Instagram Reels are the platform's primary discovery format. Unlike feed posts - which mostly reach people who already follow you - Reels get pushed to new audiences by the algorithm, which makes them one of the most effective tools for growing an account organically.
The mechanics are straightforward once you've done it a few times. But there's more to Reels than hitting record: templates, photo slideshows, privacy settings, quality optimization, trial reels - all of it has specific steps that aren't always obvious from the app itself.
This guide covers it all, including how to make a Reel from photos, how to use templates, how to improve Reel quality, and how to keep a Reel private. For video clips to use as B-roll or visual support, ImgSearch's free video library is worth bookmarking.
How to Make a Reel on Instagram: The Basics
Step 1: Open the Instagram camera.
Open Instagram and tap the "+" icon at the bottom center of the screen (or swipe right from your feed). At the bottom of the camera screen, swipe to select "Reels."
Step 2: Record or upload your content
You have two options:
- Record in-app: Hold the record button to capture video. You can record multiple clips in sequence. Tap once to stop and tap again to start the next clip.
- Upload from camera roll: Tap the gallery icon in the bottom-left corner. Select video clips or photos from your device. You can select multiple files to combine them.
Step 3: Edit in the Reels editor
After capturing or selecting your content, you'll enter the editor. The tools panel on the left gives you access to:
- Audio - add music from Instagram's library, record a voiceover, or use original audio
- Length - set your target duration (15, 30, 60, or 90 seconds)
- Speed - slow down or speed up clips
- Effects - AR effects and filters
- Timer - set a countdown before recording starts (useful for hands-free filming)
- Dual - record with front and back cameras simultaneously
Step 4: Add text, stickers, and captions
Tap the sticker icon or "Aa" to add text overlays, GIFs, polls, and interactive elements. Use the auto-captions feature (under stickers → Captions) to generate automatic subtitles - always review them before posting.
Step 5: Choose a cover and write a caption
Select a cover frame or upload a custom thumbnail. Write a caption that describes the Reel and includes relevant keywords. Add hashtags if relevant.
Step 6: Set your audience and share
Choose who can see the Reel (more on privacy options below), then tap "Share" to post.
How to Make a Reel from Photos on Instagram
Instagram Reels aren't just for video - you can create a slideshow-style Reel entirely from still photos, or mix photos and video clips.
To make a Reel from photos:
- Open Instagram and tap "+" → Reels
- Tap the gallery icon (bottom-left) to open your camera roll
- At the top of the gallery, tap "Select multiple" or look for the multi-select option
- Choose the photos you want to include - they'll be added in the order you select them
- Tap "Next" to enter the editor
- Each photo will be displayed for a set duration. Tap a photo in the timeline at the bottom to adjust its length
- Add music, text, and effects as usual
- Post
Tips for photo Reels:
- Match the timing of photo transitions to the beat of the music for a more polished result
- Use photos with similar colour tones for visual coherence
- Add text overlays on individual photos to guide the viewer through the story
- Vertical photos (4:5 or 9:16) fill the frame better than horizontal shots
How to Make a 20-Photo Reel on Instagram
Instagram allows up to 20 photos or video clips in a single Reel. If you want to create a longer slideshow with exactly 20 images:
- Follow the steps above for creating a photo Reel
- When selecting from your gallery, select all 20 photos in the order you want them to appear
- In the editor, adjust the duration of each photo - by default, Instagram may give each photo 2-3 seconds. With 20 photos, you'll need to balance total duration against Instagram's 90-second maximum
- At 90 seconds total, each photo can be displayed for approximately 4.5 seconds. Trim to fit within the limit
- Add music and ensure the audio loop matches your total clip length
If your 20-photo Reel feels rushed, consider cutting to 10-15 photos and giving each one more breathing room. More photos don't always mean better content - each image should earn its place.
How to Make Reels on Instagram Using a Template
Templates let you drop your own photos or video clips into a pre-built Reel structure - complete with timing, transitions, and music already synced. They're one of the fastest ways to make a polished Reel without editing from scratch.
To use a Reel template:
- Open Instagram → tap "+" → Reels
- In the bottom toolbar, tap "Templates" (it appears as a grid icon)
- Browse available templates - you'll see previews of each with their timing and music
- Tap a template you want to use and tap "Use Template"
- The template will show you how many clips it needs and how long each one should be
- Tap each placeholder clip to add your own photo or video from your camera roll
- Once all slots are filled, tap "Next" to preview and edit further
- Adjust text, add captions, and post
Where else to find templates:
- When you see a Reel in your feed that uses a template, you'll often see a "Use Template" button on the post - tap it to use the same structure with your own content
- The Reels camera occasionally surfaces trending templates based on your location and interests
Templates are particularly useful for trends - when a specific audio clip and editing style go viral, using the template version ensures your clip matches the format that's performing.
