Instagram Reel Size: 1080x1920 (2026)
The Instagram Reel size is 1080x1920 pixels at a 9:16 aspect ratio, the same as Stories and TikTok. The tricky part is the cover image, which gets cropped differently in the feed grid versus the Reels tab. Here's every crop with exact pixels.
Full vertical. Same as Stories and TikTok.
Instagram Reel Cover Size & Dimensions (2026)
Your Reel cover needs to work at three different crops at once. Upload at the full 9:16 size and keep important elements centered so nothing critical gets cut off in the feed or your profile grid.
Keep your text and key subject inside the centered 1080 × 1080 safe zone so it survives every crop. Avoid the bottom ~320 px, where Instagram overlays the caption, profile name, and audio ticker.
Don't want to wrestle with crops? Design a Reel cover in seconds with Krumzi's AI Instagram story maker. It exports at the exact 1080 × 1920 size automatically.
Where the safe zone sits
UI elements (caption, profile, like button) sit at the bottom and Instagram's logo at top right.
Every Instagram size in one place
A quick-reference table. Krumzi's AI designer handles these dimensions automatically when you pick the format, so this is really just for the manual crowd.
Or let Krumzi build the Instagram design for you.
Describe what you need. Krumzi handles the layout, fonts, and colors, then exports a ready-to-publish design at the exact 1080x1920 format. No template hunting.
Design a Reel cover with AIInstagram design tips that matter
Knowing the pixel sizes is half the battle. Here's what separates designs that get engagement from designs that don't.
Design covers for two crops at once
Reels show full 9:16 in the Reels tab but get cropped to 4:5 in the feed and 1:1 in your profile grid. Keep text centered in the middle 1080x1080 zone.
Leave bottom space empty
Instagram overlays caption, profile, and the music ticker on the bottom 320 pixels. Don't put critical text or faces there.
Use 30fps minimum
Lower frame rates look choppy in vertical scroll. 60fps is even better but optional.
Hook in the first second
Instagram auto-plays Reels on mute and viewers swipe within 1 second. Your cover and opening frame need to stop the scroll.
Frequently asked questions
1080x1920 pixels, 9:16 aspect ratio. Same as Instagram Stories and TikTok videos.
1080x1920 pixels (9:16). The cover crops differently in the feed (4:5) and grid (1:1), so design with both crops in mind by keeping text centered.
Upload your Reel cover at 1080 × 1920 px (9:16). Instagram crops it to 1080 × 1350 px (4:5) in the feed and 1080 × 1080 px (1:1) in your profile grid, so center your subject and text.
1080 × 1920 px at a 9:16 aspect ratio is the best Reel cover photo size. Design at that full size, then keep the important elements in the middle square so they stay visible across the feed and grid crops.
Instagram crops Reels to 4:5 (1080x1350) in the home feed and to 1:1 (1080x1080) in your profile grid. The full 9:16 only shows in the Reels tab. Design your cover with the 1:1 center zone in mind.
Yes, but Instagram will add black bars or crop awkwardly. For best results, shoot or export at 9:16 vertical.
Same dimensions (1080x1920, 9:16). The difference is duration and placement: Reels can be up to 90 seconds and appear in the feed and Reels tab; Stories disappear after 24 hours.
Related size guides
Designing for one platform usually means designing for several. Here's what people look up next.
Instagram Post
Portrait. Takes up the most feed real estate.
Instagram Story
Vertical, disappears in 24 hours.