Instagram Reel Size & Cover Dimensions (2026)
Instagram Reels are 1080x1920, the same as Stories. The tricky part is the cover image, which gets cropped differently in the feed grid versus the Reels tab. Here's everything you need to know.
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.
| Use | Dimensions | Aspect ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Reel cover (upload) | 1080 × 1920 px | 9:16 |
| Feed crop | 1080 × 1350 px | 4:5 |
| Profile grid crop | 1080 × 1080 px | 1:1 |
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.
Every Instagram size in one place
Use this table as a quick reference. Krumzi's AI designer handles these dimensions automatically when you pick the format.
| Format | Width | Height | Aspect ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reel video | 1080px | 1920px | 9:16 | Native vertical format. |
| Reel cover (recommended) | 1080px | 1920px | 9:16 | Cropped to 1080x1350 in feed, full 9:16 in Reels tab. |
| Reel cover safe zone (feed) | 1080px | 1350px | 4:5 | Keep text inside this center region. |
| Reel thumbnail (grid) | 1080px | 1080px | 1:1 | Profile grid crops to square. Center your subject. |
Or let Krumzi build the Instagram design for you in 30 seconds.
Describe what you need. Krumzi's AI handles the layout, fonts, colors, and exports a ready-to-publish design at the exact 1080x1920 Instagram format. No template hunting.
Instagram 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
Related size guides
Designing for one platform usually means designing for several. Here are the ones most people look up next.