What an Instagram Reel is and how to start one
An Instagram Reel is a short video you film or upload directly in the Instagram app, set to music or sound, and post to your profile or feed. You create one by opening Instagram, tapping the camera icon at the bottom left, selecting "Reels" from the menu, and then either filming new video or uploading one you already have. The whole process takes between five and fifteen minutes depending on whether you're filming live or editing something you shot beforehand.
Reels are designed to be watched in full-screen, usually between 15 seconds and 10 minutes long, though most people keep them under 60 seconds. Instagram shows Reels to people who don't follow you if the algorithm thinks they'll watch it all the way through, so a Reel can reach a much wider audience than a regular photo post would.
Key Takeaways
- Open the Instagram app, tap the camera icon, and select "Reels" to start filming or uploading video.
- You can film directly in the app using the timer and speed controls, or upload a video file you made elsewhere.
- Add music by tapping the music icon before you film, or add it after by selecting "Audio" in the editing screen.
- Write a caption, choose who can see it, and tap "Share" to post your Reel to your feed or profile.
- Reels under 60 seconds that hold attention throughout tend to reach more people than longer ones.
Film a Reel using the Instagram camera
To film directly in the app, open Instagram and tap the camera icon at the bottom left of your screen. Swipe left until you see "Reels" and tap it. You'll see a blank video preview with controls along the right side: a timer icon (to set how long you want to film), a speed icon (to slow down or speed up your video), and a music note (to add sound before you start).
Hold down the red record button to film. You can film in one long take or tap and release to film in separate clips — each time you tap, a new segment is added to your Reel. If you want to add music first, tap the music note icon, search for a song or sound, select it, and choose which part of the song you want to use. Then start filming. The music will play while you record so you can sync your movements or speech to the beat.
When you're done filming, tap the checkmark. You'll see your video with editing tools at the bottom: a pencil icon for drawing or text, a sticker icon, and an audio icon to add or change the sound. Make any edits you want, then tap "Next."
Upload a video you already filmed
If you filmed video on your phone's camera app or another app, you can upload it as a Reel instead of filming in Instagram. Open Instagram, tap the camera icon, and select "Reels." Instead of recording, look for a gallery or upload icon (usually at the bottom left of the preview screen) and tap it. Select the video file from your phone's photo library.
Once you've selected your video, you'll see the same editing screen as if you'd filmed it in the app. You can trim the video to make it shorter, add music by tapping the audio icon, add text or drawings, and adjust the speed. Instagram will let you upload videos up to 10 minutes long, but shorter videos (under 60 seconds) tend to perform better because more people watch them all the way through.
Add music and sound to your Reel
Music is optional but makes a big difference in how engaging a Reel feels. If you didn't add music before filming, tap the audio icon (a musical note) in the editing screen after you've finished recording. You'll see a search bar where you can type the name of a song, artist, or sound. Instagram has a library of licensed music you can use for free — you won't get a copyright strike or have the audio muted.
When you find a song you like, tap it and you'll see a timeline showing the full length of the song. Drag the handles on either side to choose which part of the song plays during your video. If your Reel is 30 seconds long but the song is three minutes, you're selecting a 30-second chunk of it. Tap "Done" when you've chosen the section you want.
You can also use sounds that other people have created and posted in their own Reels. When you see a Reel with a sound you like, tap the song name at the bottom of the video and select "Use this audio" — it will take you to the Reel creation screen with that sound already selected.
Add text, stickers, and effects
After you've filmed and added music, you can make your Reel more visually interesting by adding text, stickers, or effects. In the editing screen, tap the "Aa" icon to add text. Type what you want to say, choose a font and color, and drag it to wherever you want it to appear on the screen. You can add multiple text boxes to the same Reel.
Tap the sticker icon to add emoji, GIF animations, or interactive stickers like polls or questions. Tap the smiley face icon if you want to add a filter that changes the colors or look of your video. None of these are required — a Reel with just video and music works fine — but they can help explain what's happening or make the video more fun to watch.
Write a caption and choose who sees your Reel
After you've finished editing, tap "Next." You'll see a screen where you can write a caption, just like you would for a regular photo post. The caption is optional, but it's a good place to explain what the Reel is about, ask a question, or include a hashtag so people can find it. You can also tag other accounts by typing @ and their username.
Below the caption box, you'll see privacy settings. By default, your Reel is visible to everyone who follows you and to anyone Instagram's algorithm shows it to. If you want to limit who can see it, tap "Advanced Settings" and choose "Close Friends Only" or "Hide Like and View Counts." You can also turn off comments if you don't want people to reply to your Reel.
When you're ready, tap "Share." Your Reel will post to your feed and profile, and Instagram will start showing it to people based on how much they engage with it in the first few hours.
What happens after you post a Reel
Once your Reel is live, you can see how many people have watched it, liked it, and commented by tapping on the Reel and looking at the numbers below the video. You can also see which accounts have watched it by tapping the eye icon. If you want to delete the Reel later, tap the three dots in the top right corner of the video and select "Delete."
You can repost the same Reel to your Stories, send it to friends as a direct message, or share it to other platforms like Facebook or TikTok. To do this, tap the share arrow icon below the video and choose where you want to send it. Reels you've posted stay on your profile permanently unless you delete them, so you can come back to them anytime.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I film a Reel on my computer instead of my phone?
No — you have to use the Instagram app on your phone to create and post a Reel. You can film video on your computer and save it as a file, then transfer it to your phone and upload it as a Reel, but you cannot create one directly from a computer.
What if I want to use a song that's not in Instagram's music library?
If you use a song that Instagram doesn't have a license for, the audio will be muted or the Reel won't post. Stick to songs in the Instagram music library to avoid this. You can search for the song you want by name, and if it appears in the results, it's safe to use.
How long does it take for my Reel to show up in people's feeds?
Your Reel appears on your own profile immediately, but it may take a few minutes to show up in your followers' feeds. Instagram's algorithm decides how widely to show it based on early engagement — if people watch it all the way through and like it in the first hour, more people will see it.
Can I edit a Reel after I've posted it?
You can edit the caption, turn comments on or off, and change the privacy settings after posting. You cannot edit the video itself, the music, or the text overlays — if you want to change those, you have to delete the Reel and create a new one.
What's the difference between a Reel and a Story?
A Story disappears after 24 hours and is only visible to people who follow you. A Reel stays on your profile permanently and can be seen by anyone Instagram shows it to, including people who don't follow you. Reels are also designed to be watched in full-screen, while Stories appear in a vertical strip at the top of your feed.