How to Add a Cover Photo to an Instagram Post

Choosing a random, blurry frame as the public face of your Instagram Reel or video is a missed opportunity. A well-chosen cover photo does more than just avoid an awkward mid-sentence freeze-frame, it's a powerful tool for stopping the scroll, elevating your brand, and curating a profile grid that looks polished and intentional. This guide will walk you through exactly how to add or change a cover photo for your Instagram Reels and Carousel posts, and how to design them for maximum impact.

Why Your Instagram Cover Photo Matters More Than You Think

Before getting into the "how," it's worth understanding the "why." Your post's cover photo is one of the most underrated elements in your entire social media strategy. It's not just a thumbnail, it's a tiny billboard for your content.

• It's Your Content's First Impression: On your profile grid, the Reels tab, and the Explore page, the cover photo is the very first thing people see. A compelling cover entices a user to tap through and watch, while a confusing or low-quality one gets scrolled past without a second thought.
• It Curates Your Grid Aesthetic: A cohesive Instagram grid is the hallmark of a professional brand or creator. Custom cover photos are the secret to achieving this. They allow you to control the colors, style, and overall vibe of your profile, transforming it from a random collection of posts into a visually appealing portfolio. Think of each cover as a piece of a larger puzzle.
• It Boosts Brand Recognition: Consistently using your brand's fonts, colors, and style on your covers reinforces your brand identity. Over time, your followers will start to recognize your content in their feed before they even see your username.
• It Increases Clicks and Views: An intriguing cover, especially one with a headline or a hook, creates curiosity. It signals the value of the content behind the click, whether it's an educational tip, an entertaining skit, or an inspiring transformation. This directly translates to higher engagement rates.

How to Add a Cover Photo to an Instagram Reel

Reels are the lifeblood of many Instagram accounts, and thankfully, Instagram gives you full control over how they appear on your profile. You can either select the perfect frame from your video or upload a completely custom image you've designed separately.

Step-by-Step Guide (Before You Post)

Follow these simple steps when you're ready to publish a new Reel:

1. Create Your Reel: Film your video clips directly in Instagram or upload a pre-edited video from your camera roll. Add your audio, text, effects, and captions as you normally would.
2. Navigate to the Share Screen: Once your Reel is ready, tap "Next" to land on the final share screen. This is where you write your main caption, tag people, and add your location.
3. Tap "Edit Cover": Look for an image of your Reel with the words "Edit Cover" over it. It's usually right at the top, below where your caption goes. Tap on it.
4. Choose Your Cover Method: You now have two primary options:
   • Select a Frame from the Video: A slider will appear at the bottom of the screen, showing every frame of your video. Simply drag your finger along the slider until you find a high-quality, clear, and compelling frame. This is a great quick-fix if your video has a definitive "money shot."
   • Upload a Custom Cover: For a more professional touch, tap the "Add from Camera Roll" button. This allows you to select any image from your phone's photo library. This is the best way to add headlines, maintain brand colors, and achieve a truly consistent grid aesthetic.
5. Adjust the Profile Grid Crop: This is a step many people miss! At the top of the cover selection screen, you'll see a tab labeled "Profile Grid." Tap it. Instagram will show you how your chosen cover image (which is 9:16) will be cropped to a 1:1 square for your main profile feed. You can drag the image up or down to set the perfect crop. Make sure no important text or visual elements are cut off.
6. Save and Share: Once you're happy with the cover and its grid crop, tap "Done" in the top right corner. You'll return to the share screen, where you can tap "Share" to post your Reel.

How to Change a Reel Cover Photo After Posting

Made a mistake or had a change of heart? No problem. In a welcome update, Instagram now lets you edit the cover of a Reel even after it's gone live.

1. Navigate to the Reel on your profile that you want to update.
2. Tap the three dots (...) at the corner of the screen to open the options menu.
3. Select "Edit."
4. On the edit screen, look at the video preview at the top and tap on the word "Cover."
5. You'll be taken back to the familiar cover selection screen, where you can pick a new frame or upload a new custom image from your camera roll.
6. Adjust the profile grid crop, tap "Done," and you're all set!

How to Choose a Cover Photo for an Instagram Carousel Post

Unlike Reels, Carousel posts (posts with multiple photos or videos) don't have a dedicated "Edit Cover" button. For carousels, the cover photo is simply the very first slide in your sequence. You can't change it or reorder your slides after you've published the post, so it's important to be intentional from the start.

Strategy: Your First Slide IS the Cover

The key here is to stop thinking of the first slide as just the beginning and start treating it as the cover art. Here's a more strategic approach:

• Design the First Slide Deliberately: Before you even think about the other slides, design the first one to act as a compelling title page. It should grab attention and clearly communicate what the rest of the carousel is about.
• Use a Clear Headline or Hook: The first slide is prime real estate. Use it to post a bold headline like "5 Mistakes to Avoid When..." or a question like "Are You Using This Feature Correctly?" This gives people a reason to stop scrolling and start swiping.
• Ensure It Fits Your Grid: Remember that only this first slide will be visible on your profile grid. Make sure its colors, style, and composition align with your overall aesthetic. It needs to look just as good sitting on your feed as it does when someone is looking at the full post.

Since you can't edit it later, double-check that your first slide is perfect before hitting "Share." This simple mindset shift from "first photo" to "cover page" makes all the difference.

Best Practices for Creating Click-Worthy Cover Photos

Knowing how to set a cover photo is only half the battle. Designing one that actually works requires a bit of strategy. Keep these tips in mind.

Keep it Consistently On-Brand

Use your designated brand fonts, colors, and imagery. If you have a logo, you can place it subtly in a corner. Consistency builds recognition and makes your profile look professional and carefully managed, not haphazard.

Use High-Quality Images and Graphics

Whether you're pulling a frame from a video or uploading a custom design, your cover must be sharp and clear. A pixelated, dark, or blurry image immediately signals low quality and can deter viewers. Pay attention to good lighting and clear focus.

Add a Text Hook or Title

Like a great YouTube thumbnail, text on your cover can drastically improve your click-through rate. Use a short, bold, and easy-to-read headline that summarizes the value of the post. For Reels, remember to position your text so it isn't cut off by the 1:1 square crop on your main profile grid. Centralizing your text is usually a safe bet.

Mind the "Safe Zones"

On certain views (like the Reels tab), Instagram overlays UI elements like the "play count" or the Reels icon on your cover. While this is less of a concern now than in the past, it's still a good habit to keep your most important "hero" element - like a face or primary headline - close to the center and away from the extreme edges and corners.

Always Think About the Grid

Before finalizing any cover, mentally (or physically in a planning app) place it on your grid. How does it look next to your other posts? Do the colors clash or complement each other? A great cover works on its own and as part of your larger profile aesthetic. Over time, you can create beautiful patterns like checkerboards, color columns, or puzzle feeds purely with strategic cover photo design.

Final Thoughts

Setting a custom cover photo for your Instagram Reels and Carousels is a small step that delivers a huge payoff. It's your opportunity to make a great first impression, reinforcing your brand identity and turning casual visitors into engaged followers with a single, well-designed image.

Planning your content to create this kind of cohesive feed is so important. At Postbase, we designed our visual content calendar specifically to solve this problem. Seeing all your scheduled posts - and their carefully chosen cover photos - in one place allows you to visualize your grid ahead of time, ensuring everything looks just right before it ever goes live. It takes the guesswork out of building a beautiful brand presence.