Short-form video · Global

Instagram Stories export settings and upload specs.

What Instagram Stories publishes about stories uploads, with a link to each source, and the settings we would export with.

Recommended export

Shinel recommendation

1080 x 1920 · 30 fps · H.264 High level 4.0 · 8 Mbps VBR · keyframe every 2 s · AAC 128 kbps 48 kHz · Rec. 709 (BT.709), 8-bit 4:2:0, limited (TV) range

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.

Change resolution, fps or HDR in the generator

Instagram Stories upload limits

Each value links to where it was published.

Aspect ratio

9:16 recommended (API accepts 0.1:1 to 10:1); ads spec 9:16 with 1% tolerance IG User Media (Instagram Graph API reference: Reel Specifications, Story Video Specifications), checked 2026-10-25

Resolution

1440 x 2560 (ads spec); minimum width 250 px; API limit 1920 px horizontal Meta Ads Guide: Instagram Stories video ads, checked 2026-10-25

Frame rate

23-60 fps (API); ads spec asks for a fixed frame rate IG User Media (Instagram Graph API reference: Reel Specifications, Story Video Specifications), checked 2026-10-25

Video codec

H.264 or HEVC, progressive scan, closed GOP, 4:2:0 (API); ads spec: H.264, square pixels IG User Media (Instagram Graph API reference: Reel Specifications, Story Video Specifications), checked 2026-10-25

Container

MP4 or MOV, no edit lists, moov atom at the front (API) IG User Media (Instagram Graph API reference: Reel Specifications, Story Video Specifications), checked 2026-10-25

Bitrate

VBR, 25 Mbps maximum (API) IG User Media (Instagram Graph API reference: Reel Specifications, Story Video Specifications), checked 2026-10-25

Max file size

100 MB via API; 4 GB (ads spec) IG User Media (Instagram Graph API reference: Reel Specifications, Story Video Specifications), checked 2026-10-25

Max length

60 seconds via API; app offers a trimmer for videos over 60 s (help); ads up to 60 minutes, split into cards IG User Media (Instagram Graph API reference: Reel Specifications, Story Video Specifications), checked 2026-10-25

Min length

3 seconds (API) IG User Media (Instagram Graph API reference: Reel Specifications, Story Video Specifications), checked 2026-10-25

Audio

AAC, 48 kHz maximum, mono or stereo, 128 kbps (API); ads spec: stereo AAC 128 kbps+ IG User Media (Instagram Graph API reference: Reel Specifications, Story Video Specifications), checked 2026-10-25

Good to know about Instagram Stories

Ads spec: Stories ads under 16 s play in full; 16 s or longer may be split into up to three cards.
Ads spec safe zone: keep about 14% top, 35% bottom and 6% each side clear.

Instagram Stories export settings by editing app

Other Instagram formats

Frequently asked questions

What are the best export settings for Instagram Stories?

1080 x 1920, 30 fps, H.264 High, 8 Mbps VBR, AAC 128 kbps at 48 kHz, in an MP4. 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.

What is Instagram Stories's maximum file size?

100 MB via API; 4 GB (ads spec).

How long can a Instagram Stories video be?

60 seconds via API; app offers a trimmer for videos over 60 s (help); ads up to 60 minutes, split into cards.

What aspect ratio does Instagram Stories use?

9:16 recommended (API accepts 0.1:1 to 10:1); ads spec 9:16 with 1% tolerance.

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.

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