How to Post Longer Videos on Instagram
Instagram has been growing in popularity since its debut in 2010, and users tend to love Instagram’s focus on communicating via pictures and videos. The app is optimized for mobile devices, making it the perfect social media platform for today’s technology age. It’s never been easier to take and share high-quality photos.
Instagram has gradually added additional features as users demand more and more ways to communicate with friends and followers. However, Instagram continues to limit those same functions, requiring users to jump through hoops to accomplish their goals. One such goal is longer-length videos.
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The Length of Instagram Videos
With the advent of Instagram focusing on videos to compete with TikTok and YouTube, users can take videos, share them on their profile, send them via direct message, and post them to their Story. However, these videos come with time limits.
- Instagram Live can last up to four hours (previously one hour).
- Instagram Stories can last up to 15 seconds.
- Instagram Videos on your feed (formerly
IGTV
and
feed posts
up until Oct. 2021) can last up to 60 minutes.
- Instagram Reels can last up to 90 seconds (previously 60 seconds).
Of course, this can be annoying when you want to share something that doesn’t fit within these time constraints.
So how do you get around Instagram’s video limits? There are a few methods for getting your longer videos up on Instagram where they belong! It starts with deciding which option is best. You cannot make Reels, Live, or Videos longer than their preset limit, but you can make Stories “appear” longer.
If you have a prerecorded video that fits within the time constraints of Reels (now 90 seconds versus 60), it is best to publish it there so that the entire video gets seen. However, if you need to use Instagram Stories, it can overlap to appear as one (up to 100 clips at 15 seconds each with a slight, almost unnoticeable pause between them), which gives you plenty of time to use it in a 24-hour duration.
How to Post Longer Instagram Stories Videos
Uploading videos on Instagram Stories has a limit of 15 seconds per clip. If your video overlaps that limit, IG cuts it into 15-second segments (up to 60 seconds total). The best option is to use a third-party app to trim your videos before uploading them so that you can clip longer videos that overlap the 60-second limit. This way, it auto-plays the way you want, specifying the duration for each clip rather than the 15-second increments.
You can clip the first segment at 10 seconds, followed by 15 for the second clip, and then continue beyond 60 seconds to make your IG Story longer. As confirmed on Mashable, the maximum number of Stories (segments) per day is 100.
Even though Instagram limits your Story to 60 seconds total, you can continue adding more clips/segments to make it as long as you need—up to the 100 Story limit. Instagram auto-plays each piece, one after the other, with almost seamless precision.
Note: If you experience blurred videos or strange transitions between each clip, it may be your internet speed at the time of uploading, or Instagram needs more time to finish the publishing process. When we attempted to split a long video and upload it in segments using a third-party app, the transitions between clips got blurry for a second. Later, the blur disappeared, and IG showed a reasonably smooth transition.
Here are the methods available to make Instagram Stories longer.
#1 Upload Your Long Video to Instagram Stories Directly
The quickest way to upload your longer video to Instagram Stories is to add it directly to the app. Remember that Instagram only uses the first 60 seconds and cuts the segments into 15-second increments. Therefore, only the first minute of your video gets published, which is often undesired.
Go into Instagram and add the long video to your Story. IG automatically creates clips of 15 seconds and continues up to 1 minute in total. The rest of the video gets cut.
Note: This option may not work for some users. When we tried it on June 18, 2022, we kept getting an error after uploading the first 15-second clip. It would not continue to the next one.
#2. Use Multiple Clips to Make Longer Instagram Stories
The best and most straightforward way to make longer videos for your Instagram Story is to post your video in increments manually. This method allows you to post segments/clips that exceed the 60-second Story limit.
Many third-party apps do the legwork for you, splitting your video into 15-second segments or less, and some ensure that your video is Instagram-qualified (resolution, framerate, etc.). If not, Instagram automatically converts them to the required specs. Here are some of the best options to make Instagram Stories longer.
