How to Make Reels Longer on Instagram Story

You've just finished editing the perfect 90-second Instagram Reel, but when you share it to your Story, it gets chopped down to 60 seconds. It’s a common frustration that leaves creators wondering how to show off their full video. This guide walks you through the exact methods to get your long-form Reels onto your Story, breaking down the technical limits and offering both a direct workaround and a smart marketing strategy to make it happen.

Understanding the Limits: Why Reels Get Cut Short on Stories

First, it's helpful to understand why this happens. It's not a bug or a glitch, it's a result of how Instagram designed its different features. On one hand, Instagram Reels can now be up to 90 seconds long, giving you plenty of room to tell a story, share a tutorial, or create a funny skit. On the other hand, Instagram Stories are built from 15-second segments. While Instagram has made updates to allow for a seamless 60-second video to be uploaded as one Story clip, the 60-second limit is still a hard ceiling for any single video share.

So, when you create a 90-second Reel and hit the "Share to Story" button, Instagram automatically takes the first 60 seconds of your video and leaves the last 30 seconds on the cutting room floor. This limitation means you can't natively share a Reel that's longer than a minute and expect it to appear in its entirety. But don’t worry, there are effective ways to work around this.

The Go-To Method: Slicing Your Reel and Sharing Manually

The most direct way to get your full 90-second Reel on your Story is to take matters into your own hands. This method involves saving your Reel, manually splitting it into 15-second clips, and then uploading those clips sequentially to your Story. It takes a few extra minutes, but it creates a seamless viewing experience for your audience.

Step 1: Save Your Final Reel to Your Camera Roll

Before you get started, you need the original video file on your phone. The best way to do this is to save your Reel directly from the editing screen in Instagram before you post it. This gives you a clean, high-quality video file without the Instagram Reel watermark and username overlaid on it.

If you've already posted the Reel, you can still save it. Just go to your Reel, tap the three dots (...), and select "Save to your device." Keep in mind this version will have the watermark, which may not be ideal, but it will work just fine for this method.

Step 2: Use a Video Editing App to Split Your Reel into Segments

Once you have the video file, you'll need a mobile app to slice it into smaller pieces. You don't need professional software for this, free, user-friendly apps work perfectly. Some of the most popular and effective options include:

• InShot (iOS & Android): A fantastic all-around editor that makes splitting videos simple.
• CapCut (iOS & Android): Developed by the creators of TikTok, it's incredibly powerful and intuitive for short-form video.
• VN Video Editor (iOS & Android): A robust, free editor with no watermarks and easy-to-use tools.

How to Split Your Video Using InShot (Example):

The process is similar across most apps, but here's a quick walkthrough using InShot:

1. Open InShot and start a new video project, importing your 90-second Reel.
2. Drag the timeline playhead to the 15.0-second mark. You can pinch and zoom the timeline for greater precision.
3. Tap the "Split" button on the toolbar. This will cut your video into two clips: one 0-15 seconds and one 15-90 seconds.
4. Now, drag the playhead on the second clip to what would be the 30-second mark of the original video (it will show as 15 seconds into the new clip). Tap "Split" again.
5. Continue this process at the 45-second, 60-second, and 75-second marks of the original video.
6. When you're finished, you'll have six separate 15-second clips in your project timeline.
7. Delete all clips except for the first one and export it in high quality. Then, undo the deletions, delete all but the second clip, and export. Repeat this until you have all six clips saved individually to your camera roll.

Pro tip: To save time, an even easier flow is to simply split the video once, export the first 15 seconds, undo or re-import, then trim the start of the video to match where the last export left off. Rinse and repeat a few times. Some apps let you just tap on the second clip after the split and delete the rest - try a few ways to choose what feels fast for you in whatever app you’re using.

Step 3: Upload the Clips to Your Instagram Story in Order

With your six 15-second clips ready to go, the final step is to assemble them in your Instagram Story. This part is easy thanks to Instagram's "Select Multiple" feature.

