Instagram reels can be up to 20 minutes long. That's the limit for reels you record or upload in the app. The length that matters for reach is shorter: Instagram says reels over 3 minutes won't be recommended to people who don't follow you.
| Where | Maximum length |
|---|---|
| Reels in the Instagram app | 20 minutes |
| Reels recommended to new audiences | 3 minutes |
| Boosted reels (ads) | 90 seconds |
| Reels posted through scheduling tools (the API) | 15 minutes |
| Each story | 60 seconds |
20 minutes in the app
You can record one clip or several that add up to 20 minutes, or upload a video of that length from your phone.
3 minutes for reach
Reels over 3 minutes still reach your followers, but Instagram won't recommend them in the Reels tab or Explore to people who don't follow you. If a reel is meant to find new viewers, keep it to 3 minutes or less.
90 seconds to boost
To boost a reel as an ad, it must be 90 seconds or less and full-screen vertical (9:16).
15 minutes through the API
Scheduling tools publish through Instagram's API, which accepts reels from 3 seconds to 15 minutes. Longer reels have to be posted from the app.
So how long should a reel be?
Instagram doesn't publish an ideal length. Make it as long as the idea needs and no longer, and stay under 3 minutes when you want new viewers. A reel that ends with a clear call to action, such as "comment GUIDE and I'll DM it to you", turns views into conversations. MuChat sends those DMs automatically: see Instagram auto reply.
For dimensions and the cover size, see Instagram reel size.
Turn comments into conversations
MuChat answers Instagram comments, story replies and DMs automatically. The Free plan needs no card.