Video Conversion

How to convert videos for Instagram

Posted December 22, 2017
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Clipchamp Utilities and video compression has been discontinued in 2021. But no worries. If you're looking to edit videos for Instagram, our free video editor is still fully equipped with easy editing tools to take your videos to the next level. It also lets you trim, cut, control speed, add captions and titles, create and insert GIFs, add stock media, voiceovers, green screen effects, and more. Get started with Clipchamp free online video editor now.

Photo by Jeremy Levin

Need to convert videos for Instagram?

If you’ve selected your video to post on Instagram but you can’t click Next in the app, it’s possibly because your video was recorded in a file format that Instagram doesn’t support.

For example you might see a screen like this where even though video files preview in the Instagram gallery, when you click Next the following step will not start and the video you selected will not upload:

Instagram gallery

The most likely explanation is that  your video may not meet Instagram’s specifications for file type, frame rate, dimensions, length or size.

What are Instagram’s requirements for videos?

To ensure that your videos work on Instagram, make sure they follow the correct specifications and consider Instagram marketing tips. For videos in your regular feed, these are:

  • Video format: MP4 or MOV

  • Audio: AAC

  • Video Codec: H.264

  • Frame rate: 30fps or below

  • Dimensions: 1080p or less

  • Playback length: Maximum of 60 seconds

  • File size limit: 15 MB

For Instagram stories, most of these specifications are the same with some key differences:

  • Length: Instagram story videos must be 15 seconds or less (although you can split up longer videos into 15-second fragments). Learn about the ideal instagram video length here.

  • Dimensions: Instagram stories are displayed vertically in the aspect ratio 9:16, the minimum dimensions are 600 x 1067 and the maximum is 1080 x 1920

For IGTV, your videos must be MP4s and meet the following requirements:

  • IGTV uploads from mobile devices can be up to 15 minutes and computer uploads can be up to an hour

  • IGTV videos can either be full-screen vertical (9:16) or horizontal (16:9)

  • The frame rate for IGTV videos needs to be at least 30 fps with a minimum resolution of 720p

  • Videos up to 10 minutes can be 650 MB maximum; longer videos can be up to 3.6 GB

If your video is in another format or is using a different video or audio codec, you’ll have to change it to MP4 first before posting it on Instagram.

You can convert videos for Instagram quickly and easily with Clipchamp.

Free in-browser video editor

Make professional videos in minutes

Convert videos for Instagram using the Clipchamp video converter

Here’s how to use Clipchamp to convert videos for Instagram:

Step 1: Log in to Clipchamp and select the video you want to convert

After creating a free account and logging in, go to Clipchamp Utilities and select your video. You can upload from your computer or drag and drop your video into this box in the Clipchamp dashboard to get started.

Drag and drop videos for conversion

The converter accepts a wide range of video formats as input. It works best in the latest version of Google Chrome on a desktop or laptop computer. If your video file is not on your computer yet, use Google Drive or Dropbox to copy it from your phone or AirDrop if you’re using Apple devices.

In-browser video editor.

Free forever. Make professional videos in minutes.

Step 2: Select MP4 as the output format

Go through the customization settings and make sure that MP4 is selected, which is the best file format that is suitable for Instagram uploads.

Optimize for MP4

Here you can also edit your videos to suit Instagram’s video ratios:

Select 720p under resolution

Step 3: Convert your video

Once you have the settings right, convert your video to get a video clip that Instagram supports.

When the processing is finished, you can save the file and then upload it to Instagram by copying it back onto your mobile device and selecting it in the Instagram app! Just make sure the compression has made the video small enough:

Successful compression

About our video converter

Clipchamp is an online video compressor and converter, making sharing of video files easier than ever. It’s free and all done in the browser, no prior experience not even a discounted marketing software needs to be bought and installed! Read more about how you can edit and rotate your #instagood videos for free in our post.

Editing videos for Instagram on your mobile device

In addition to converting files and getting them ready for publishing, another important aspect is the video content itself. Here are a number of useful suggestions of how best to go about making Instagram videos that stand out if you’d like to edit them on your phone – Best Instagram Video Editor: Make Your Videos Pop. Edit and optimize your videos now and start to make money on Instagram too!

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