How to set up, record, edit, publish Instagram Reels

Instagram was one of the first tech giants to take significant action following the downfall of TikTok in many markets and utilize the void left by the China-based content-sharing platform. As a result, Instagram introduced Instagram Reels, where people could discover, create, and share short videos. Reels stand different from regular Instagram videos because of their quick size.

How to record Instagram Reel

If you are new to Instagram, you should check out our previous explainer on what Instagram Reels is all about.  In this tutorial, we will see how to record Instagram Reels content. Well, we have split the entire process into three stages. The first thing you need to get started with Instagram Reels is an active Instagram account. You can create private and public Reels on the platform.

Private Reels are visible to those who follow your Insta account, whereas Public Reels get recommended to others who watch Reels. Besides, Instagram uses a few algorithms to shortlist Reels and put them under the ‘Featured’ label.

Part 1 – Set up your Instagram Reel video

In this step, you have to select a few aspects of your Instagram Reels, such as the music you want to use, the video’s playback speed, and the filters you want to put. To do this,

1. Open the Instagram app on your smartphone.
2. You can see a video icon on the bottom-left part of the screen, next to the Home button. Tap on that Camera icon to launch Instagram Reels.
3. This would open an Instagram Reels video recommended to you by the algorithm. We would ignore that for a moment. Now, tap on the Camera icon that you would see on the top-right side.

By now, you would be in the Recording interface for Instagram Reels. Before you start recording the video, you have got an option to edit the following options:

• Length: You can choose between 15 and 30 seconds as the length of the video.
• Audio: If you want to choose popular background audio for the video, you can do it from the menu. If you would like to add your original voice, you can skip this option.
• Speed: You can also change the playback speed of your Reels to anywhere between .5x to 4x. So, you have options if you want a fast-paced video or something ultra-slow-motion.
• Effects: As we do on Instagram stories and videos, you can select a suitable effect on Reels. You can choose between visual effects, voice changers, and other types of AR filters from the vast library.
• Timer: Instagram Reels also lets you set up a timer for the video. If you do this, you will have to handle a few seconds’ delays when recording the video.

Once you have set these up, you are ready to record the Instagram Reels.

Part 2 – Record and edit your Instagram Reel video

1. To record the Instagram Reels video, you have to tap and hold the Record button in the middle. Depending on the duration you had selected, you can record for 15 or 30 seconds.
2. Once you have recorded the content, you can now make a variety of changes to the video. For instance, you can add stickers, emojis, and texts to the video as an overlay.
3. After you have finalized the video content and stickers, Instagram would show you a quick preview of the Reels video. On the bottom-right portion, there is also an option to adjust the length and trim the video.

Now, you have prepared your Instagram Reels video for the most part.

Part 3 – Publish your Instagram Reel video

1. Tap on the Share button that you can see on the bottom-right side. On the upcoming screen, stick to the Reels tab and provide a caption for the Reels video.
2. You can also tap on the Cover button and choose what appears as your Reel’s video’s cover. Finally, you can tap on the ‘Share’ button. That is it! You have shared the first Reels to Instagram.

Once you have shared the Instagram Reels in general, you can share it elsewhere as well. Most importantly, you can share it on your Instagram story, which may attract more viewers.

Conclusion

As you can see, you do not need more than a few seconds to record an Instagram Reels video and publish it. However, it would be best to consider that the easy process means more and more people joining the platform. So, if you plan to make the best out of the Reels experience, you should care about the content you publish.

Instagram has made this platform for bite-sized content, which gains traction from so many people. So, you may want to keep your videos sweet, crisp, to-the-point if you are looking forward to achieving some followers on Instagram.

Another awesome thing about Reels is that users with a public profile have an option to gain an audience from the massive Instagram community across the globe, just like the case was with TikTok. To bring an intuitive feel to the whole process, Instagram adopted a few features first seen on TikTok. But, of course, it did add more features later.

In the end, Instagram Reels has become one of your best platforms to express your talents and pick up some audience. It does not matter whether you were active in TikTok or are entirely new to the world of bite-sized videos. You will have a good time creating content with Instagram Reels.

It is just that you should know the elements that matter and how you can record an Instagram Reel with all its charm and glory.