How to Make a Trial Reel on Instagram
Trial Reels are a feature Instagram introduced to let creators test content with a non-follower audience before deciding whether to share it with their followers.
What Trial Reels do: When you post a Trial Reel, Instagram shows it to people who don't follow you - but not to your existing followers. After 24 hours, you can see how it performed (views, likes, comments, shares) and decide whether to share it to your followers or delete it.
This is useful for testing new content styles, topics, or formats without worrying about how your regular audience will respond.
How to post a Trial Reel:
- Create your Reel as normal
- On the final sharing screen, look for the "Trial" toggle or "Share as Trial" option (this appears below the audience settings)
- Enable it and tap Share
- After 24 hours, go to the Reel in your profile, tap the three dots, and select "Share to followers" if you're happy with the performance - or leave it as a trial-only post
Trial Reels are a low-risk way to experiment. If a new format flops with a non-follower audience, your followers never see it. If it performs well, you can promote it to your full audience with confidence.
How to Make a Reel Private on Instagram
By default, Reels posted from a public account are public - visible to anyone, including non-followers. If you want to limit who sees a specific Reel, you have a few options.
Option 1: Post to Close Friends only
On the sharing screen before you post, look for the audience selector. Choose "Close Friends" to limit the Reel to your pre-selected Close Friends list. This is the most direct way to post a Reel that not everyone can see.
Option 2: Switch your account to private before posting
If your account is set to private, Reels will only be visible to your approved followers - they won't be distributed to non-followers or appear in the public Reels feed.
Option 3: Archive a Reel after posting
If you've already posted a Reel publicly and want to remove it from public view without deleting it, you can archive it. Go to the Reel → tap the three dots → "Archive." The Reel moves to your archive and becomes invisible to everyone else, but you can unarchive it later.
Option 4: Delete the Reel
For complete removal: tap the three dots on the Reel → "Delete." This is permanent.
Note: Instagram does not offer a middle ground where a Reel is public but hidden from the Reels feed - it's either public, Close Friends, or private (account-level).
How to Make Instagram Reels Quality Better
Poor video quality is one of the most common complaints about Instagram Reels - and most of the time, the problem isn't the camera. It's something in the recording, upload, or compression process.
Film in the highest resolution your phone supports
Go to your phone's camera settings (not Instagram's camera) and make sure you're shooting in the highest available resolution. Instagram compresses video on upload, so starting with higher quality gives the algorithm more to work with.
Use good lighting
Compression artefacts are much more visible in dark footage. Instagram's algorithm applies more compression to videos that contain a lot of noise and grain, which dark footage produces. Natural window light or a simple ring light dramatically reduces this problem.
Avoid uploading a video that's already been compressed
If you edit in a third-party app (CapCut, InShot, etc.) and then upload to Instagram, make sure you're exporting at the highest quality the editing app allows. Exporting at low quality and then re-compressing through Instagram's upload process results in quality loss.
Upload over Wi-Fi, not mobile data
Instagram's mobile upload process can apply more compression on cellular connections. Uploading over a stable Wi-Fi connection often results in better final quality.
Use the recommended specs
- Resolution: 1080 x 1920 pixels (9:16)
- File format: MP4 with H.264 codec
- Frame rate: 30fps (60fps also accepted)
- Maximum file size: 650 MB
Don't use third-party watermarks
As Instagram's own ranking documentation explains, watermarked Reels - including those with TikTok watermarks - are deliberately shown to fewer people and receive less algorithmic distribution. Remove watermarks before uploading. Instagram's ranking documentation explicitly lists watermarked Reels as content that gets reduced reach.
Shoot vertically
Reels filmed natively (9:16) from the start look sharper than those filmed horizontally and then cropped. The cropping process involves upscaling, which introduces quality loss.
How to Make an Instagram Reel Go Quicker
"How to make Instagram Reel go quicker" typically refers to two different things - speeding up the video itself, or getting the upload/processing to finish faster. Here's both:
Speeding up video content:
- In the Reels editor, tap the "Speed" option in the left toolbar
- Select a speed multiplier: 0.3x, 0.5x (slower) or 2x, 3x, 4x (faster)
- Speed changes apply to individual clips - you can set different speeds for different segments of your Reel
Faster speeds work well for time-lapse style content, tutorials where you want to show a process quickly, or transitions. Slower speeds are popular for dramatic or aesthetic moments.
