The social network Instagram allows its users to exchange not only photos but also videos. Many know that the service is quite capricious and therefore does not accept “anything”. And if it does, it “compresses” and cuts to such an extent that there is no trace of the original clip.
How to avoid visual losses in quality and resolution? It’s simple: take a look at the article and find recommendations on the format and size of videos on Instagram. This will allow you to add an interesting and enjoyable video to your feed.
What video file parameters does Instagram support in 2019?
Let’s move from words to action: let’s figure out what formats Instagram supports, as well as list all the system requirements of the social network, so that you can share quality news with your followers.
Video file resolution and format
Not long ago, the resolution standard for videos on Instagram was 640×640 pixels. However, the recommendations have changed. Specifically, for 2019:
- The aspect ratio of the video should be 4:5 (1080×1350 pixels) or 1:1 (minimum 600×600 pixels). This means that a square should be created. It is also possible to publish vertical videos in a 9:16 ratio, for example, for stories and Instagram TV, but then the clip will take up the entire screen and you will have to scroll down a lot to see the comments.
- The classic file format is Mp4 and mov. The first is used on Android, Windows, and so on. The second is popular on “Apple” Mac. Both have good quality and are practically indistinguishable from each other visually.
Important. The avi format is not supported by Instagram.
Bitrate and quality
Let’s talk about the quality of movies and the optimal bitrate for them. First of all, it’s worth noting what a file bitrate is. The bitrate is the amount of information processed per second. Its value reflects how much the clip has been compressed. If the format is not suitable, the social network reduces the real bitrate to 1000 kbps, which significantly affects the clarity of the picture. The maximum resolution and, accordingly, the maximum quality is achieved at a bitrate of 3000 kbps and above. To check the bitrate of a video file on a personal computer, you need to go to the folder where the suitable material is located, right-click on it, click on “Properties”, go to the “Details” tab, and scroll down to the “Transfer rate” line. That’s it. The necessary value will be there. It’s useful to know that if the bitrate parameter doesn’t match the Instagram requirement, pay attention to the conditional designation next to the number. If it’s in kbps, convert it to kB/s by multiplying the number by 0.125. Another important aspect is the codec type that compresses information in video clips. Only h.264 is suitable for Instagram, while others are often not attached to the post. As for the shooting quality, it’s much simpler. You can upload movies in Full HD (1080p) and lower, such as 720p, to your feed.
Duration of shooting
Attention should be paid to the duration of the video, as social networks have strict and specific requirements for this. Namely:
- For Instagram stories, clips up to 15 seconds long are accepted. Or several clips of 15 seconds each, totaling up to 1 minute.
- For the general feed, the video should end at 1 minute. If using the carousel option (up to 10 videos in one post), then it can be up to 10 minutes.
- For Instagram TV, material from 60 seconds up to 15 minutes (for phones) and up to 60 minutes (for personal computers) is suitable.
The maximum size of the uploaded video is also important, which is equal to 128 megabytes.
It is useful to know that if a clip has a duration that does not match the specified parameters, for example, when publishing a 2-minute file in the feed, the system will simply cut it to the specified 60 seconds.
How to trim a video to fit the parameters without losing quality
If the material you have filmed does not fit the Instagram social network standard, you need to manually “adjust” it. This can be done using:
- special extensions or online services on your computer;
- auxiliary utilities on your mobile phone.
You can change the video format for Instagram and cut it into parts through your laptop or PC using the Movavi application. To do this:
- Install the editor and launch it.
- Tap on “Edit video file”.
- Click “Import” and drag the clip to the bottom track.
- Put the slider on the part that needs to be divided.
- Click on the “scissors” icon.
- Save the result using the “Export” button.
- Go to the “Video Conversion” section.
- Select the desired format and complete the procedure with the “Convert” button.
Done. Now let’s look at the same process, but on an Android and iOS smartphone. To do this, download the InShot program via Google Market or AppStore. Instructions:
- Click on the “Video” button.
- Allow access to your device’s library.
- Transfer the appropriate footage from the gallery to the editor.
- Select the “Crop” tool and mark the area you want to highlight from the main time.
- Tap on “Canvas” and set the necessary aspect ratio. You can click on the InstaSeti icon and automatically “fit” the picture to the norm.
- Upload the result to your phone. Don’t forget to save it with the tag “Maximum video quality”.
Useful to know. InShot puts a watermark that can be removed for 149 rubles.
Possible problems and solutions
Now let’s consider the main problems that may arise when working with Instagram:
- Instagram does not support video. Most likely, your app version is outdated. Try going to the Market and updating it. If that doesn’t help, the issue may be with your operating system – it’s still in the old version. Go to settings and check the “System Update” section.
- A green screen appears instead of the video. Use the built-in cleaner on your smartphone and clear the cache, as well as other system junk.
- No sound. The reason may be that there was no sound initially or the speaker icon has a cross on it. Remove the restriction and everything will work.
- You cannot fast forward to the desired place. Unfortunately, this is not an error, it is how the Instagram program is designed.
If the problem is not resolved, report it to the social network’s technical support. This can be done through the settings in the “Help” section.
So, we have figured out what kind of video can be uploaded to Instagram. Follow the given technical parameters and then your clip will definitely please your followers.