What impacts does the switch from videos to Reels have on my Instagram publishing?
Instagram has deprecated the ability to create a standard video post. Instead all videos posted to Instagram are considered Reels. Due to this change, you won't see the option to select a standard post option when publishing videos to your Instagram account. Videos automatically get published as Reels in Sprout.
What if I don't want to post Reels?
You can't post standard videos natively on Instagram, either. Even natively, all videos are Reels. The good news is publishing Reels enables you to post longer and larger video files.
| Instagram Standard Video Specs (deprecated) | Instagram Reels Video Specs |
| Max Duration: 1 minute | Max Duration: 15 minutes |
| Max File Size: 1 GB | Allowed File Size: 1 GB |
| Allowed Aspect Ratio: 4:5 to 16:9 | Allowed Aspect Ratio: 0.01:1-10:1 |
| Custom Thumbnail: Can only choose a different thumbnail | Custom Thumbnail: Can choose a different thumbnail AND upload an external image as the thumbnail |
What if I don't want to post videos in the 9:16 format?
You can publish Reels with almost every aspect ratio. 9:16 is recommended for Reels to serve in the Global Reels tab.
Does this change mean I can publish Reels directly to Instagram from mobile?
Yes! However, for the time being, you are limited to the media specs of the standard video API.