1. Open Instagram and tap the "+" icon to create a Story.
2. Open your camera roll by tapping the square gallery icon in the bottom-left corner.
3. In the top-right corner of your gallery, tap the "Select Multiple" icon (it looks like a square layered on top of another).
4. Now, tap on your six clips in the correct order. You will see a small number (1, 2, 3...) appear on each selection. This part is important - tapping them out of sequence will jumble your video.
5. Once you've selected all six clips in order, tap "Next."
6. You'll now see all six Story segments lined up at the bottom of the screen. You can tap on each one to add stickers, text, or GIFs if you'd like, but for a seamless Reel experience, it's best to leave them as-is.
7. Hit "Next" again and share it to your Story.

Your followers will now be able to tap through your Story and see your 90-second Reel in its full glory, transitioning perfectly from one segment to the next.

A Smarter Alternative: The "Teaser and Link Sticker" Strategy

While the slicing method is effective, it does require extra work. If you're short on time or want to use your Story to boost your Reel's performance, the "Teaser and Link Sticker" strategy might be a better fit.

This approach leverages the algorithm to your advantage. Instead of putting the entire video on your Story, you share just enough to get people hooked and then direct them to the Reel itself. Here’s how it works:

1. Share your Reel to your Story as you normally would. Instagram will automatically grab the first 60 seconds.
2. Grab your audience's attention with engaging on-screen text. Use a curiosity gap to make them want to see the rest. Try phrases like:
   • "The last 30 seconds are the most important... tap here! 👇"
   • "Watch the full thing to see the final result."
   • "Full tutorial on our feed!"
3. Add the "Link" sticker to your Story. When you tap it, you should see an option to link to one of your Reels. Select the Reel you're sharing.
4. Place the sticker prominently on the screen where people are likely to tap.

The benefits of this method are huge:

• It saves you time. No need to download, slice, and re-upload videos.
• It drives engagement to your Reel. Every click from your Story to your Reel signals to the algorithm that people are interested in your content. This can lead to increased views, saves, comments, and reach for the Reel itself.
• It's a clearer call-to-action. Instead of passively watching a Story, viewers are actively clicking through to engage with your content on your feed.

Best Practices for Sharing Long Reels to Stories

Regardless of which method you choose, a few best practices will make your cross-promotion more effective.

Guide Your Viewers Through

If you use the manual slicing method, consider adding a small element that hints at a multi-part story. A simple "Tap for more..." text box or a pointing finger GIF on the first segment can encourage viewers to watch all the way through instead of swiping away after the first 15 seconds.

Keep it Visually Consistent

To create a smooth, uninterrupted experience, avoid adding different filters, stickers, or text to each of the six Story segments. The goal is to make it look like a single, continuous video. Adding different elements to each part can create a jarring and distracting experience.

Double Down on Your Hook

The first 3 to 5 seconds of any video are the most important, and this is especially true for long Stories. That first 15-second clip has to be engaging enough to make someone curious to see what happens in the next five clips. Make sure your Reel opens with strong momentum - a question, a bold statement, or powerful visuals.

Close with a Call-to-Action

On your final Story segment, even if you’ve used the manual upload, add a Link Sticker back to the original Reel. Add a CTA like "Save this Reel for later!" or "Leave a comment with your thoughts!" This strategy brings viewers back to the permanent post on your feed where their engagement can have a longer-lasting impact.

Final Thoughts

Although Instagram doesn't offer a one-click way to share Reels longer than 60 seconds to your Story, you still have full control. You can either opt for the hands-on approach of splitting your video into parts for a seamless story viewer, or you can use the strategic "teaser" method to drive valuable engagement directly to your Reel. Choose the one that best fits your workflow and marketing goals.

We know that creating compelling content is already a full-time job without having to worry about complex workarounds for different formats. That’s why we built Postbase from the ground up to handle today’s video-first social media. Our streamlined platform makes planning and scheduling your Reels, TikToks, and detailed Stories simple and reliable, so you can spend less time wrestling with tedious uploads and more time creating great content.