How To Upload A Video From Your Computer To Instagram

Let's talk about how you can use Instagram to post images and video all from your desktop or mobile device.

It's no secret that Instagram is one of, if not the about, wildly used social media platforms in the globe. Information technology'southward not hard to understand why either—there are several unlike ways to share and create content all through this one app.

With Reels basically rivaling TikTok in popularity, it's safe to assume Instagram is going nowhere. So, let's talk about how y'all can use the platform to post images and videos all from your desktop or mobile device.

Instagram Video Resolution and Length

Right away, let's just make it clear that the supported file formats are mp4 and QuickTime. And then, if you're not sure whether your video is mp4 or QuickTime, check out our breakdowns for exporting in the most popular editing programs.

Exporting in Premiere
Exporting in Resolve
Exporting in Final Cut

Let's await at the specific upload requirements for your videos on Instagram.

You can upload a video with an aspect ratio between 1:1, ane.91:1, and ix:sixteen.
Videos should take a minimum frame rate of 30fps (frames per second) and minimum resolution of 720 pixels.
The maximum file size for videos that are ten minutes or less is 650mb. The maximum file size for videos upwards to sixty minutes is three.6GB.

Upon updating this article, Instagram has recently announced that IGTV is no longer a thing. Instead, the longer form content that was meant to exist hosted on IGTV tin can now alive directly on your feed.

The max length for videos is at present 60 minutes. So . . . that kind of changes everything about user experience on Instagram'southward feed.

Aspect Ratios to Choose From

You can also upload in a multifariousness of different aspect ratios, such as:

1:i Square aspect ratio: Standard foursquare format on the Instagram feed.
i.91:1 Landscape aspect ratio: Similar to 16:ix widescreen format.
4:5 Portrait aspect ratio: A slightly taller format than the standard square.

Instagram aspect ratios
Many content creators prefer the 4:v Portrait aspect ratio (864 pixel width past 1080 pixel height) because it takes upwardly the most onscreen real estate on the Instagram feed. The larger view too helps the perceived quality of the video.

If you're wondering near comprehend images, or thumbnails, Instagram has listed their recommended sizes equally 420px by 654px (or 1:1.55 ratio). Correct at present, you won't be able to edit your cover photograph once you've uploaded information technology.

In addition, the video codec required (if you lot demand this information) is as follows:

Progressive scan (no interlacing)
High profile
ii consecutive B frames
Closed GOP—GOP of half the frame rate
CABAC
Chroma sub-sampling: 4:2:0

Uploading from Your Mac or PC

Thanks to a recent update, you can now post photos and videos right to your feed . . . drum-scroll please . . . natively, right from your desktop! I'd similar to tell you that in that location's a deviation between uploading on a PC vs. Mac, but the truth is, they're exactly the same! Wait, that's a adept matter. Well, alrighty then.

Then, if you're wondering how to upload a video from your desktop, information technology pretty much works in the verbal aforementioned manner as uploading a photograph. You lot just pick the video that'southward already located somewhere on your desktop or difficult drive. In one case you select the video and hit "Upload" this is what yous can expect to run across, once you've uploaded the video to Instagram.

Insta Video Upload — *Video uploaded to Instagram.*

Yous accept options to choose a "Cover photo" based on the images throughout your video. Be mindful of this when editing this social-friendly video to make sure you have an prototype somewhere that could work as a adept cover photograph.

However, you still have the pick to cull a cover image from your desktop or difficult drive. You lot as well have the ability to trim downwards the video if it'due south too long, or yous need to start or end in a unlike identify.

There's also the choice to turn the video's sound off. This is in case the video features audio, or a song you might not desire or hasn't been approved by the 3rd party who created the video or music.

Reels

Instagram Reels is the app's latest and most popular feature. Retrieve of it every bit their ain version of TikTok. You tin can record, edit, and add effects to your video correct inside the app. It'due south a fantastic inclusion to the already growing platform. At the moment, you lot tin can't upload a "reel" from your PC, then you lot'll be limited to using this feature on your phone.

The idea is simple, though. Record bite-size clips within the app, so add together music, stickers, overlays, and titles to make whatever you desire in up to lx seconds.

Going Live

Going live on Instagram is a simple, straightforward procedure. By going to the "plus" sign at the bottom of your screen, simply like normal uploading practices, you'll find the pick to go "Live."

One of Instagram'due south most popular features allows other users—or "friends"—to bring together in on the alive stream with you. You can employ this for interviews or conversations for your followers to watch. Yous tin can also title the alive stream and so your audience knows what they're getting into earlier they tune in.

So, can you lot go live on your computer? Yes! But, commencement you'll need to download two apps.

The outset is called Yellow Duck. In one case yous download this complimentary software, it substantially produces a RTMP URL that yous tin enter into your encoding software—in this case, OBS.

Now, download OBS if you lot haven't already.

Then really, this process is equally unproblematic as entering your Instagram account into Yellowish Duck, and so taking that RTMP URL and copy and pasting into OBS. This allows you to use your laptop or webcam to stream from your calculator directly to Instagram!

Instagram Stories

A couple of quick side notes if you're uploading edited videos to Instagram Stories . . .

The Instagram Stories aspect ratio is ix:xvi (1080 px width by 1920 px pinnacle). Videos uploaded to Instagram Stories will automatically break into fifteen 2nd sections when played back by viewers, and there will be a slight pause between each department.

If you're looking to upload stories from your PC, as of right at present, you lot're but able to do so through tertiary-party apps. These apps are both paid and gratis, and they're primarily for scheduling and managing your account.

Be sure to look through their features to make certain they take everything you need before yous requite them your money.

Third-party upload & scheduling apps:

Hootsuite
Hopper HQ
Later
Eclincher

How to Upload a Video to Instagram from the App

In order to upload an edited video through the Instagram app, you lot'll start need to transfer the video onto your mobile device. The Dropbox app is the easiest, free method bachelor for both PC and Mac users.

Alternatively, Mac users can as well use the AirDrop feature to transfer files between iOS devices.

Prototype via Dropbox.

Get-go, create a free Dropbox account (if you don't already have one), and so upload your edited video to your online Dropbox binder. You can do this by uploading the file directly to the website or past installing the Dropbox desktop app on your computer.

The desktop app is simply a file folder that automatically uploads all content added to the Dropbox platform. Just drag-and-drib the video file to start transferring. Dropbox will notify you lot when your file has uploaded (synced), and you should see a modest green check marking on the file.

Adjacent, you'll demand to install the Dropbox app on your mobile device. Open up the Dropbox app and navigate to the edited video file. Click the 3 vertical dots to the right of the file name. This will open the options menu.

Scroll down the options and select Export.
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How to export videos to mobile

Yous'll and so exist asked where to export the file. Select Save to device. Afterwards, you might have the option to rename the file. From there, the video file should salve to the camera gallery or camera scroll on your mobile device.

You can now mail the video to Instagram, just every bit you would whatever other photo or video from your phone. Launch Instagram, and select the add together photo icon.

Yous should run across your video in the gallery. If you don't run into your video in the gallery, check one of the other folders, such as: Video, Instagram, Camera, or Downloaded.