# How to make a reel on Instagram (2026 steps and data)

Ana Ibáñez Lario · Published 5 Oct 2026 · Research

_The exact taps to record, edit and share an Instagram reel, checked against Instagram's help center, plus what our study of 1,272 short videos says gets watched._

## The short answer

- Tap Create, tap REEL, record or add clips, tap Next to add audio and text, then tap Share.
- Reels can run 20 minutes, but Instagram won't recommend ones over 3 minutes to new audiences.
- In our study, hooks written as on-screen text drew 1.8 times the views of the same account's other videos.
- On Instagram Reels alone, ending with "let me know below" went with 45% fewer views.

Here is how to make a reel on Instagram: tap Create, tap REEL, then record with the Record button or add clips from your camera roll. Tap Next to add audio, text, stickers or effects. Tap Edit video to trim and reorder clips on the timeline, then tap Next, pick a cover, write a caption and tap Share.

We checked these steps against [Instagram's help center](https://help.instagram.com/2720958398006062) (iPhone app) on 5 October 2026. Labels can differ slightly on Android or after an update.

![Hooks written on screen drew 1.8 times the views](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/tz7vebuf/production/36de904b89cc982e3ceb5dc6d4dad7aef3c9c081-3200x1800.png?w=1200&auto=format)

_Hooks written on screen drew 1.8 times the views of the same account's other videos. Source: Postdom analysis of 1,272 TikTok videos and Instagram Reels from 160 accounts (data collected Oct. 2, 2026). Used in our guide on how to make a reel on Instagram._

## How to make a reel on Instagram, step by step

1. From your Feed, tap Create at the bottom.
2. Tap REEL at the bottom.
3. Tap Camera at the top to record something new. Tap and hold Record to film a clip, or tap once to start and again to stop. To use something you already filmed, tap your camera roll in the bottom left.
4. Use the tool menu on the left before or between clips. It has Music, Effects, Speed, Layout, Length (how long the next clip records, with a countdown before it starts), Dual camera and Align clips, which shows a see-through frame of your last clip so the next one lines up.
5. Tap Next. Add audio, text, stickers or effects here.
6. Tap Edit video in the bottom left. You get a timeline showing your clips, text, stickers and music. Tap text or stickers to edit them, tap the music to replace it, tap Add clips for more, or tap Reorder to drag clips into a new order. Use the trimmers on each clip to change its length.
7. Tap Next in the top right. Tap Edit cover to choose a cover frame or upload one, then write your caption, add a location, and choose whether to share to Facebook. More options lets you allow your reel to be used as a template or downloaded.
8. Tap Share.

Instagram notes that the music sticker isn't available to everyone. If you can't find it, [update the app](https://help.instagram.com/664508917489819) first. If you film elsewhere and upload, run the file through our [video spec checker](/tools/video-spec-checker) before you post.

## How long can Instagram reels be

You can record one clip or several that add up to 20 minutes, according to Instagram's help center in October 2026. The progress bar at the top of the camera shows how much you've used.

The catch is reach. Instagram says reels over 3 minutes won't be recommended to new audiences, so keep any reel you want strangers to find under 3 minutes. In our data, length made no reliable difference to views within that range.

## How to make a reel with photos

You don't need video. [Instagram's help center](https://help.instagram.com/270447560766967) says you can add photos and clips from your camera roll to a reel. Follow the steps above, and at step 3 tap your camera roll in the bottom left instead of recording. Press and hold any item in the gallery to preview it first.

Once your photos are in, tap Edit video and use the trimmers on each clip to set how long it stays on screen. Then add music from Audio so the photos have a beat to move to.

Templates are another way to do it. [Instagram's template steps](https://help.instagram.com/610485296790527): tap Create, tap Reel, tap Templates, pick one, tap Add media and tap your photos in the order you want, then tap Next. Instagram says templates only exist for reels with music and at least 3 clips.

If you want people to swipe through the photos at their own pace instead, post a carousel. Our guide on [how to make a carousel on Instagram](/blog/how-to-make-a-carousel-on-instagram) has those steps.

## Free reel maker

The reel editor inside Instagram is free and covers most jobs: clips, music, text, voiceover, timing and a cover. Instagram also makes a separate video app called [Edits](https://creators.instagram.com/edits/). Instagram says it captures up to 10 minutes, exports with no watermark, and adds a clip-level timeline and green screen.

Postdom has a [Free plan](/pricing) too: 5 posts a month, which can be short-form videos, on 1 connected account with no card. Posts on the Free plan carry a Postdom watermark. On paid plans it's on by default and you can turn it off in settings.

## Make Instagram reels faster with Postdom

[Postdom](/) reads your website and turns it into short-form videos in your brand: text over stock footage, your own clips or your website's photos, with music, voiceover and captions. You approve, edit or reject each one, and Postdom learns from what you choose. Approved reels are scheduled to Instagram Reels, and the same video can go to TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Facebook and LinkedIn too. Before anything is sent, captions, video length, file type and size are checked against each platform's rules.

By default nothing publishes until you approve it. When 9 of your last 10 videos of one kind go through without edits, Postdom offers to post that kind without review, which saves you the daily check once it knows your taste. Our guide on [how to schedule Instagram reels](/guides/how-to-schedule-instagram-reels) covers Instagram's own scheduler too.

## How to make a reel

Tap Create, tap REEL, record or add clips, tap Next, then Share. The buttons are the easy half.

