How to Post Videos Longer Than 90 Seconds on Instagram

Trying to upload a video to Instagram that’s longer than 90 seconds? It can be deeply frustrating to hit that time limit, especially after pouring hours of work into creating amazing content. You’re not alone in feeling this - but the good news is, that limit isn't a dead end. This guide will walk you through all the current and effective methods for sharing your full-length videos on Instagram and keeping your audience engaged from start to finish.

Understanding Instagram's Video Limits Today

If you feel like Instagram’s video rules are constantly changing, you’re not wrong. Over the years, we've had standalone IGTV, separate video posts, Reels, and Stories, all with different specs and limitations. Thankfully, things have simplified a bit, but it’s helpful to know the current landscape before you start planning your content.

Here’s the breakdown:

• Instagram Feed Posts (Reels): As of today, nearly all videos uploaded to the main Instagram feed are treated as Reels. When you upload a video this way, you're currently restricted to a maximum length of 90 seconds. The days of uploading a 10-minute video directly to your grid are gone, as Instagram has fully prioritized the short-form format for in-feed discovery.
• Instagram Stories: Stories are designed for ephemeral, day-in-the-life content. You can upload a video of any length to your Stories, but Instagram will automatically chop it into 60-second segments. While powerful, this continuous string of clips isn’t always ideal for a cinematic or highly-produced long-form piece.
• Instagram Live: For real-time, long-form broadcasting, Instagram Live is your best friend. You can stream continuously for up to 4 hours. After your live broadcast ends, you can share the replay to your profile for followers to watch later.

So, if your video is three, five, or even fifteen minutes long and won't work as a live stream, what are your options? Let’s get into the practical strategies you can start using right now.

Method 1: Post as a Multi-Clip Video Carousel

One of the most effective and popular workarounds is to lean into a native Instagram feature: the carousel post. Instead of trying to cram everything into one 90-second clip, you can slice your longer video into smaller, digestible chunks and upload them as a single, swipeable post. This keeps the entire viewing experience right on your feed.

Why This Method Works Wonders

• Boosts Engagement: The swipe-through action actively involves your audience, and Instagram’s algorithm often rewards content that keeps users on the platform longer. As people spend more time swiping through your video clips, it signals to Instagram that your content is valuable.
• Maintains Audience Attention: It's easier to hold someone's attention in short bursts. By breaking your content into pieces, you give viewers a sense of progression and make your story easier to consume on a mobile screen.
• Perfect for Demos and Tutorials: This method is fantastic for "how-to" content, step-by-step guides, or behind-the-scenes narratives. Each clip in the carousel can represent one step or phase of your story.

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Video Carousel

Here’s how to do it seamlessly:

1. Plan Your Splits. Before you even open an editing app, watch your video and identify the most natural places to make your cuts. Look for pauses in narration, scene changes, or moments that create a small cliffhanger. Splitting your video at these points will make the transitions feel purposeful, not jarring. Aim for clips that are each under 90 seconds (under 60 is even safer for pure video carousels).
2. Edit and Export Your Clips. Use your favorite video editing software (popular mobile apps include CapCut, InShot, and KineMaster, desktop options are Adobe Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro) to slice your main video into the segments you planned. When exporting, make sure to name them in sequence (e.g., "Video-Part-1," "Video-Part-2") so it’s easy to select them in the right order.
3. Upload to Instagram. Open Instagram, tap the (+) icon to create a new post, and find your video clips. Instead of selecting just one, tap the icon for "Select Multiple" (it looks like a stack of squares).
4. Arrange Your Clips. Now, tap on your video clips in the order you want them to appear. A small number will appear on each thumbnail, showing its position in the carousel. Instagram allows up to 10 slides in a single carousel post.
5. Craft a Killer Caption. This is critical. Your audience needs to know they should keep swiping! Start your caption with something direct, like "Swipe to see the full process!" or "Part 1 of 4 👉 Watch the full tutorial right here in this post." This simple instruction massively increases the chances that people will watch your whole video.

Method 2: Broadcast and Save an Instagram Live

If your content feels conversational, interactive, or is more suited to a live-streaming format, then Instagram Live is the most straightforward way to share video much longer than 90 seconds. You can go live for up to four hours, giving you plenty of time for interviews, long tutorials, expert Q&As, or event broadcasts.

When to Use Instagram Live for Long-Form Content

• Hosting an interview with a guest.
• Running a real-time Q&A session with your audience.
• Giving an in-depth product demonstration.
• Taking followers behind the scenes of an event or company process.
• Teaching a workshop or class.

