Compress Video for Instagram
Instagram compresses uploaded videos itself, but starting with a smaller, well-encoded file uploads faster and looks more consistent.
Drag and drop your video here
or
Choose videoMP4, MOV, AVI, MKV, WebM and more · up to 500MB per file · select several to batch compress
reel-final-export.mp4
Ready to download
48 MB
from 265 MB
Posts faster and holds up better after Instagram's processing.
Speeds up uploading Reels and feed videos, especially on mobile data
Reduces the chance of Instagram's own compression making an already-heavy file look worse
Frees up phone storage after exporting from editing apps
Instagram file size limits
Instagram Reels support videos up to 10 minutes; feed videos up to 60 minutes.
Use the 'Basic' preset to keep quality high — Instagram will still apply its own compression on top.
Recommended settings
What we'd pick for this job. After choosing a file, resolution sits right under the compression settings, crop is under “Resize / crop”, and codec is under “Advanced settings”.
By quality · Strong
Small enough to upload fast, sharp after Instagram's pass.
H.264
The format Instagram handles most reliably.
1080p
Instagram shows at most 1080 pixels wide, so 4K only slows your upload.
9:16 for Reels, 1:1 or original for feed
Avoids automatic cropping.
Your editor's final export
The highest-quality version you have — we downscale it for you.
Tips for the best result
Get the aspect ratio right
Reels and Stories are 9:16 vertical. Use the 9:16 crop option so Instagram doesn't add bars or crop the frame in unexpected places.
1080p is the ceiling
Instagram displays video at up to 1080 pixels wide. Uploading 4K doesn't make your Reel sharper — it just makes the upload slower. Set Resolution to 1080p.
Export at 30fps
Unless you're posting sports or gaming footage, export from your editor at 30fps — it looks smooth on Instagram and leaves more bitrate for detail in each frame.
Start from the original file
Compression is lossy, so re-compressing a video that has already been shrunk (or sent through a chat app) stacks artifacts. Always work from the camera or editor export.
How it works
Step 1
Upload
Drop your file in — up to 500MB free.
Step 2
Pick a quality
Basic, Strong, or Superb compression.
Step 3
Download
Get your smaller video in seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Instagram applies its own compression to every upload to save bandwidth — starting with a smaller, cleanly-encoded file generally holds up better through that second pass than a huge, high-bitrate original.
It's optional since Instagram re-compresses anyway, but it does make the upload noticeably faster, especially for longer Reels edited in a separate app.
Yes — Reels currently support up to 10 minutes while regular feed video posts support longer uploads, though Instagram continues to adjust these limits over time.
No, compression only changes bitrate/file size — you still need to crop or export at 9:16 (or your intended ratio) separately before or after compressing.
'Basic' is recommended for Stories since Instagram already compresses them significantly — starting with maximum quality helps offset that second compression pass.