How long can an Instagram Reel be?

Instagram says you can record and edit a Reel up to 20 minutes. One clip or several clips can add up to 20 minutes. Reels over 3 minutes will not be recommended to new audiences. This page checks a length against those two lines. It does not post a Reel, and the length does not predict views.

Check a length

Instagram's published length

These rules are from the Instagram Help Center, Record a reel on Instagram, as read on 3 November 2026. The page says you can record and edit videos up to 20 minutes, and that one or multiple clips can add up to 20 minutes. It also says Reels over 3 minutes will not be recommended to new audiences. Reels is not currently available to every account. A YouTube Short has a different published length in the Shorts length checker.

Length	What Instagram says
90 seconds	Within 20 minutes. Not over 3 minutes.
3 minutes	Within 20 minutes. Not over 3 minutes.
3 minutes 1 second	Within 20 minutes. Over 3 minutes.
15 minutes	Within 20 minutes. Over 3 minutes.
20 minutes	The published maximum.
20 minutes 1 second	Longer than a Reel.

"Over 3 minutes" means longer than 3:00. A Reel of exactly 3 minutes is not over that line. "Up to 20 minutes" includes 20:00. Instagram does not say a Reel under 3 minutes will be recommended. The length does not predict views.

Questions about Instagram Reel length

How long can an Instagram Reel be?

Up to 20 minutes. Instagram says you can record one clip or several clips that add up to 20 minutes.

What happens if a Reel is longer than 3 minutes?

Instagram says Reels over 3 minutes will not be recommended to new audiences. A Reel over 3 minutes can still be within the 20 minute maximum. The note does not say the Reel cannot be posted.

Is a 90 second video still a Reel?

Yes, if it is within 20 minutes. 90 seconds is not over 3 minutes, so it is outside the note about new audiences.

Is a 15 minute video an Instagram Reel?

15 minutes is within 20 minutes, so it can be a Reel. It is over 3 minutes, so Instagram says it will not be recommended to new audiences.

Is this Instagram Reel length checker free?

Yes. It runs in your browser. There is no account and no charge. The length does not predict views.

Vlozy makes the video and can publish it to the Instagram account you connect. This page only checks the published length. See what Vlozy does.