How to Upload a 3-Minute Video on Instagram

Uploading a video longer than a minute or two on Instagram can feel confusing, but it’s actually quite straightforward once you know where to post it. While the classic 60-second limit for feed posts is a thing of the past, Instagram now uses different formats that each have their own rules. This guide will walk you through exactly how to upload a 3-minute video and give you some pro tips to make sure it gets the attention it deserves.

Understanding Instagram's Video Landscape in 2024

First things first, let's clear up the confusion around Instagram's different video types. Over the last few years, Instagram has been simplifying its video offerings, merging several formats into one place. Here’s what you need to know:

• Instagram Reels: This is now the primary format for virtually all video content on Instagram. Originally created as a short-form competitor to TikTok (capped at 15, then 30, then 60, then 90 seconds), all videos uploaded to the main Instagram feed are now also shared and discovered as Reels. When you upload a video under 15 minutes, it gets posted as a Reel. This is the method you’ll use for your 3-minute video.
• Instagram Stories: Stories are ephemeral, vertical clips that disappear after 24 hours (unless saved to a highlight). Each individual Story clip can be up to 60 seconds long. If you upload a 3-minute video to your Stories, Instagram will automatically chop it into three 60-second segments. This works, but it isn’t ideal for an engaging, continuous viewing experience.
• Discontinued Formats (IGTV and In-Feed Videos): You might be looking for "IGTV" or the old "In-Feed Video" option. Both have been retired. Instagram merged IGTV and classic feed videos into a single format called "Instagram Video" in 2021, and has since consolidated that even further into the main Reels feed. So, when you follow the steps below, you aren’t doing a workaround - you’re using the "correct" and intended method for posting a video of this length today.

In short, to upload a 3-minute video, you will be creating a Reel.

The Step-by-Step Guide to Uploading Your 3-Minute Video

Ready to get your video live? Just follow these steps. It’s the same process for a 30-second clip or a 5-minute tutorial, because Instagram now funnels them all through the Reels creation flow.

Step 1: Get Your Video Ready for Upload

Before you even open the Instagram app, a little prep work goes a long way. To give your video the best chance of looking amazing, stick to these general formatting guidelines:

• Format: MP4 is the most reliable file format.
• Aspect Ratio: Vertical video (a 9:16 aspect ratio) is highly recommended. It fills the entire mobile screen and is the native format for Reels, offering the most immersive viewing experience. While you can upload horizontal or square videos, they will appear with black bars on the top and bottom.
• Resolution: Aim for at least 1080p (1080 x 1920 pixels) for crisp, professional quality.

Step 2: Start a New Post

Open the Instagram app on your phone. At the bottom of the screen, tap the center plus icon (+) to create new content. This will open your phone’s camera roll.

Step 3: Select Your 3-Minute Video

Navigate through your photo gallery and find the 3-minute video you want to upload. Tap to select it. Don't worry if the "Reel" label pops up, as mentioned, this is the standard flow now for all video posts. Once selected, tap "Next" in the top right corner.

If you have multiple clips, you can also select them here to stitch them together into one longer video.

Step 4: Make Your Edits

This is where you bring your video to life. On this screen, you have several editing options available along the bottom and side of the screen:

• Add Audio: Tap the music note icon to add a song from Instagram's library or search for specific trending audio. Keep in mind, for business accounts, your audio options might be restricted to copyright-free music. Alternatively, you can keep your original audio, which is perfect for vlogs, tutorials, or performances where the sound is recorded.
• Add Text: Tap the "Aa" icon to add text overlays. You can time the text to appear and disappear at specific points in your video, which is perfect for creating dynamic subtitles or highlighting main points.
• Add Stickers, Filters, and Effects: Gifs, polls, quizzes, and AR filters are all available here to add more personality and engagement to your video.
• Trim Your Video: Tap "Edit video" on the bottom-left. From here, you can trim the start or end of the video, re-order clips if you added more than one, or add transitions between scenes.

When you're happy with your edits, tap "Next" again.