InShot for Android and iOS
InShot is one of the best options because you can make numerous edits to your video before uploading it, such as stickers, transitions, audio, filters, etc. Plus, you can get InShot for Android or InShot for iPhone. Add your video to InShot, make any desired edits, and then select to share it on Instagram. From there, you post it to your IG Story.
Story Cutter for Android
On Android, Story Cutter by Cubetix Private Photo Vault is an excellent second choice, mainly because it is easy to use and fast. We mention the publisher names to protect you from copycat apps and ensure you get the right one. With Story Cutter, you choose the video, select Instagram as the desired source, tap on Done, and then let it start the splitting process. From there, you share each clip/segment to Instagram Stories, and IG combines them to make your longer video.
Split video for iOS/iPhone
On iOS/iPhone, Split Video by New Marketing Lab, Inc is a good option. The app is 100% free with full functionality. What sets it apart from others is the controlled/limited ads.
CutStory for iOS
CutStory by LLC Sport Star Management is another iOS app that gets high ratings and offers extra editing options when making sequential 15-second clips for Instagram Story videos. However, CutStory incorporates a watermark unless you pay a premium price (relatively cheap) or subscribe, but there are no ads.
Continual for Instagram for iPhone
If you’re an iPhone user, consider shelling out $7.99 for Continual for Instagram. This app automatically trims your lengthier videos into 15-second increments for sharing them on your Instagram Story. You can then upload the clips together or individually.
If you’re looking for a way to cut and upload long videos to Instagram, it doesn’t get easier than this.
StorySplitter for iPhone
If you can’t justify the price for some video editing apps, StorySplitter is free for iOS users (.99 for the premium version). It does effectively the same thing, splitting videos into 15-second clips.
However, unlike Continual for Instagram, it doesn’t allow you to post videos in landscape format, and unless you spring for the premium version, it will watermark your images. Still, for a free app, it should get the job done.
Built-In Video Editors
You may also be able to use your phone’s video editing features to trim the video into 15-second increments, but it is challenging to do so. It can be difficult to pinpoint the exact times to clip, and you may miss segments during the cutting process. If you choose this option, you’ll have to make your 1-minute video and trim it to four (or more) 15-second (or less) clips, which you can easily upload to Instagram one by one.
Here’s how to upload your clips to Instagram Stories from your phone’s image gallery. Note that third-party apps have an Instagram button that automatically takes you to Instagram Stories.
- Tap the
icon (add icon) in the top-right section. - Select Story from the dropdown options.
- Tap on the video you want to add to your Story or select multiple videos and images by long-pressing one of them to open the multi-select option.
- Tap Next in the bottom-right section to continue to the next step.
- Tap on Separate for videos, images, or both, or choose Layout for images only.
- The selected files appear as clips/segments at the bottom of the new screen. Tap on Next to go to the next step.
- The Share screen appears at the bottom. Ensure Your Story has a checkmark, then tap on Share.
- Instagram will start the conversion/upload process.
Regardless of the method used to make Instagram Stories longer, when someone visits your Story, they’ll see your video segments/clips in the order you posted them. It won’t be 100% seamless, but it’ll be very close to your wanted narrative.
Method Three: Go Live
The one major downside to the two methods mentioned above is that your videos won’t be 100% seamless. Although Instagram Stories will play in order automatically, they may come across as mildly jerky where one clip ends and another begins.
If you want your video to be whole, try doing it live first.
Instagram live videos can be up to 4 hours long.
FAQs: Making Longer Instagram Videos
Can I put a link to my video?
When you create a post, you can always mention “Link in Bio” and direct people to your YouTube channel, website, or anywhere your video is shared. Thanks to their spam blocking protocol, Instagram doesn’t allow users to add links directly to their posts.
Final Thoughts
Instagram is incredibly popular because it’s an excellent platform for taking and sharing photos and videos with your followers. However, when you want to upload a video longer than one minute, Instagram’s time restrictions can be frustrating.
If you need to have your video posted on your Instagram feed, it’s best to take the time and make it as impactful as possible. Packing a catchy, high-quality, and engaging video into 15 seconds isn’t easy, but it’s possible.
