What Is Instagram Reels and How Do You Use It?

Instagram Reels is an exciting way to record 15-second soundtracked clips, so if it sounds familiar – it is. Here's why you should use it and how.

What Is Instagram Reels and How Do You Use It?

Instagram recently announced the rollout of its new product – Instagram Reels – amids Trump’s threats to ban TikTok in the US. In short, reels are a new way to record and share 3 to 15-second soundtracked clips, so if it sounds familiar – it is. Here's why you should use it and how.

Instagram Reels is a (semi) new concept where you can share and discover engaging short videos on Instagram. Like TikTok, the new feature lets you edit 15-second multi-clip videos with various effects and audio to make the result as entertaining as possible. The only limitation is your own imagination.

As of right now, Reels is available in 50 markets globally, including the UK, the US, and Sweden.

How do Instagram Reels work?

Eager to give it a go? To create a reel, go into your Instagram stories camera and choose Reels, next to Story and Live. From there, you’ll have the opportunity to use a variety of editing tools like Audio, Effects, Align, Boomerang, and Speed to create seamless clips.

You can record your reels one at a time, all at once, or by choosing uploads from your phone gallery. Ready to get started? Press and hold the capture button to start recording, and you’ll see an indicator at the top of the screen as you record. Share your masterpieces with friends or if you have a public profile, the world.

How long can Instagram Reels be

Currently, the maximum length of an Instagram Reel is 60 seconds. Prior to that, the maximum length was 30 seconds, but Instagram decided to increase it – probably due to competition from TikTok. Since TikTok recently expanded its time limit on videos to 3 minutes, Instagram decided to increase the length to stay competitive in the market.

Reasons to use Instagram Reels

You can choose to share your reels via direct message, on your story, or to a dedicated space on the Explore page. Since your Instagram Reels might appear on the Explore page, just like TikTok videos on the For You page, people who don’t even follow you will be able to view your reels.

This means that whether you have a large-sized audience or not, your clips can be discovered by the wider community – purely based on engagement. If you ask us, this is a golden opportunity to grow your audience and get more followers.

More into the watching game? On the Explore page, you’ll find trending reels that’ll keep you scrolling for hours. Some of the clips are labeled as Featured, and if your reel ends up being one of them, you’ll get a notification.
Follow the link to get all the details about Instagram Reels.

Check out Epidemic Sound's library if you need royalty-free background music for your next Instagram reel.

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