Instagram's Video Requirements
- Feed video: Max 100MB, up to 60 seconds
- Reels: Max 1GB, up to 90 seconds
- Stories: Max 4GB, up to 60 seconds
- Recommended: H.264 codec, MP4 format, 30fps
Why Instagram Looks Blurry After Upload
Instagram recompresses every uploaded video on their servers. If you upload a high-bitrate video (>8 Mbps), Instagram's algorithm makes bigger decisions about what to compress, often with worse results than if you pre-compress it yourself to a reasonable bitrate first.
Optimal Settings for Instagram Video
- Resolution: 1080p (1920 × 1080) for feed; 1080 × 1920 for Stories/Reels
- Codec: H.264
- Bitrate: 3.5–5 Mbps for 1080p
- Audio: AAC, 128 kbps stereo
- Frame rate: 30fps (or match your shoot fps)
Compress in One Step
Use Video Compressor to bring your video to the optimal Instagram settings. Upload, select 1080p output, compress, and upload to Instagram. The result will look noticeably sharper than uploading a raw uncompressed file.