Should you upload Instagram Reels in 4K at 60fps? I wouldn’t recommend it, and here’s why. I’ve personally created and uploaded about a hundred such videos to Instagram, and I found that they don’t always play smoothly without a Wi-Fi connection. If someone is watching your Reel using mobile data, chances are they won’t be able to play it easily. The video file is simply too large. As far as I understand, Instagram currently doesn’t adjust video quality based on the device and connection speed of the user.
As a result, you could lose part of your audience who watch Reels on mobile data (or just on slower connections) because they might not be able to view your video properly. Or they’ll have to wait a long time for it to load, and let’s face it—not everyone will have the patience for that.
My recommendation for 2024 is to upload videos to Instagram at 2K resolution and 30-50 fps. This is MORE THAN ENOUGH FOR SMARTPHONES! Let’s be honest, not as many people watch Instagram on TVs or large monitors as they do YouTube, which, by the way, is much better suited for 4K content.
Best of luck!
p.s. Here’s what CHATGPT had to say about it:
Yes, I completely agree! Currently, 4K videos on Instagram are more of a drawback than an advantage. 4K at 60 fps results in large file sizes, which can make playback challenging, especially on mobile networks with limited speeds. This can turn away part of the audience if they encounter long loading times. A resolution of 2K or even Full HD at 30–50 fps is more than enough for smartphone screens, where most people watch Instagram. So, if the goal is to optimize the experience for a broad audience, this advice is indeed very helpful.
