How to Master the Instagram Reel Cover and Grid (Updated February 2025)
The Instagram grid has gotten very confusing recently.
Some profile grids are now displayed as a rectangle while others are still perfect squares.
If you don’t design your posts correctly, you’ll end up with pieces cut-off—like so.
If you’re posting a reel, you’ll want to design a reel cover with the proper specifications to avoid this issue.
We’ve tested and re-tested reel covers, and as of early February (you never know when another update will go live), here’s our recommendation for specs to keep in mind as you design your reel cover.
Ensure that your critical elements are in the 1080x1080 square in the center.
When it’s time to post your reel:
As you are going through the posting process, you’ll choose the reel you want to upload. Then, you’ll arrive at a page titled “New reel,” where you can click to “Edit cover.”
If you click “Edit cover,” you will have the opportunity to pick a frame from your reel or “Add from camera roll.”
If you’ve designed a reel cover, you should save it in your camera roll, and you will select it there.
If you’re posting a single image or a carousel of images, you’ll want to design images with the following specifications.
