Instagram · Image size

Instagram Reels Size

Reels fill the phone at 1080×1920. Keep faces out of the top and bottom UI bands, export a sharp 9:16 cover frame in your browser, then match that framing when you edit the video—no signup.

Crop to this size View all specs

Last verified 2026-08-10

Based on Instagram UI as of 2026-08-10. Exact crops and pixels can shift—preview before you publish.

Browser tool · nothing leaves your device

Crop your Reels cover frame

Output 1080 × 1920

1Upload or try the sample
2Drag so the subject stays in the mobile guide
3Download 1640×624 (or your selected size)

Click to upload

Upload a vertical frame—or try the sample—then keep the subject between the UI risk bands before you download the cover still.

Drop an image onto the canvas, click inside it, or try the sample

Size specs

Export 1080×1920, but treat the top and bottom strips as unsafe. Captions, audio chips, username, and action buttons cover the edges—design the mid-frame first, then bleed backgrounds full-bleed.

Publish

Export this for Instagram upload.

Reels frame

Recommended

1080×1920 9:16

Standard vertical frame for Reels video and cover stills. Design mid-frame first.

Use in tool

Asset	Pixels	Ratio	Notes	Action
Reels frame Recommended	1080×1920	9:16	Standard vertical frame for Reels video and cover stills. Design mid-frame first.	Use in tool

Reels chrome is part of the composition

A Reel fills the phone, then Instagram draws captions, audio chips, username rows, and right-side action buttons on top. Edges that look fine in a desktop editor can vanish on-device the moment captions turn on. Treat those bands as reserved space—not optional decoration.

Cover stills matter as much as the video. The thumbnail people tap in Explore or your profile often comes from a single frame. Export that frame at 1080×1920 and keep the hero subject in the clear middle band so it still reads with UI overlays and at tiny thumbnail size.

Reels are also watched one-handed, often with sound off. Put the hook in the first second and keep on-screen text large enough to read without pausing. Dense paragraphs belong in the caption field, not stacked over the product. If you burn captions into the video, leave extra room under the mid-band.

When you repurpose Stories or TikTok frames, double-check Instagram’s button stack—same 9:16 pixels, different chrome. A layout that clears Story stickers can still collide with Reels captions and the like/share column. If the Reel also appears in the feed, protect the mid-frame first; never put the only logo in a corner that Explore thumbnails can trim.

Good vs weak crop

Same 9:16 frame—captions and the right-side button stack hide edge-hugging subjects.

Readable with Reels UI

Subject mid-frame between UI bands
Title in the clear center band
Quiet top and bottom for chrome

Covered by chrome

Headline under the username row
CTA on the caption / sticker stack
Detail clipped by right-side buttons

Before you upload

Tick these off against your crop preview—nothing is saved.

Face or product sits in the middle band—not under username or caption stacks.
No critical text under caption / button zones or the right-side actions.
First frame (cover) reads even with captions and audio labels on.
Export 1080×1920 sRGB JPG or PNG for stills.
Video framing matches this safe zone in your editor—not only the cover.
Contrast holds up on a bright phone screen with sound off.
Explore / profile thumbnails still show the subject (not only edge detail).

Related surfaces compared

Similar-looking slots often use different ratios—do not reuse one export for all of them.

Reels video / cover

1080 × 1920

This page. Full-screen vertical with Reels UI overlays.

Stories

1080 × 1920

Same pixels; stickers and reply UI differ—re-check safe zones.

Feed post

1080 × 1350

Shorter 4:5—not a full-screen Reel export. Re-crop from the source.

Profile photo

640 × 640 upload

Circular avatar in chrome, not the Reel art itself.

Surface	Typical size	Note
Reels video / cover	1080 × 1920	This page. Full-screen vertical with Reels UI overlays.
Stories	1080 × 1920	Same pixels; stickers and reply UI differ—re-check safe zones.
Feed post	1080 × 1350	Shorter 4:5—not a full-screen Reel export. Re-crop from the source.
Profile photo	640 × 640 upload	Circular avatar in chrome, not the Reel art itself.

