How to Export Premiere Pro for Instagram

Exporting a video from Premiere Pro should be the easy part, but when Instagram is the destination, it can feel like a guessing game. Get the settings wrong, and you’re stuck with black bars, a blurry mess, or a file so large it takes forever to upload. This guide cuts through the confusion and shows you the exact steps to export high-quality video for every Instagram format - Feed, Reels, and Stories.

First, Understand Instagram’s Video Specs

Before you even hit the export button, know what Instagram wants. The platform is picky about things like aspect ratio, resolution, and video length. Preparing your project for the right format from the beginning will save you a lot of frustration.

Aspect Ratios &, Resolutions: Fit a Vertical World

Instagram is a primarily vertical platform. While you can post landscape videos, they won’t perform as well because they don’t fill the screen. Here are the main formats you'll be working with:

• Instagram Reels &, Stories (9:16): This is the full vertical format, using the entire phone screen. Your resolution should be 1080x1920 pixels.
• Vertical Feed Posts (4:5): This is one of the most effective ratios for the main feed. It takes up more real estate than a square post without requiring the user to tap to see an even taller video. Set your resolution to 1080x1350 pixels.
• Square Feed Posts (1:1): The classic Instagram look. Square posts are still very common and work well. Your resolution should be 1080x1080 pixels.

Frame Rates, File Types, and Length

Beyond the shape of your video, Instagram has a few other technical requirements to keep in mind:

• Frame Rate: Instagram supports frame rates up to 30 frames per second (fps). While you can edit at a higher rate (like 60 fps for smooth slow motion), you'll need to export at 30 fps or lower. Common rates like 23.976, 24, 25, and 30 fps are all perfectly fine.
• File Format: The best file format for web video is an MP4 with an H.264 codec. This combination gives you a great balance of quality and small file size.
• Video Length Limits: Remember how long your video can be for each placement.
  • Reels: Up to 90 seconds.
  • Stories: Each story slide can be up to 60 seconds long (longer videos will be automatically split into 60-second chunks).
  • Feed Posts: Between 3 seconds and 60 minutes.

Set Up Your Sequence for Instagram Before You Start Editing

The best way to get a perfect export is to start with the right foundation. Instead of editing in a standard 16:9 widescreen format and trying to awkwardly reframe everything for a vertical output later, create a custom sequence first. It’s easier than it sounds.

Here’s how to do it step-by-step:

1. In Premiere Pro, go to File >, New >, Sequence.
2. A "New Sequence" window will open. Click on the Settings tab.
3. For "Editing Mode," select Custom.
4. Under the "Video" section, set your "Frame Size" to match your target Instagram format:
   • For Reels/Stories: 1080 horizontal and 1920 vertical.
   • For Vertical Feed Posts: 1080 horizontal and 1350 vertical.
5. Make sure "Pixel Aspect Ratio" is set to Square Pixels (1.0), "Fields" is set to No Fields (Progressive Scan), and your "Display Format" matches your frame rate (e.g., 30fps Timecode).
6. To save this for future use, click the Save Preset button. Give it a descriptive name like "Instagram Reel 9:16" or "IG Vertical Post 4:5" so you can find it easily next time.

By starting with a sequence that matches your final output, you can frame all your shots perfectly and see exactly what your audience will see as you edit. No more surprise cropping or awkward reframing during export.

The Best Premiere Pro Export Settings for Instagram (Step-by-Step)

You’ve finished your edit, the timing is perfect, your audio is mixed, and now it’s time to export. Follow these settings precisely for a crisp, high-quality video that looks professional on Instagram.

Open the export window by going to File >, Export >, Media (or hitting the shortcut Cmd+M on Mac / Ctrl+M on Windows).

1. Format and Preset Settings

This is your starting point. These settings determine the file type and give you a solid baseline to work from.

• Format: H.264. This is the universal standard for web video compression. It creates the MP4 files that platforms like Instagram prefer. It works everywhere and delivers excellent quality relative to its file size.
• Preset: Start with Match Source - Adaptive High Bitrate. This preset tells Premiere to look at your sequence settings (like resolution and frame rate) and apply them to the export, while also choosing a high initial bitrate for quality. We'll fine-tune this in the next steps.
• Output Name: Click on the blue file name to choose where you want to save the video and what you want to call it.
• Export Video and Export Audio: Make sure both of these boxes are checked.

2. The Video Tab: Dialing in a Perfect Picture

Scroll down to the "Video" tab. This is where you confirm your resolution and set the critical quality parameters.

