How To Continue Instagram Reels That Keep Cutting Off

You’ve just posted a minute-long Instagram Reel on your feed, excitedly anticipating all the new likes and comments. But when you’ve entered the Reel to check those likes and comments, you get a surprise. Your Reel has been cut to only 15 seconds, with more than half of your video missing.

It might provide little comfort to know this, but you’re not alone. For unknown reasons, this has been a frequent occurrence with Instagram users who rush to post their Reels and fail to realize that their original video length has been reduced at some point during editing.

To solve this Instagram Reels problem, take a look at the solutions in this article.

Restart Instagram

The quickest way to solve any issue with the Instagram mobile app is to simply shut off the app altogether and start over. It might be an in-app glitch that doesn’t let you upload Reels longer than 15 seconds. Of course, your actual issue might be much more complex than a simple restart, but it’s always worth a try.

Restarting Instagram on Android, or any other app for that matter, requires a “force stop.” To find it, do the following:

1. Go to “Settings.”
   
2. Navigate to “Apps.”
   
3. Scroll until you find Instagram.
   
4. Press “Force stop.”
   
5. Go back to your Home screen.
6. Open Instagram again.
   

Log In and Out

The second most frequent solution to any platform that requires an account is to log in and out. The same goes for Instagram. Try logging out and back in to see whether you can post Instagram Reels at the length you want.

Clear Instagram Cache

The built-up cache can sometimes cause glitches in your apps. And that’s not just Instagram. You should occasionally clear the cache of all apps to keep them running smoothly and with no bugs, glitches, or the like.

To clear your Instagram cache and make Reels work properly again, do the following steps:

1. Go to your Android’s “Settings.”
   
2. Navigate to “Apps.”
   
3. Find Instagram.
   
4. Tap “Storage.”
   
5. Press “Clear cache.”
   

Return to Instagram and check if the Reels work as they should.

Update Instagram

If none of the above solutions work, it might be that you are using an old version of Instagram which is causing your Reels glitch. In that case, visit the App Store or Google Play and check whether there’s an update available.

Once you’ve freshened up your Instagram app, select a clip of 15-plus seconds and try uploading it to your feed. If the posting goes without a hitch, your problem is solved.

Reinstall Instagram

Reinstalling Instagram will have a similar effect as updating it. Long-press the app on your Home screen and tap “Uninstall” on both Android and iPhone mobile devices.

Then, go to the App Store or Google Play Store and download Instagram again. Try posting a Reel longer than 15 seconds and see what happens. If it doesn’t decrease its length to 15 seconds, consider your problem solved.

Upload Reels From Your Computer

Instagram’s desktop version might be limited in terms of video customization options. But on the positive side, you can easily upload videos of any length and solve the current problem. Moreover, the desktop Instagram version won’t need updating, so you can immediately rule that out as a possible issue if a problem occurs.

To upload a Reel on Instagram desktop, follow these steps:

1. Open the Instagram web app on your desktop.
   
2. Select “Create” from the left-side menu.
   
3. Drag media to the pop-up or press “Select from computer” and pick a video or photo from a folder.
   
4. Position your TikTok video by dragging the screen or changing its format with the two arrows in the bottom left corner of the pop-up.
   
5. Click “Next.”
   
6. Choose what’s going to be the cover of your Reel, trim the video, and disable the sound if you want.
   
7. Write a caption and add a location if you want.
   
8. Press “Share” to share the Instagram Reel to your feed.
   

Report the Problem to Instagram

As a last resort to your Instagram Reels problem, you can turn to professionals. They’ll probably know the cause of your issue and guide you through the solutions. If you don’t want to spend (possibly) hours on the previous steps, reaching out for help from Instagram’s support team can be the first thing you do when you encounter the current problem.

Here’s how to report a problem to Instagram’s Support Team:

1. Open Instagram on your phone.
   
2. Tap your profile picture.
   
3. Press the hamburger menu.
   
4. Go to “Settings and Privacy.”
   
5. Scroll down to “Help.”
   
6. Tap “Report a problem.”
   
7. Click “Report Problem Without Shaking.”
   

Note: Instagram now offers a way to report a problem by shaking your phone. Thus, you can shake your phone, continue with the same steps to report the problem, and then go back to posting a Reel.

1. Briefly describe what the problem is in the empty field.
   
2. Press “Send.”
   

FAQs

What’s the maximum length you can post as an Instagram Reel?

The maximum length that shows as an option when you’re trying to post an Instagram Reel is 90 seconds. However, as of July 2022, all videos under 15 minutes are classified as reels and will be posted in that format. The longest duration a posted video can be is 60 minutes.

What’s the aspect ratio of Instagram Reels?

The size of Instagram Reels is 1080px x 1920px with a 6:19 aspect ratio. If you upload Reels that don’t fit into that frame, your video might get cut off.

Why do Instagram Reels appear smaller on the feed?

The answer is because they are. When you share your Instagram Reels on your feed, they’ll be slightly cropped at the top and the bottom. However, you can view the whole Reel when you click on it.

Don’t Let Instagram Send Your Reeling

Glitches are a common experience for devoted Instagram app users. The more you use an app, the higher your chance of facing these issues. Often, it’s through no fault of your own. Fortunately, you can usually solve the problems with a few simple steps and continue using the app as if nothing happened.

Have you already experienced Instagram Reels being cut off? How did you solve the problem? Let us know in the comments.