Exemplary AI is a browser-based AI tool that turns long videos and recordings into short captioned clips, transcripts in 99 languages, subtitles, translations into 116 languages, and written posts such as summaries, blog posts and YouTube chapters. It is built for YouTubers, podcasters and marketing teams; the Free plan includes 500 one-time credits with watermarked video exports. Pricing: https://exemplary.ai/pricing