Postdom studied 1,272 short videos, 1,120 TikToks and 152 Instagram Reels from 160 business, brand and creator accounts, and compared videos with and without each feature inside the same accounts. Here is what went with more views. You can read the full [study of what makes a short video go viral](/blog/what-makes-a-short-video-go-viral).

### Put the hook on screen as text

Videos whose opening line appeared as text on screen drew 1.79 times the views of the same account's other videos. Hooks that were only spoken drew 0.62 times. Videos with almost no text on screen did worse still, at 0.46 times.

One caveat for Instagram: on the 58 Reels in the sample with on-screen hooks, the lift was smaller, 1.16 times, and not statistically clear. Most of the signal came from TikTok. Text on screen still costs nothing to add.

Hook length didn't matter. Hooks of every length, from five words or fewer to more than 15, landed between 0.83 and 1.08 times typical views.

### Open on a real place, not a product close-up

Videos that opened on a real place, such as a street, a shop floor or a room, drew 2.28 times the views of the same account's other videos. On the 19 Reels that did it, the figure was 1.74 times. Opening on a product close-up drew 0.56 times.

![Opening on a real place drew 2.3 times the views](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/tz7vebuf/production/1626b7a80711bdc30be24d374d5c1bf963c544d8-3200x1800.png?w=1200&auto=format)

_Source: Postdom analysis of 1,272 TikTok videos and Instagram Reels from 160 accounts (data collected Oct. 2, 2026)._

### Cut every few seconds

Videos filmed in one take with no cuts drew 0.69 times typical views. Videos cut 10 to 25 times a minute, a new shot every 2.5 to 6 seconds, drew 1.53 times, and 1.16 times on Reels alone. List videos drew 2.12 times.

![Listicles drew 2.1 times the views. One-take videos fell to 0.7](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/tz7vebuf/production/332757dbea5c535f469f86785910424057cff05d-3200x1800.png?w=1200&auto=format)

_Source: Postdom analysis of 1,272 TikTok videos and Instagram Reels from 160 accounts (data collected Oct. 2, 2026)._

### End on a recap, not "let me know below"

Three in 10 videos ended with a soft invite such as "let me know below". Those drew 39% fewer views than the same account's other videos. Videos that closed with a quick recap drew 52% more.

On the 54 Reels that ended with a soft invite, the drop was bigger, 0.55 times. A recap helped less on Reels than on TikTok, at 1.16 times.

### Ask for a comment word, if you want comments

In our [study of what people save and comment on](/blog/what-people-save-on-tiktok), Reels whose caption asked viewers to comment a specific word, usually to get a guide or link, drew 5.1 comments per 100 likes, against 2.2 with no prompt. The Reels sample was small (17 and 46 Reels), and TikTok showed the same pattern.

Most of these videos were TikToks. On the 152 Reels, the effects mostly pointed the same way but were smaller, and the Reels groups are too small to be statistically clear on their own. These are correlations from a sample that included each account's best and worst videos, so trust the direction more than the size.

> **Make reels from your website**
>
> Postdom reads your website, makes short-form videos and slideshows in your brand, and schedules the ones you approve to Instagram Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Facebook and LinkedIn.
>
> [Try Postdom free](https://app.postdom.com/signup)

## FAQ

**How long can an Instagram reel be?**

Up to 20 minutes, but Instagram won't recommend reels over 3 minutes to new audiences.

**How do I add music to an Instagram reel?**

Tap Music in the tool menu on the left while recording, or tap Audio after you tap Next. You can choose which part of the song plays and, where lyrics are available, show them on screen. Instagram says the music sticker isn't available to everyone.

**How do I make a reel with multiple photos?**

Tap Create, then REEL, then tap your camera roll in the bottom left and pick several photos. Tap Edit video and use the trimmers to set how long each one stays on screen. Or use a template: tap Templates, pick one, and tap your photos in order.

**How do I add a voiceover to a reel?**

After you record or pick a clip, tap Edit video, tap Voiceover at the bottom, then tap or hold Record. You can record more than one voiceover clip and use the slider to set where each starts. To remove one, tap the voiceover track and tap Discard.

**Can Instagram read my text out loud?**

Yes, with text-to-speech. Add text to your reel, tap Edit video, tap the line with your text, tap Text-to-Speech and pick a voice. Instagram says it's only available in English in select countries, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Ireland and India.

**Can I schedule an Instagram reel?**

Yes, if your account is public. Before you share, tap More options, turn on Schedule this reel, choose a date and time, tap Done, tap Back and tap Schedule. Instagram allows up to 25 scheduled posts a day, up to 30 days ahead. Postdom also schedules reels, and by default you approve each one first.

**Can I change my reel's cover?**

Yes. On the last screen before you share, tap Edit cover to pick a frame from the reel or add an image from your phone.

**What do people use to make reels?**

Most use Instagram's own editor. Instagram's Edits app adds a clip-level timeline and green screen, and exports with no watermark. Postdom makes reels for you from your website.

**Why are my reels not getting views?**

In our study of 1,272 short videos, the weakest ones had little or no text on screen, opened on a product close-up, were shot in one take, or ended with "let me know below". On Reels, the soft-invite ending went with 45% fewer views. Start with an on-screen hook and a recap at the end.

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Canonical: https://postdom.com/blog/how-to-make-a-reel-on-instagram