Whenever you post a video on Instagram, people will view that video in different aspect ratios in the Reels portion, your Instagram profile, and the general Instagram feed.
To address this issue, you need to understand how Instagram video ratio aspects work, what their specifications are, and what paths you can adopt to make your Instagram videos look more attractive.
Here’s a complete guide on “Instagram Reels Resolutions & Dimensions,” after which you’ll become an expert in this particular area.
1. Aspect Ratio for Instagram Reels Dimensions
Reels on Instagram are viewed vertically on your mobile instead of horizontally. Most users shoot Reels via the Instagram application to utilize the built-in effects and transitions you can get there.
The best resolution for Instagram Reels is 1080 x 1920p, which is a 9:16 aspect ratio.
Also, the resolution mentioned above for your Instagram Reels is the same as IGTV, YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and Instagram Stories (if you are looking to target them also, use the same resolution aspects).
On Instagram, you can create a Reel video longer than 60 seconds. It used to be shorter before. However, with the increase in demand & the overall success of this fantastic feature, Instagram allowed the users to shoot longer Reels.
One thing that should be kept in mind while shooting the Instagram Reels video, do not put any content at the bottom of your video as captions or descriptions mostly occupy this area. You need to avoid even placing any text or visual at the bottom of your Reel video.
The positioning of the content is another essential aspect that requires great attention.
2. Profile View for Instagram Reels
Most of the content creators on Instagram do not consider how their Reels are going to be portrayed in their profile.
The Instagram application takes the center portion of your Reel video and makes it a cover for your Reel in the profile view option. It is generally pulled from the “Cover,” which you have manually selected for your Reel from within your video. However, everything goes berserk once the 1:1 square aspect ratio is applied to your cover.
The best Instagram Reels profile view is 1080 x 1080p or 1:1 aspect ratio.
It would be best if you designed your specific thumbnail for the cover of your Instagram Reels so that it looks attractive, attention-grabbing, and addictive in the longer run. Otherwise, the users will run away from your profile just by glancing at it for a few seconds.
3. Cover for the Instagram Reels
When it comes to YouTube, primarily videos get a lot of clicks based on their thumbnails and covers. That’s why the concept of ‘click bait’ is such a significant issue. Not all click baits are harmful, to begin with.
The purpose behind the cover of any video-based content is to tell the user about ‘what can they expect once they click on the video?’ and following that concept, almost all content-carrying platforms have now introduced the ‘cover’ feature in their applications.
The Reel Cover for your Instagram Reels is very vital for your Reels success. You can easily add the cover to your Reels video while you are uploading it. The option of the cover appears in the section next to your caption area. Once you click on ‘cover,’ you will be allowed to select the thumbnail either from within your video, or you can upload an image from your device and make it your Reels cover.
The best Instagram Reels specs for the cover are 1080 x 1920p or 9:16 aspect ratio – (for Reels everywhere).
The best Instagram Reels cover for the profile grid is 1080 x 1080p or 1:1 aspect ratio.
Your Reels cover will appear in two areas on Instagram.
- The first area it will appear in the ‘Reels’ portion in Instagram. It can be either in the Reels tab on your profile or in the Reels result in areas all over on Instagram.
- The other area is going to be on your profile posts. As mentioned above in the earlier heading, Instagram will show a 1:1 square thumbnail of 1080 x 1080p.
So, make sure that you keep the above scenarios in mind while creating your Reels cover for your Instagram Reels.
4. Feed View of Instagram Reels
Instagram is a great place for content creators and has always supported them by introducing content-friendly features. For instance, when posting Instagram Reels, you can choose to show your Reels to your followers in their standard Instagram feed.
The aspect ratio of your entire video (which is 9:16) will not be shown in their feed. Instead, they will see the aspect ratio of 4:5, where the pixels will drop down to 1080 x 1350p.
Why is that important? Well, how your video will be portrayed in the ‘feed’ can play a vital role in the overall success of your Reels. So, keep that in mind while creating your Instagram Reel and shooting your content so that none of the critical content gets hidden away from your potential audience, as Instagram will cut your video from all sides automatically.
It will take a few hits and trials before you’ll get the hang of it; however, nothing is impossible.
5. Texts for Instagram Reels
If you have ever posted a Reel or have viewed one, you might have noticed that you do not get to view the video without any obstructions.
- The top of the video has the “Reels” branding of Instagram.
- The lower right side contains the “Like, Comment, & Share” buttons.
- The bottom of the video includes the “profile name, caption, & the audio information” for the video.
So, you do not get a clear picture of the entire video. This also means that if you place texts in any of these areas occupied by Instagram’s buttons & features, a lousy user’s experience will arise.
The best area to place your text in Instagram Reels is in a 4:5 aspect ratio of 1080 x 1350p.
Keep this ratio in mind while developing your content. You can also use the elements, add text options and stickers provided by the Instagram application.
How to Fix “Blurry” Instagram Reels & Upload High-Quality Instagram Reels
If your Instagram Reels are blurry, you can enhance the quality of your Reels by following and checking the below-mentioned characteristics:
- Record High-Quality Videos: Adjust your phone’s settings to record high-quality videos. You can makes this happen by going to the settings in your camera application and adjusting the image & video size to ‘high-quality’ or ‘Automatic DHR.’
- Selecting the correct Aspect Ratio: You might have experienced that Instagram cuts down the quality of your images or videos after you have uploaded them. That’s because of the size of your photos or videos. The greater the size of the file, the slower it may load. To fix that, Instagram cuts down your content where you suffer from a quality loss. To fix this, try to develop videos following the aspect ratios set by Instagram.
- Internet Connection: If you suffer from an unstable internet connection, your videos might get blurred as they have not been fully uploaded yet. With a poor internet connection, Instagram automatically reduces the quality of your videos, and that’s why the Reels/videos seem blurry.
- Turn off Data Saver: Instagram application is filled with data-driven content, and it burns up your data fast. The default Instagram settings keep your mobile data usage to a minimum. Thus this decreases the quality of your Instagram feed drastically. Go to Settings, then Accounts, find the Cellular Data Usage option, and Turn off Data Saver.
- Use a Video Editing Application: When it comes to uploading videos and photos on Instagram, there are several rules & requirements one needs to fulfill. If your uploaded video does not align with the set rules, Instagram can automatically trim or compress your videos. You can use a video editing application that can help you crop, compress, set aspect ratios, and determine sizes, length, and speed to fit the Instagram video format. You don’t suffer from quality losses this way.
Are Instagram Reels Worth it?
With the growing trend in vertical videos over the past few years, especially with TikTok, creating trendy videos of these sorts can be a massive opportunity for content creators to go viral.
People have already swept the market of vertical videos on platforms like TikTok and YouTube Shorts. However, the industry of Instagram Reels is still growing and expanding. If you jump on this ship right now, who knows? By the end of the year, you might be able to attract a considerable following.
So, as a content creator, get yourself familiarized with the best Instagram Reels resolution set up and start your Instagram Reels journey fully prepared
How to Use ConvertKit with Instagram?
Are you looking to grow your email list or business with Instagram? Now you can integrate ConvertKit (email marketing tool) directly to your Instagram account and pull images, videos, or Reels directly from your Instagram Feed and embed or include them in your Sequence Email, New Form, Landing Page, and even Broadcasts.
Start by simply signing up for ConvertKit and follow the process below:
- Select to create a new broadcast, form/landing page, or a sequence email.
- Once you are done, click on add or edit image.
- Go on to select the Instagram option as shown below.
- Log in to your Instagram.
- From there, you can use any image which you have already uploaded to your Instagram feed and use it within your ConvertKit account.