Step 5: Write the Perfect Caption and Add Hashtags

You’re almost at the finish line! The final screen is where you set up everything before posting.

Write an Engaging Caption

Don't treat the caption as an afterthought. It's your chance to provide context, tell a story, and encourage your audience to engage. Start with a strong "hook" - ask a question or make a bold statement to stop people from scrolling. Finish with a clear call-to-action (CTA), like "Leave a comment below with your thoughts!" or "Check the link in our bio for the full tutorial."

Choose Relevant Hashtags

Hashtags help Instagram categorize your content and show it to users who are interested in your topic. Use a mix of broad, specific, and niche hashtags. For example, if you uploaded a tutorial on baking sourdough bread, you could use:

• Broad: #baking #breadmaking (millions of posts)
• Specific: #sourdoughbread #sourdoughtutorial (hundreds of thousands of posts)
• Niche: #sourdoughforbeginners #wildyeastbaking (thousands of posts)

You can add up to 30 hashtags, but many creators find the sweet spot to be between 5 and 15 highly relevant tags.

Step 6: Finalize Your Post Settings

Before you hit share, run through this quick checklist:

• Tag People: If other people are in your video or you’re collaborating with another brand, tap "Tag People" to give them credit.
• Add Location: Adding a location, whether a specific business or a general city, can increase discoverability.
• Edit Cover: This is important! The cover image is the thumbnail people will see on your profile grid and in the Reels feed. Tap "Edit cover" to choose a compelling frame from your video or upload a custom image from your camera roll. A well-designed cover can dramatically increase your view rate.
• Advanced Settings: Here, you can toggle on auto-generated captions for accessibility (highly recommended) and adjust other minor settings.

Once everything looks good, tap the big blue "Share" button. Instagram will begin uploading and processing your video. Because it's a longer file, it may take a few minutes depending on your connection speed. And that's it! Your 3-minute video is now live on your Instagram profile, shared to your feed, and ready to be discovered in the Reels tab.

Pro Tips for Making Your 3-Minute Video a Success

Just because you can upload a 3-minute video doesn’t mean people will watch all of it. Here are some strategies to hold viewers' attention from start to finish.

1. Capture Attention in the First 3 Seconds

Hook your viewers immediately. The average attention span on social media is fleeting, so you need to give them a reason to stop scrolling right away. Start with action, a compelling question, or a surprising visual. Let them know what they're going to get out of watching your video (e.g., "Here's the one mistake you're making with your sourdough starter...").

2. Use Subtitles or Text Overlays

A staggering number of users watch social videos with the sound off. If your video relies on talking or a voiceover, add clear, easy-to-read subtitles. Instagram’s auto-captioning feature works surprisingly well, and you can edit them for accuracy. For key points, use visually interesting text overlays to emphasize information.

3. Tell a Story

Longer videos work best when they have a clear narrative structure: a beginning, a middle, and an end. Even for a simple tutorial, you can frame it as a story. Show the "before" state (the problem), walk through the process (the journey), and reveal the "after" (the solution). This narrative arc keeps viewers invested and eager to see the final result.

4. Share It Everywhere

Don't just post your video and hope for the best. After it’s live, tap the paper airplane icon below your Reel and share it to your Instagram Story. This gives your most engaged followers a direct notification and another opportunity to see it. Consider cross-promoting on your other social platforms as well, guiding your audience from channels like X or Facebook over to Instagram.

Final Thoughts

Uploading a 3-minute video on Instagram is accomplished by posting it as a Reel, which is now the platform's all-in-one format for video content. By properly preparing your file, carefully editing it, and optimizing the caption and cover, you can effectively share longer-form content that resonates with your audience and grows your brand.

Once you’ve perfected your videos with great hooks and clear storytelling, managing a consistent content schedule shouldn't slow you down. While juggling multiple clips, formats, and platforms can be a huge time-sink for creators, we designed Postbase to eliminate that friction. Because it’s built video-first, you can visually plan and schedule your creations across all your platforms from one clean calendar, without the headaches of posts that fail to publish or clunky user interfaces - letting you get back to what you do best: creating.