How to turn a photo into an Instagram Reel

What Instagram asks for

From Instagram's help page on reel size:

• Shape: any aspect ratio between 1.91:1 (wide) and 9:16 (tall). A vertical 9:16 clip fills a phone screen.
• Resolution: at least 720 pixels.
• Frame rate: at least 30 frames per second.
• Cover photo: 420 × 654 pixels (1:1.55) is recommended, and it can't be changed after you upload.

Two ways to do it

Image to Video animates your photo as it is, keeping its shape: a vertical photo gives a vertical clip. It suits portraits, products and old family photos.

Instagram Reels Maker always makes a 9:16 clip. Describe the scene, and add a starting photo if you like: it's cropped to 9:16 first.

Both make 5- or 10-second clips, with or without generated sound, starting at 24 credits (about ₹48) for 5 seconds without sound. New accounts get 10 free credits, so a first clip needs a credit pack.

Step by step

1. Pick the photo. A sharp, well-lit photo with some space around the person or object gives the motion room. Use only photos you have the rights to, and of people who agree.
2. Describe one movement. One action and, if you like, one camera move: “she turns towards the camera and smiles, hair moving in a light breeze” works better than a list of events.
3. Choose the length and sound. Five seconds is enough for most reels. Leave generated sound off if you'll add music from Instagram's library.
4. Download the MP4 to your phone, then start a new reel in Instagram and choose the clip from your gallery. Add text, music and a cover there.

Which photos work best

• Sharp and well lit, with the person or object large in the frame. Small, blurry faces tend to change as they move.
• Vertical, if you want the reel to fill the screen with Image to Video, which keeps your photo's shape.
• Not cut off at the edges: a little space around the subject gives hair, cloth or steam room to move.
• Few people and little text. One or two people move more naturally than a group, and AI video often garbles writing, such as signs and labels, as it moves.

Writing a good motion prompt

Say what moves, how fast, and what the camera does. Words like “slowly”, “gently” and “a slight smile” keep faces natural; big actions such as turning around or walking away change the picture more. A few prompts that work well:

• A portrait: “She looks up from her book and smiles at the camera, her dupatta moving softly in a breeze, slow push-in.”
• A product: “The camera slowly circles the bottle as light sweeps across it, on a plain grey background.”
• Food: “Steam rises from the bowl of dal while the camera moves gently closer, warm evening light.”
• A festival photo: “The diya's flame flickers and the string lights twinkle, as she turns her head slightly towards the camera.”

If a result looks wrong, change one thing in the prompt, such as a smaller movement or a slower camera, and try again.

Real examples

Both clips were made on KivoHeadShots, the first from an AI saree photo of an AI-generated person (not a real customer), the second from a description alone. Each is shown smaller here.

Before you post

Watch the clip on your phone from start to end, at full size: check faces and hands in particular. Then choose the cover in Instagram before you share, since Instagram's help page says the cover can't be changed after upload, and add a short caption or on-screen text so people know what they're watching with the sound off.

If the reel shows someone other than you, make sure they're happy for it to be posted.

Frame rate: one thing to know

Our clips come out at 24 frames per second, the frame rate of cinema, and at least 720 pixels across. Instagram's help page asks for at least 30 frames per second. If you want to follow that exactly, export at 30 fps from a video editor (most phone editors let you choose the frame rate when you export), for example when you add text or music there.