DaVinci Resolve export settings for Instagram Stories.

Resolution

1080 x 1920

Frame rate

30 fps, constant

Codec

H.264, profile High, level 4.0

Bitrate

Restrict to (max data rate): target 8 Mbps (8000 kbps), max 12 Mbps

Keyframes

Every 2 s = 60 frames, 2 B-frames, closed GOP

Audio

AAC-LC, 128 kbps, 48 kHz, stereo

Colour

Rec. 709 (BT.709), 8-bit 4:2:0, limited (TV) range

Container

MP4 with Fast Start (moov atom at the front)

Instagram Stories publishes no bitrate. This follows YouTube's published table for the resolution, which every major platform handles well. Meta re-encodes every upload, so more bitrate than this mostly adds upload time.

Estimated size: 15.4 MB for 0:15.

Step by step in DaVinci Resolve

1. 1Open the Deliver page (rocket icon at the bottom of the window).
2. 2In Render Settings choose Custom Export, then set Filename and Location, and choose Single clip.
3. 3Video: Format MP4, Codec H.264. Pick the hardware encoder if your GPU offers one, else Native.
4. 4Resolution 1080 x 1920, Frame rate 30.
5. 5Quality: choose Restrict to and type 8000 Kb/s (Resolve takes kilobits, so 8 Mbps = 8000).
6. 6Encoding Profile: High. Key Frames: choose Every and type 60 frames.
7. 7Advanced Settings: Data Levels Auto, Color Space Tag and Gamma Tag Same as Project (Rec. 709 (BT.709), 8-bit 4:2:0, limited (TV) range).
8. 8Audio: Codec AAC, Data Rate 128 kb/s, Sample Rate 48000.
9. 9Click Add to Render Queue, then Render All.

Instagram Stories upload limits

Each value links to where it was published.

Common mistakes

• Exporting a 16:9 timeline for Instagram Stories. Build the edit at 1080 x 1920 (9:16) from the start, or Instagram Stories adds bars or crops your edges.
• Exporting at 50+ Mbps "for quality". Meta re-encodes everything and its own spec tops out at 25 Mbps for Reels and Stories; a huge file just uploads slower.
• Typing 2 into DaVinci Resolve's keyframe field. It counts frames, not seconds: at 30 fps that is 60.
• Entering 8 in a Kbps field. DaVinci Resolve takes kilobits: 8 Mbps is 8000.
• Uploading HDR (10-bit PQ/HLG) to Instagram Stories. There is no published HDR path, so colours can look washed out; export SDR Rec. 709.
• Leaving phone footage at a variable frame rate. Export at a constant 30 fps, or audio drifts and motion stutters after Instagram Stories re-encodes it.
• Going over the length limit. Instagram Stories: 60 seconds via API; app offers a trimmer for videos over 60 s (help); ads up to 60 minutes, split into cards.
• Restrict to is in Kb/s, not Mb/s: 20 Mbps is 20000.

Shinel Studios

Rather send the footage and get Instagram Stories-ready edits back?

Our editors cut, caption, colour and export to each platform's spec, with 2 revision rounds. Shorts come back in 48-72 hours, long videos in 5-10 days.