Prepare a video for Instagram (Reels, Stories, posts)
Instagram re-encodes every video you upload. Giving it a clean file from the start (H.264, AAC, 30 frames per second (fps), the right dimensions) avoids upload rejections, unexpected black bars and a double loss of quality. Choose the format you want: the command adapts the picture without distorting it.
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The 9:16 vertical format is for Reels and Stories; 4:5 takes up the most space in the feed.
The lower the number, the better the picture and the larger the file.
How to use it
- Install ffmpeg if you haven't already.
- Open a terminal in the folder containing your file.
- Copy the generated command, adjust the file names if needed, then run it.
- Open the resulting file to check the result.
Black bars or cropping?
If your video is 16:9 and you're aiming for the vertical format, you have to choose: keep the whole picture with black bars at the top and bottom, or crop the center to fill the screen, losing the sides. For a blurred background instead of black bars, use the dedicated vertical format page.
9:16 vertical video with a blurred background
What the command does
The picture is scaled without distortion, padded or cropped, then encoded in H.264 with the "yuv420p" pixel format, the only one that plays everywhere. The audio is converted to AAC at 160 kbps, the standard for social networks.
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum length for a Reel or a Story?
These limits change regularly and depend on the type of post: check Instagram's help center before publishing. The command on this page doesn't change the length of the video; to shorten it, use the trimming page.
Why does my video look less sharp once it's published?
Instagram always re-compresses the video. To limit the loss, upload a video that's already at the right dimensions (1080 pixels wide) rather than a 4K video, and keep a CRF of 18 to 20.
Why 30 frames per second?
It's the most common frame rate on social networks. A 60 fps video gets reduced on upload anyway, and the file is twice as large for nothing. Choose "Keep the original frame rate" for sports or video games if you care about smoothness.
What does the -movflags +faststart option do?
It puts the file's index at the beginning: the video can start playing before it's fully loaded, which is useful for any file meant for the web.