Best Export Settings for Instagram Reels
Pick your editor and source, get the exact settings — and a preset file if you're on Premiere.
Instagram Reels Export Settings Generator
Instagram Reels — Premiere Pro export settings
Format / Container
MP4
Video Codec
H.264 (High profile)
Chroma Subsampling
4:2:0
Resolution
1080×1920 (9:16)
Frame Rate
Export at your source frame rate — converting it causes stutter or judder.
30 fps
Bitrate Encoding
VBR, 1-pass
Target Bitrate
Below this, the platform's own recompression visibly degrades quality.
8 Mbps
Max Bitrate
Anything higher is wasted upload bandwidth — the platform recompresses it down anyway.
12 Mbps
Keyframe Distance
Every 60 frames (2s)
Color
Rec. 709, 8-bit
Audio Codec
AAC
Audio Sample Rate
44.1 kHz sources should be resampled to 48 kHz before export, not left as-is.
48 kHz
Audio Channels
Stereo
Audio Bitrate
128 kbps
Instagram Reels spec Verified Sep 2026 — source
Max duration: 20 minutes (uploaded video, rolling out) — 3 minutes if recorded in-app — verified 2026-09-01
Instagram's help center is a JS-rendered app and returns no static spec text to a non-browser fetch — these encode figures are the convergent synthesis of current third-party guides citing Meta's own recommendations, not scraped from the page linked above.
Import via Premiere's Export Settings panel → preset dropdown → "Import Preset."
Why do sources disagree on bitrate?
Every platform re-encodes your upload again after you send it. The target bitrate above is the point where that re-encoding stops costing visible quality — export lower and the platform's own compression makes it worse; export much higher and you're just uploading more data for the same result. That's why blogs quoting 2 Mbps, 8 Mbps, and 20 Mbps can all be describing the same platform without being wrong — they're each picking a different point on the same curve.
The best export settings for Instagram Reels are 1080×1920 (9:16), your source frame rate, H.264 video at a 8 Mbps target bitrate, and AAC audio at 48 kHz. Pick your editor below and the settings card fills in — in the exact order your export dialog shows them.
Exporting for other platforms too?
Use the same generator for TikTok or YouTube Shorts — just switch the platform selector, your editor and source settings carry over.
Before you export, check your captions against Instagram's Reels safe zone so nothing gets covered by the UI once it's live.
Why do sources disagree on the best bitrate for Instagram Reels?
Because Instagram re-encodes every upload again on its own servers regardless of what you send. Below the target bitrate, that re-encoding visibly degrades quality; above it, you're just uploading more data for the same result. Different guides quoting 2 Mbps, 8 Mbps, or 20 Mbps are describing different points on that same curve, not contradicting each other.
What resolution should I export for Instagram Reels?
1080×1920 at a 9:16 aspect ratio. Exporting a horizontal source into that frame means cropping — the tool above warns you when your source resolution is set to horizontal so you don't forget to check the crop.
What frame rate should I use for Instagram Reels?
Whatever your source was recorded at — Instagram supports up to 60fps, but converting a 24, 25, or 30fps source up to a different rate on export causes visible stutter. Match your source, don't chase a specific number.
Does Instagram Reels need 48kHz audio?
48kHz AAC is the standard nearly every platform expects, Instagram included. A 44.1kHz source should be resampled to 48kHz before export rather than left as-is — the tool above flags it if you select 44.1kHz as your source rate.
Can I import a ready-made Instagram Reels preset into Premiere Pro?
Yes — pick Premiere Pro as your editor above and download the generated .epr file, then import it from the Export Settings panel's preset dropdown. DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut Pro, and CapCut don't have a stable preset file format to import, so those show a step-by-step checklist instead.