What Instagram Reels are and where to find them
Instagram Reels are short videos — up to 90 seconds long — that you film, edit, and post directly in the Instagram app. They appear in a dedicated Reels tab on your profile, in the Explore page where Instagram shows them to people who don't follow you, and in your followers' feeds. Reels are Instagram's answer to TikTok: they're designed to be watched quickly, often with music, text overlays, and effects layered in.
You create Reels inside the Instagram app itself — there's no separate tool to read. The app provides music, filters, and editing tools built in. When you post a Reel, Instagram can show it to a much wider audience than a regular feed post, which is why many people use them to reach new followers.
Reels live in the camera section of Instagram. On your home feed, tap the camera icon in the top left corner, or swipe left from your feed. You'll see "Reels" as one of the options at the bottom of the screen.
Key Takeaways
- Open the camera in Instagram, tap Reels at the bottom, and record video clips up to 90 seconds total by holding the record button.
- Add music by tapping the music icon before or after recording, then choose a song and select the part you want to use.
- Use effects, text, and stickers during or after recording to match the style of other Reels you see on the platform.
- Post your finished Reel to your main feed, your Stories, or just to the Reels tab on your profile — each choice reaches different people.
- Instagram shows Reels to people who don't follow you, so they can help you reach a wider audience than regular posts.
Recording your first Reel step by step
Open Instagram and tap the camera icon at the top left of your home feed. Swipe left or tap the Reels option at the bottom of the screen. You'll see a blank recording interface with a large red circle in the center — that's your record button.
Hold down the red circle to start recording. Release it to stop. You can record multiple clips in one Reel by tapping and releasing the button over and over. Each clip appears as a small segment at the bottom of the screen. If you make a mistake, tap the X next to any clip to delete it. You can record up to 90 seconds total across all your clips.
Before you record, you can adjust the speed (slow motion or fast motion) and set a timer if you want the camera to record automatically for a set number of seconds. These buttons are on the left side of the screen. After you finish recording, tap the arrow at the bottom right to move to the editing screen.
Adding music and sound to your Reel
Music is optional but common in Reels. You can add it before you record or after. To add music before recording, tap the music icon (it looks like a musical note) at the top of the recording screen. Browse Instagram's music library, search for a specific song, or scroll through trending audio. When you find one you like, tap it to preview it, then tap "Use Audio" to set it as the background for your Reel.
If you add music after recording, tap the music icon again on the editing screen after you've finished your clips. The same library appears. Once you choose a song, you can trim it to start at any point — tap and drag the slider to pick which part of the song plays with your video.
You can also record your own audio — your voice, sounds from your environment, or both. The microphone icon lets you toggle sound recording on or off. If you record with sound and add music, both will play together, which can create a layered effect or sound messy depending on what you're doing.
Using effects, text, and stickers
After you record, the editing screen shows your clips in a timeline at the bottom. Tap the smiley face icon to add effects — these include filters that change the color or mood of your video, face effects if you're on camera, and motion effects that animate text or objects. Tap any effect to preview it on your clips.
Tap the "Aa" icon to add text. Type what you want, choose a font and color, and position it on the screen by dragging. Text can appear for the entire Reel or just for specific clips — adjust the timing by dragging the text segment in the timeline. This is how people add captions, jokes, or context to their videos.
The sticker icon (it looks like a square with a smiley face) lets you add stickers, polls, countdowns, or interactive elements. These work the same way as text — you place them on the screen and they appear for as long as you want them to.
Choosing where your Reel appears
When you finish editing, tap "Next" at the bottom right. You'll see options for where to post your Reel. You can share it to your Feed (which shows it to your followers), your Stories (which disappears after 24 hours), or just to the Reels tab on your profile (which only people visiting your profile will see). You can also choose multiple destinations at once.
If you want the widest reach, post to your Feed — Instagram will show it to your followers and potentially to people who don't follow you if the algorithm thinks they'll like it. Posting only to Reels means fewer people will see it unless they specifically visit your profile or find it through the Explore page.
You can add a caption, tag people, add location information, and turn comments on or off before you post. These settings work the same way as a regular feed post.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
The most common mistake is recording in poor lighting. Reels are watched on small phone screens, and bad lighting makes them hard to watch. Record near a window or with a lamp behind your phone to light your face or subject. Avoid recording with the sun directly behind you, which creates a silhouette.
Another mistake is making Reels too long or too slow to get to the point. Most people scroll past Reels in the first second or two. Hook viewers in the first frame — show something interesting, surprising, or funny right away. If your Reel is educational, get to the useful information in the first 10 seconds.
Don't ignore trending audio. When a song or sound is trending on Instagram, Reels that use it get shown to more people. You don't have to follow trends exactly, but using trending audio gives your Reel a better chance of reaching people outside your followers.
Understanding what happens when you post a Reel
When you post a Reel, Instagram collects information about how people interact with it — how many people watch it, how long they watch, whether they like it, comment, or share it. This data is visible to you in your Insights (tap your profile, then the menu icon, then "Insights"). Instagram also uses this data to decide whether to show your Reel to more people or fewer people.
If your Reel gets high engagement quickly — lots of watches, likes, and shares in the first hour — Instagram will show it to more people. If it gets low engagement, fewer people will see it. This is why timing matters: posting when your followers are most active can give your Reel an early boost.
Your Reel can also be saved, shared, or remixed by other users. If someone remixes your Reel, they create their own version using your audio or video. You can turn off remixes in your privacy settings if you don't want this to happen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I edit a Reel after I post it?
You can edit the caption, turn comments on or off, and change who can see it, but you cannot edit the video itself after posting. If you want to change the video, you need to delete the Reel and create a new one. This is why it's worth spending time on the editing screen before you tap "Share".
What's the difference between a Reel and a regular video post?
Reels are designed to be discovered by people who don't follow you — Instagram shows them in the Explore page and to a wider audience. Regular video posts are shown mainly to your followers. Reels also have built-in editing tools and music, while regular posts don't. If you want reach, Reels are the better choice.
Do I need to use trending audio to get views?
Trending audio helps, but it's not required. A Reel with original audio or less popular music can still get views if the video itself is interesting. However, using trending audio does give you a better starting chance because Instagram prioritizes Reels that use popular sounds.
Can I read someone else's Reel and repost it?
You can read a Reel to your phone, but reposting it as your own is copyright infringement and violates Instagram's terms. If you want to use someone else's Reel, ask permission or use the remix feature, which credits the original creator.
How long does it take to create a Reel?
A straightforward Reel with one clip and music can take 5 to 10 minutes. A more complex Reel with multiple clips, effects, text, and careful editing can take 30 minutes to an hour. The app saves your work as you go, so you can close it and come back later if you need to.