UI chrome to keep clear

Treat the top band as reserved for username, audio, and navigation, and the bottom band as reserved for captions and CTA stacks. The right edge often holds like, comment, and share controls. Exact padding varies by device—design with margin, not pixel-perfect assumptions.

Guides on this page are approximate. Always confirm once inside Instagram with captions enabled and with the audio chip visible.

Top: username, audio chip, close / more controls.
Bottom: captions, branded CTAs, and sticker-like overlays.
Right: action buttons that sit over your art during playback.
Center band: safest place for faces, products, and short hooks.

Cover frames and opening seconds

People decide to watch from a tiny thumbnail and the first beat of motion. Design the cover like a poster: one subject, one short line, high contrast. Then make sure the opening shot of the video matches that framing so the transition does not feel like a bait crop.

Brand accounts often overstuff the first frame with three headlines and a logo lockup. On a phone, that collapses into noise. One word or a clear product beat beats a flyer—especially when Instagram’s caption stack appears underneath.

Prefer a still that works with captions on—not only muted in an editor.
Keep motion behind the subject, not over the hook text.
Avoid letterboxing a 4:5 feed crop into 9:16; re-crop from the source.
If you burn captions into the video, leave extra space under the mid-band.
Test dark-mode contrast—grey type on busy footage disappears after compression.

File requirements

This tool crops still frames. For motion, match the same 1080×1920 safe zone in your video editor. JPG is fine for photo covers; PNG helps for flat graphics. Keep sRGB so colors do not shift after upload.

Frame size: 1080 × 1920 px (9:16)
Cover still: Same ratio, JPG or PNG (sRGB)
Safe content: Keep critical elements between the UI risk bands
Video: Export vertical video to match; follow in-app length limits
Color: sRGB preferred
Tip: Preview with captions enabled before publishing

Common mistakes

Using a 4:5 feed crop and letterboxing it into a Reel.
Putting the hook text at the very top under username / audio.
Placing CTAs where the caption stack or right buttons land.
Low contrast on busy footage that fails with sound off.
Picking a cover frame that does not match the opening shot.
Exporting only the cover correctly while the video still uses a center crop from landscape.

How to use the crop tool on this page

Upload a vertical (or any) still, lock the Reels preset at 1080×1920, then drag until the subject clears both UI risk bands. Download when only background sits in the unsafe top and bottom strips.

Bleed backgrounds to the full frame; protect only the message.
Nothing leaves your device while cropping.
Guides are approximate—confirm once inside Instagram with captions on.
For Stories next, open that guide; chrome differs even at the same pixels.

After you download

From this download to a live upload in a few minutes.

1
Download the 1080×1920 JPG for a cover still—or match this frame when editing video.
2
Open Instagram → Reels → upload your clip (and set the cover if prompted).
3
Add captions and stickers only after confirming the subject is still visible.
4
Preview once with captions on—auto captions can cover what looked safe in the crop tool.
5
Scrub the first second on your phone: the opening shot should match the cover framing, and the Explore thumbnail should still show the subject.

Frequently asked questions

What size are Instagram Reels in 2026?

1080×1920 pixels (9:16). That is the standard full-screen vertical frame for video and cover stills—keep important content out of the top and bottom UI bands.

Where should text go on a Reel?

Keep it in the middle band. Top username/audio, bottom captions, and right-side buttons commonly cover edge text. Leave extra room if you will burn captions into the video.

Is Reels size the same as Stories?

Same pixels (1080×1920), different chrome. Stickers, captions, and action buttons differ—always re-check safe zones for each surface before you publish.

Can I use a horizontal video for Reels?

Instagram will pillarbox or crop it. Shoot or crop vertical 9:16 when you can so you control what stays in frame instead of letting the app decide.

Does this tool edit video?

It crops still cover frames. Match the same framing and safe zone when you export video from your editor so the opening shot matches the cover.

What makes a good Reels cover?

A clear mid-frame subject, short readable type, and a frame that still works with captions on. Avoid faces only in the top or bottom UI bands, and check the tiny Explore thumbnail.

JPG or PNG for a Reels cover still?

JPG for photographs; PNG for hard-edged graphics or type-heavy covers. Prefer sRGB either way, and keep the file light enough for mobile upload.