How Long can Instagram Videos be?

How long can Instagram Videos be? From IGTV to Reels, to Stories and feed videos, read this quick article for everything you need to know.

Posted 1 year ago

Written by

Sam King

Posted 1 year ago

Welcome to the next installment in our Instagram toolkit! In today’s article, we will walk you through everything you need to know about video content on Instagram. Did you know that videos tend to receive 30% more engagement than static posts? This is a huge opportunity for anyone looking to grow their Instagram account organically, so it is important you integrate them into your strategy.

How Long can Instagram Videos be? ⏰

Of course, this all depends on the format. There are four types of videos you can post on Instagram: IGTV, Reels, Feed videos, and Stories. We’ll talk you through how long your videos should be for each feature, as well as what the limits are for time length.

How long should IGTV videos be?

These videos are mostly used for longer-form content. With IGTV you can create series, give viewers an insight into what you do, and provide more educational content. These longer options tend to be more ‘produced’ and are a great example of a content format that continues to build value. IGTV videos can be between 1 minute and 15 minutes if you are uploading on the app, and up to 1 hour if on the Desktop platform. Based on previous data, the optimum length of an IGTV video is around 2-5 minutes. People tend to drop off unless they are really captured by the subject, since Instagram is so fast-paced, so you’re going to want to make sure you have a great hook if you opt for a longer video.

How long should Instagram Reels be?

Reels are much faster videos as compared to IGTV. They are meant to be shareable, quick, and snappy and so they can only be between 15-30 seconds long. Again, it’s great to make sure you have an interesting hook or title at the start of your video, so people don’t quickly swipe past it.

How long can Instagram Feed videos be?

This is the first type of video ever introduced on Instagram, and they are great if you want video content that fits in with your feed. People still favor these for skit videos or inspirational pieces that are too long to be a Reel, but too short to be an IGTV. Users also like the idea that it will always appear in the feed, rather than on the Reels or Instagram Explore pages. Instagram Feed videos can be any length under 1 minute (60 seconds).

How long can Instagram Story Videos be?

Instagram Story videos are great for letting your followers into your day-by-day. The short answer to how long Stories can be is any length. This is because you can create as many individual Stories as you want in succession. Each individual Story, however, can be up to 15 seconds in length.

We hope you enjoyed this quick how-to in our Instagram toolkit. Want to learn more quick tips on how to upgrade your strategy? Click the banner below.