Instagram Reels size and safe zones
Last checked November 2026
Instagram Reels size at a glance
Last checked November 2026- Aspect ratio
- 9:16 vertical (recommended)
- Resolution
- 1080 x 1920 pixels (recommended)
- Good to know
- Your profile grid shows a cropped preview, so keep the subject near the center of the frame.
- Covered by the app
- Top bar: Reels title and camera
- Buttons: like, comment, share, more
- Username, follow, caption and audio
Length and file size limits change often and differ by account, so check Instagram Reels's own help center for those.
- Top bar: Reels title and camera
- Buttons: like, comment, share, more
- Username, follow, caption and audio
Free safe zone templates (transparent PNG, 1080 x 1920)
Drop one on top of your timeline in any editor as a guide layer, then hide it before you export.
How to use it
- Export or film at 1080 x 1920 pixels, 9:16 vertical.
- Take a screenshot of a frame with text on it and drop it into the preview above, set to Reels.
- Move anything important out of the red areas, then download the overlay or a blank template for your editor.
Full screen in the player, cropped on your grid
Reels play full screen at 9:16, and 1080 x 1920 is the recommended size. Your profile grid shows a cropped preview, and the Reels tab shows another. Keep faces and key text near the center so they survive every crop.
Instagram lets you pick a cover frame or upload a cover image. A cover with the subject centered and the title in the middle reads well in both the grid and the Reels tab.
Where Instagram's interface covers your video
In our overlay, Instagram's interface covers the top 6% of the frame (top bar), a column on the right edge about 14% of the width wide, from 52% to 88% down the frame (the buttons), the bottom 22% of the frame (username, follow, caption and audio). Those are approximate areas that work across common phones; the exact spot moves a little between devices and app versions.
The safest place for hook text and captions is the middle band of the frame, a little above center and away from the right edge.
- Instagram's bottom area holds your username, a follow button, the caption and audio. It takes more room than you expect when the caption is long.
- Keep on-screen hooks in the upper middle so they show in the player and in the cropped grid preview.
- The button column on the right covers part of the lower half; keep text clear of the right edge.
Questions
What size should an Instagram Reel be?
9:16 vertical at 1080 x 1920 pixels is the recommended size.
Why does my Reel look cropped on my profile?
The profile grid shows a cropped preview of each Reel, not the full 9:16 frame. Keep the subject and any cover text near the center.
Can I use the same file for TikTok and Shorts?
Usually yes: all three use 9:16 vertical. The buttons and captions sit in slightly different places, so keep text inside the area that is safe on all three. The safe zone checker lets you flip between apps on one frame.
Is my image uploaded?
No. Your image is not uploaded.
Does ViralAri keep captions out of these areas?
Yes. When you export a checked draft, captions and hook text are placed clear of each app's buttons, with a warning if they collide.
Check your actual draft before you post
Check any short in about a minute: Ari scores the opening, flags the moments most likely to lose viewers, suggests 3 fixes and writes 5 hooks from what you say. Got a podcast or stream? Clip finder finds the best moments in videos up to 15 minutes.
More free tools
- Free, instantSafe zone checkerOverlay each app's UI on your frame.
- Free, instantTikTok video sizeRecommended size and ratio, plus TikTok's safe zones.
- Free, instantCaption length checkerLive counts against each app's caption and title limits.