OpenMock BlogVideo specs by platform
Instagram Reels app demo: 9:16 specs, safe zones, format
Reels want 1080×1920 vertical MP4 with key content clear of the UI overlays. The safe-zone layout, and how to make a 3D device demo for Reels in minutes.
A phone mockup in a phone-shaped video sounds redundant until you try the alternative: a raw screen recording at 9:16 fills the Reel with UI and looks like a bug report. Pull the camera back, put the recording on a 3D iPhone 17 with a gradient behind it, and the same footage becomes a product ad — with room above the device for a hook and below it for the platform's own overlays.
Instagram Reels video specs (September 2026)
| Aspect ratio | 9:16 (1080 × 1920) — full screen |
| Resolution | 1080 × 1920 recommended; Instagram compresses heavily |
| Length | Reels support multi-minute clips; promo demos perform best at 7–30 seconds |
| Format | MP4 (H.264, AAC) or MOV |
| Frame rate | 30 fps standard; 60 fps accepted |
| Safe zone | Keep essential content away from the bottom ~20% and top ~14% where captions, buttons and the username sit |
The safe zone is the spec people miss. Instagram draws its caption, audio label and action buttons over the bottom of the Reel and the account name over the top; a device mockup should sit in the middle 60% with the hook text just above it.
The export settings that fit Instagram Reels
Export 1080 × 1920 at 30 fps. Compose with the iPhone filling roughly the middle 55–65% of the frame height, hook text in a text shot above it, nothing important in the bottom fifth. Because Instagram compresses aggressively, keep backgrounds simple — a two-colour gradient or a blurred image survives better than fine texture — and set motion blur to low so the UI stays sharp.
A Instagram Reels demo that people actually watch
- The first frame is the thumbnail: start on the device with the screen already lit
- A quick flap or rotate on beat one, then hold — Reels reward one punchy move
- Use the iPhone 17 (not Pro) for consumer apps; the colour finishes pop on Reels
- Add the audio track in OpenMock (audio clips sit on the timeline) so timing is locked before you upload
- Loop it: Reels replay automatically, so end near the opening frame
Making it in OpenMock
- Open OpenMock in a desktop browser and set the canvas ratio to 9:16 in the top bar.
- Pick a device (or the frameless screen) and drop your screenshot or screen recording onto it.
- Set a two-shot: a fast 1-second flap that lands straight-on, then a 10-second hold while the screen recording plays; fade to a logo shot.
- Add a text shot for the hook and a logo shot at the end if you want a branded close; both are shots on the same timeline.
- Export video with the 9:16 — 1080×1920 (1080p) preset. Free exports are 720p/30 fps with a watermark; Pro gives you the full-resolution, watermark-free file.
FAQ
What aspect ratio should a Instagram Reels product video be?
9:16 at 1080 × 1920, always. Reels are full-screen vertical; anything else gets letterboxed or cropped.
How long should a Instagram Reels app demo be?
Seven to thirty seconds for a product demo. Longer Reels are allowed, but completion and replays favour short clips that show one feature.
Where should text go in a Reels app demo?
In the upper-middle of the frame, above the device — below the top 14% (username) and well above the bottom 20% (caption and buttons). OpenMock's text shots can be positioned; leave the bottom fifth empty.
Specs checked against Instagram's current Reels guidance and observed overlay layout on September 4, 2026. Platforms change limits without notice — re-check before a big launch.