Speeding up upload or processing time:
- Upload over Wi-Fi rather than cellular data
- Keep the file size below 100 MB if possible - smaller files process faster
- Close other apps running in the background while uploading
- Avoid uploading during peak hours when Instagram's servers are busiest
How to Make a "Just a Boy" Reel on Instagram
"Just a Boy" Reels follow a popular trend that uses a specific audio clip - typically a clip from a song or sound with the phrase "just a boy" or a variation of it - synced with a specific style of editing, usually a reveal or transition format.
To recreate this trend:
- Search for the specific audio in Instagram's music library - tap the music note icon in the Reels editor and search for the exact audio clip used in the trend
- Once you find the audio, look for a Template option attached to it (if one exists)
- Use the template and swap in your own clips, matching the transition points
- If no template is available, watch a few Reels using that audio carefully and replicate the editing structure manually - typically a before/after reveal or a series of matching clips on the beat
A general approach for any trending audio Reel:
- Find the original trending audio by browsing Reels using that sound
- Note the exact timing of the edits relative to the music
- Film your clips to match the required moments
- Sync edits to the beat in the Reels editor
Trending audio Reels tend to perform better because Instagram's algorithm actively surfaces content using popular sounds, giving those Reels broader initial distribution.
Tips for Reels That Actually Get Reach
Getting the technical process right is the baseline. These habits consistently separate Reels that perform from those that don't:
Start strong. You have about one to two seconds before someone scrolls. Lead with something visually interesting, an unexpected statement, or a direct address to the viewer.
Don't watermark. Instagram explicitly reduces the reach of watermarked Reels and won't recommend them. This applies to TikTok watermarks especially.
Use original or trending audio. The algorithm favours Reels using audio from Instagram's library or trending original sounds.
Caption everything. A significant share of Reels is watched on mute. Auto-captions are built into the editor - always use them.
Post consistently. The algorithm rewards regular posting. Sporadic bursts followed by silence make it harder to build momentum.
Engage in the first hour. Responding to comments and shares immediately after posting signals activity to the algorithm and can boost early distribution.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I make a Reel on Instagram?
Open Instagram, tap "+" → Reels, then record in-app or upload from your camera roll. Add audio, text, and captions in the editor, choose a cover, write a caption, and share.
2. How do I make a Reel from photos on Instagram?
In the Reels camera, tap the gallery icon and select multiple photos. They'll be combined into a slideshow. Adjust the duration of each photo in the timeline, add music, and post.
3. How do I make a 20-photo Reel on Instagram?
Select up to 20 photos from your gallery in the Reels editor. Adjust each photo's duration to keep the total under 90 seconds, add music, and post.
4. How do I use a template for Instagram Reels?
Tap "Templates" in the Reels camera, choose a template, and replace the placeholder clips with your own photos or videos. You can also tap "Use Template" on any Reel in your feed that uses one.
5. What is a Trial Reel on Instagram?
A Trial Reel is shown to non-followers only for 24 hours before you decide whether to share it with your followers. It's a way to test content performance without full public exposure.
6. How do I make a Reel private on Instagram?
Post it to Close Friends only, switch your account to private before posting, or archive it after posting. There's no option to hide a Reel from the public feed while keeping it on a public account.
7. How do I improve the quality of my Instagram Reels?
Film in the highest resolution your phone supports, use good lighting, export at high quality from editing apps, upload over Wi-Fi, and avoid stacking compression by re-exporting already compressed files.
8. How do I speed up a Reel on Instagram?
In the Reels editor, tap the Speed option and choose 2x, 3x, or 4x. This applies to individual clips - you can use different speeds for different segments.
9. Why is my Instagram Reel getting low views?
Common reasons include: low video quality, third-party watermarks, inconsistent posting, content that doesn't hook viewers in the first second, or content that goes against Instagram's Recommendation Guidelines.
10. Can I use stock footage in an Instagram Reel?
Yes - stock footage works well as B-roll or supplemental visuals. Make sure you have the rights to use it and that it isn't watermarked. AI video libraries like ImgSearch offer free footage with clean licensing.
Final Thoughts
Instagram Reels is one of the more accessible paths to organic reach on any major social platform right now. The format rewards consistency, good audio choices, and content that holds attention from the first frame - none of which requires expensive equipment or professional production.
Start with one format - a photo slideshow, a tutorial, a trending audio Reel - and learn what works for your specific audience. The tools are all there in the app; the main thing is using them regularly enough to see what performs.
For video footage to use as B-roll or visual support in your Reels, ImgSearch's free video library has AI-generated clips you can drop in without watermark concerns or complicated licensing.