Basic Video Settings

• Width &, Height: If you used the "Match Source" preset, these should already match your sequence settings (e.g., 1080x1920). If not, uncheck the box to the right and manually enter the correct dimensions for your Instagram format.
• Frame Rate: This should also match your sequence. If your sequence is 23.976 fps, it will export at that rate. Ensure it's 30 fps or lower.
• Field Order: Should be Progressive. Interlaced video is an old TV standard and will look terrible online.
• Aspect: Should be Square Pixels (1.0).

At the bottom of this section, check these two boxes:

• Render at Maximum Depth: This setting improves color accuracy and reduces visible color banding, especially in gradients like skies or backgrounds. It increases render time slightly but is well worth it for better color quality.
• Use Maximum Render Quality: This ensures better scaling, especially if your source footage is a different resolution than your sequence. Turn this on for sharper renders.

Bitrate Settings: The Single Most Important Export Setting

Bitrate determines how much data is used for each second of video. Think of it as the ultimate quality controller. Too low, and your video looks pixelated and blocky. Too high, and your file size becomes enormous with no visible benefit on Instagram's compressed platform.

• Bitrate Encoding: Choose VBR, 2 Pass (Variable Bitrate).
  • CBR (Constant Bitrate) assigns the same amount of data to every second of video, which is inefficient. Quiet scenes get the same data as action-packed scenes.
  • VBR, 1 Pass analyzes your video once to apply a variable bitrate. It’s faster but less accurate.
  • VBR, 2 Pass is the gold standard. It analyzes your video twice. The first pass identifies where the complex "high action" parts are, and the second pass intelligently allocates more data to those complex parts and less to the simpler parts. It takes longer to export but gives you the best quality for your target file size.
• Target Bitrate [Mbps]: This is where you tell Premiere your desired quality level. Instagram compresses everything heavily, so exporting with an astronomically high bitrate is a waste. Here are some solid recommendations:
  • For Reels &, Stories (1080x1920): Set the target bitrate to 10 Mbps and the maximum bitrate to 12 Mbps.
  • For Vertical or Square Feed Posts (1080 width): Setting the target to 8-10 Mbps and maximum to 12 Mbps is a great sweet spot.
  This is enough data for a clean, sharp video on a mobile screen without making the file huge. Instagram will re-compress it anyway, so feeding it a well-encoded file in this range gives you the best shot at a great final result.

3. The Audio Tab

Audio is just as important. Bad audio will make people swipe away faster than anything. These settings will make your audio sound great without adding unnecessary bulk.

• Audio Format: AAC (Advanced Audio Coding)
• Audio Codec: AAC
• Sample Rate: 48000 Hz
• Channels: Stereo
• Bitrate [kbps]: 128 kbps (This is standard for high-quality web audio. Anything higher is overkill for Instagram).

4. Save and Export!

Once everything is set, you're ready to go. Click the Export button at the bottom right. Depending on your video's length and the bitrate settings (especially VBR, 2 Pass), this could take a few minutes).

Big Time-Saver: Create an Export Preset

You don't want to have to dial in these settings every single time. Once you have them perfected, save them as a custom preset right in the Export window.

1. After completing all the steps above, look back at the top section of the Export window.
2. Next to the "Preset" dropdown menu, click the "Save Preset" icon (it looks like a downward arrow next to a sheet of paper).
3. Give your preset a clear name, like "Instagram Reel - 1080x1920 VBR 2 Pass" or "IG Feed 4x5."
4. Click OK. Now, your custom preset will appear at the top of the preset list every time you open the Export window, allowing you to export a perfect Instagram video in just two clicks.

Final Thoughts

By tailoring your Premiere Pro projects to Instagram’s specifications from the start and using optimized export settings, you can reliably produce high-quality videos that look sharp and professional on any mobile device. Mastering the nuances of sequence setup, H.264 format, and VBR, 2 pass bitrate encoding puts you in full control of your final product, ensuring your creative vision reaches your audience just as you intended.

Once your video is perfectly exported, getting it organized and scheduled is the next hurdle. We built Postbase for creators and marketers who live in a world of short-form video. The platform was designed from the ground up to handle Instagram Reels, TikToks, and Shorts without any fuss about compression or formatting. You can upload your finished video once, schedule it with a visual calendar, and trust that it will publish reliably every time, helping you focus more on creating and less on the logistics of posting.