How to Prepare, Broadcast, and Save Your Live Video

1. Promote Your Session in Advance. Don't just go live out of the blue. Hype it up a few days before on your Stories and Feed. Use the countdown sticker in Stories so followers can set a reminder. Let people know the topic and exactly what they'll get out of tuning in.
2. Set a Title and Go Live. From your home feed, swipe right to open the camera, and then select "Live" from the menu at the bottom. You can add a title to your broadcast, which helps attract viewers who might not know what it’s about. When you’re ready, hit the broadcast button.
3. Engage, Engage, Engage. The magic of Live video is the two-way conversation. Greet people as they join, answer questions from the comments feed in real time, and make your viewers feel like part of the broadcast.
4. End and Share Your Broadcast. Once you're finished, tap "End." Instagram will then give you an option to Share the replay. Do it! This saves the entire live video stream so that followers who missed it can watch it from the beginning at their convenience. The replay will appear in a Reels video tab on your profile, ready for on-demand viewing.

Method 3: Tell a Sequential Story with Instagram Stories

While the video carousel lives permanently on your grid, you can create a similar long-form narrative using Instagram Stories. When you upload a video longer than one minute, Instagram automatically breaks it down into 60-second clips for you. This creates a tap-through experience that feels more immediate and personal than a polished feed post.

Why Stories Are a Great Fit

• Feels Interactive. The tap-forward nature of Stories makes the experience feel active. Viewers can also use interactive features like polls, quizzes, and reaction sliders on each segment, boosting engagement even further.
• Perfect for "Snackable" viewing. It aligns with how people already consume content on the platform - in quick, bite-sized pieces. People are already conditioned to tap through multiple Stories to get a full message.
• Extend Its Lifespan with Highlights. Got a great video that you don’t want to disappear in 24 hours? Save the entire series of Story clips to a dedicated Story Highlight on your profile. This turns your evergreen content into a permanent resource.

How to Post a Long Video to Your Stories

1. Upload Your Video. Swipe right from your feed to open the Story camera, then swipe up or tap the gallery icon to select your pre-recorded long video.
2. Let Instagram Do the Work. Instagram will take a few moments to process the video and will automatically split it into 60-second segments. You’ll see them laid out at the bottom of the screen.
3. Customize Each Clip. Don't just hit send! Tap on each thumbnail at the bottom and customize the segment. Add captions, use the text tool to write "Part 1 of 3," or use GIFs and stickers to keep things dynamic. Letting people know how many parts there are encourages them to stick around for the full story.
4. Post your Story by tapping "Your Story" at the bottom.

Method 4: The YouTube/Vimeo "Teaser and Link" Strategy

For your most polished, high-value, and evergreen long-form content (think detailed tutorials, documentaries, or podcast episodes), sometimes the best place for it isn't Instagram at all - it's YouTube or Vimeo. However, Instagram is the absolute best place to promote it.

This "Teaser and Link" strategy is used by top creators and brands everywhere. The goal is to hook your audience on Instagram and then drive them to the full video.

The Workflow: Hook, Tease, and Direct Traffic

1. Upload to a Proper Video Host. First, upload your finished, full-length video to YouTube or Vimeo. Take the time to write a great title, a keyword-rich description, and create a beautiful, clickable thumbnail. This is your content's "home base."
2. Create an Exciting Teaser For Instagram. Next, go back to your main video file and create a short, punchy trailer or "best-of" clip that’s perfectly formatted as a Reel (vertical 9:16, under 90 seconds). The goal of this trailer is simple: build intrigue and make people desperately want to see the rest. End it with a strong verbal or text-based call-to-action.
3. Post Your Teaser Reel and A Captivating CTA: Publish your Reel to Instagram with a caption that ends with an unavoidable CTA. Something like: "Find out how it all ends! Watch the full uncut video via the link in our bio."
4. Direct with Your "Link in Bio" and Story Stickers.
   • Update the link in your Instagram bio to go directly to your YouTube video URL.
   • Post pieces of the teaser, or other relevant clips to your Stories and use Instagram's 'Link' sticker so your followers can tap to go directly to the video without ever leaving the app. This is the lowest-friction method for directing traffic.

Final Thoughts

Instagram's 90-second feed limit doesn't have to hold you back. By leveraging native features like multi-slide carousels, Instagram Stories, and Live broadcasts, you can share rich, long-form content without leaving the app. Whether you keep your audience engaged on the platform or direct them to a dedicated video host, you can still tell deep, compelling stories that your audience will truly thank you for.

Organizing these different video formats - from short Reels to Carousel clips and teasers for other platforms - can become chaotic pretty quickly. We built Postbase because we believe managing social media, especially video-heavy content, should be simpler. Our visual calendar lets you plan all your content types in one place, while our scheduling tool was designed from the ground up for today's video-first reality, so your posts always go live reliably, whether it's a Reel, a Story, a TikTok, or a YouTube Short.