How to Make Reels on Instagram, Step by Step

At a glance

The short route: tap + and choose Reel, record or upload clips, tap the arrow to edit, tap Next, then add a caption and cover and tap Share.
Instagram’s Help Center says you can record and edit up to 20 minutes, but Reels over 3 minutes won’t be recommended to new audiences.
Film vertical at 9:16, the full-screen shape. Instagram accepts ratios from 1.91:1 to 9:16.
Edits, Instagram’s separate editing app, gives more control than the in-app tools. It was free at launch.

How to make Reels on Instagram in 8 steps

These steps follow Instagram’s own 2026 guide for the mobile app. Menu labels shift between app versions, so match the icons if a word differs.

Open the Reels camera. Tap + at the bottom of the screen, then choose Reel. Some versions use Create at the top left, or a swipe right in Feed.
Set the length. Tap the duration option on the camera to pick the longest total you want before you record.
Record or upload clips. Hold the capture button to film, or tap the gallery icon at the bottom left to bring in videos or photos from your phone.
Add more clips. Each new clip joins the earlier ones automatically. The Align tool shows the last frame of the previous clip, which helps with transitions.
Open the editor. Tap the arrow when you have enough footage.
Add audio, text, effects and stickers. The next section lists where each tool lives.
Tap Next. This opens the share screen.
Finish and share. Write a caption, choose a cover, pick who can see the Reel, then tap Share.

Instagram’s guide suggests starting with a 15-second Reel, because short clips are easier to edit.

What tools can you use to edit a Reel?

Tool	Where to find it	What it does
Music	Music note icon at the top of the editor	Search songs, browse trending tracks, drag the waveform to pick the section, and balance volume against your own audio
Voiceover	Microphone icon after filming	Records narration over your clips
Text	Aa icon	Sets font, color and position, and a timeline controls when the text appears
Captions	Stickers icon, then the Captions sticker	Transcribes your speech so you can fix words and style them
Effects	Sparkle icon	Previews AR effects and filters; the bookmark icon saves one
Speed	Camera, before recording	Records at 0.5x, 2x or 3x
Timer	Camera	Counts down 3 or 10 seconds, or stops after a set recording time

In August 2026 Instagram announced First draft, which trims pauses from clips you select and lays them on a timeline. Engadget reported it on August 25, 2026, starting on iPhone, and we could not open Instagram’s own announcement.

The share screen holds the caption, the cover, tags for people and locations, and a Share to Feed switch. The cover is the image shown on your profile grid, and you can pick a frame from the Reel or upload your own.

After posting, you can change the caption, cover, tags and location. To change the video itself, delete the Reel and upload a new version. Our Instagram Reel size guide covers cover and crop details.

What other ways are there to make a Reel?

Use a template

Templates reuse another Reel’s music and timing while you drop in your own clips. Tap Create, then Reel, then Templates, choose one, tap Add media and select your clips in order. Tap Next to preview and share.

Remix or collab

To remix, open a Reel, tap the three dots, choose Remix this reel and pick a side-by-side, green screen or split screen layout. To collab, tag another account on the share screen and the Reel appears on both profiles.

Make a Reel on desktop

On instagram.com, select Create, then Post, then Select from computer and choose your video file. The next screen has a cover slider and a trim slider.

What is the Edits app?

Edits is Instagram’s standalone video editor for iPhone and Android. Instagram launched it on April 22, 2025 and called it free for download worldwide. You sign in with your Instagram account and can export without a watermark. Instagram’s 2026 guide lists a detailed timeline, layered audio tracks, keyframes and frame-by-frame control.

A post on Instagram’s creators blog (listed as April 9, 2026) says Edits records up to 4K at 60 frames per second. It recommends exporting at 2K, HDR and 60 fps and sharing directly from Edits, which gets priority processing. The current Edits page does not state a price, so check your app store.

What specs matter for Reels?

Spec	Value	Guide
Maximum length	20 minutes to record and edit; Reels over 3 minutes won’t be recommended to new audiences	How long Reels can be
Aspect ratio	9:16 fills the screen; Instagram accepts 1.91:1 to 9:16	Size guide
Resolution and frame rate	Help Center minimums of 720 pixels and 30 FPS; 1080 x 1920 is the usual 9:16 size	Size guide
Cover image	Help Center lists 420 x 654 pixels (1:1.55)	Size guide
Posting time	Instagram says to post when your audience is awake and most active	Best time to post Reels

The Help Center article on Reel size loads only with JavaScript, so we read its figures through a search listing. The 1080 x 1920 size is a common 9:16 export, not a number we found on an Instagram page.

What other guides get wrong. Older tutorials still show a camera that offers only 15 or 30 seconds, and some say Reels stop at 90 seconds. Instagram’s Help Center now says 20 minutes, and its @creators blog says 90 seconds was the recommendation limit until January 2025.

If you would rather have AI generate the clips, compare the tools first.

See the best AI shorts generators

Which Reels guide do you need next?

These guides cover length, size and timing. If your goal is income, see how to make money on Instagram, and for creating clips with AI start with how to make an AI video.

FAQ

How do I make a Reel on Instagram?

Tap + and choose Reel, then hold the capture button to record or tap the gallery icon to upload. Tap the arrow to edit, tap Next, add a caption and cover, and tap Share.

How do I make a Reel with photos and music?

Open the Reels camera, tap the gallery icon and select several photos. Then add music from the music note icon and adjust how long each photo shows.

What do Instagrammers use to make Reels?

Instagram offers two tools: the editor inside the app and the separate Edits app. Third-party editors such as CapCut can also export 9:16 video that you upload.

How long can a Reel be?

Instagram’s Help Center says you can record and edit up to 20 minutes. Reels over 3 minutes won’t be recommended to new audiences.

Can I edit a Reel after posting it?

You can change the caption, cover, tags and location. To change the video itself, you have to delete the Reel and upload an edited version.

How do I save a Reel as a draft?

While recording, tap Next, tap Next again, then tap Save draft at the bottom. To find it later, open your profile, tap Reels, then tap Drafts.

Can I make a Reel on a computer?

Yes. On instagram.com, select Create, then Post, then Select from computer and choose your file. Use the sliders to pick a cover frame and trim the video before you share.

Sources

Instagram: How to make Instagram Reels, the complete 2026 guide, checked October 27, 2026
Instagram: Reels features page (mirrors the Help Center article “Record a reel on Instagram”), checked October 27, 2026
Instagram Help Center: Record a reel on Instagram, checked October 27, 2026 (JavaScript-only page; text read on the features page)
Instagram Help Center: Reel size & aspect ratios on Instagram, via search listing, checked October 27, 2026
Instagram for Creators: Frequently Asked Questions, checked October 27, 2026
Instagram @creators: Finding success on reels in 2025 (January 21, 2025), checked October 27, 2026
Instagram: Introducing Edits (April 22, 2025), checked October 27, 2026
Edits by Instagram, checked October 27, 2026
Instagram @creators: Best Camera & Export Settings for High-Quality Instagram Reels (April 2026), checked October 27, 2026
Engadget: Instagram adds feature that automatically trims clips for Reels (August 25, 2026), checked October 27, 2026