Scheduling Instagram posts, reels, stories, and notifications

When you use Buffer to publish to Instagram, you can either publish automatically or set a notification to finish the post yourself in the Instagram app. This applies to posts, reels, and stories. This guide covers how to create each Instagram post type, why some posts publish automatically while others are sent to your phone as a notification, and how to fix the most common reasons an Instagram post doesn't go out. Learn more about using notification publishing.

:::info Using the Buffer mobile app? See Scheduling Instagram posts, reels, stories, and notifications on the mobile app. :::

Should I use automatic publishing or notification publishing for my post?

Every Instagram post, Reel, or Story created in Buffer uses one of two publishing methods: automatic publishing or notification publishing. Select your preferred method using the Automatic / Notify Me toggle in the composer. The options available depend on Instagram’s publishing requirements for your post.

Automatic publishing: Buffer posts on your behalf at the scheduled time, with no action needed from you (set it and forget it). Automatic publishing is only available for Instagram professional accounts (Business or Creator) and only for posts that meet Instagram's requirements.

Notification publishing: Buffer prepares your post and sends a push notification to the Buffer mobile app when it's time to publish. You tap the notification and finish posting in the Instagram app. Notification publishing lets you add features that Instagram does not allow third-party tools to publish automatically, including music on Posts and Stories, stickers, product tags, and Story links. Learn more about using notification publishing.

:::info Notes

• A post scheduled as a notification will not publish automatically. You must have the Buffer mobile app installed, a mobile device linked to your account, and push notifications enabled. Without these, we're not able to send the notification, and the post will not be published. See the setup steps here.
• If you try to schedule a notification but do not have notifications enabled, you’ll be prompted to set up notifications on your mobile device.
• If an image or video falls outside of Instagram's accepted aspect ratio ranges, automatic publishing will not be available. Buffer will schedule the post for notification publishing instead.
• Due to API limitations, it is not possible to automatically publish to Instagram personal profiles. Instead, your post will need to be scheduled as a notification. :::

Why did my Instagram post go to my phone instead of publishing automatically?

If you set a post to Automatic but it was still scheduled as a notification (or shows a Notify label or an orange phone icon), it's because the post doesn't meet Instagram's requirements for automatic publishing. Buffer switches it to notification publishing so the post can still go out.

A post is scheduled as a notification when any of the following is true:

• Your Instagram account is a Personal account. Automatic publishing is only available for Professional (Business or Creator) accounts. Select Switch to a Professional account on your dashboard to change your account type.
• Enable Notifications by default** is turned on.** When this channel setting is enabled, every Instagram post is scheduled as a notification. To check it, select your Instagram channel, click the Settings (⚙️) gear icon, open the General tab, and make sure Enable Notifications by default is not enabled.
• Your image or video is outside Instagram's accepted aspect ratio range.
• Your Reel is shorter than 3 seconds or longer than 15 minutes.
• Your post includes a feature that Instagram does not allow third-party tools to publish automatically. Examples include music on Posts and Stories, Story links, Story text or stickers, product tags, and topics. Adding one of these features automatically changes the publishing method to Notify Me.

:::info Notes

• **Turning off "Enable Notifications by default" does not guarantee automatic publishing. The post still has to meet Instagram's account-type, aspect ratio, reel-length, and supported-feature requirements. See our automatic publishing checklist.
• "Sent" or "Published" in Buffer does not always mean your post is live on Instagram. For a notification post, that status only means Buffer sent the reminder to your phone. The post isn't live until you tap the notification and finish it in the Instagram app. If you missed the notification or the scheduled time has passed, open the Sent tab, find the post, and use Duplicate to create a fresh copy you can reschedule. There is no way to complete a notification post from your desktop. :::

Features available by Instagram post type

The table below shows which features are available for each Instagram post type, and whether they require notification publishing.

Items marked with * require notification publishing (you'll finish the post in the Instagram app). Learn more about adding music, stickers, and other effects.

	Post	Reel	Story
Images	✓ (up to 10 images and videos combined in a carousel, between 3:4 and 1.91:1 aspect ratio)*	✗	✓ (up to 10 images and videos combined; suggested aspect ratio is 9:16)
Videos	✗ (As of December 2023, all videos are viewed as Reels within the Instagram API.)	✓ (1) (video must be between 4:5 and 9:16 aspect ratio, and may not exceed 1920 pixels horizontally)	✓ (up to 10 images and videos combined; recommended size is 9:16; frame rate must be between 23 fps and 60 fps)
Video length	✗	between 3 seconds and 15 minutes	between 3 and 60 seconds
Tagging users	✓	✓ (Only if set as a notification)	✗
Tagging users in images	✓	✗	✗
Adding a location	✓	✓	✗
First comment	✓ (not supported for notifications)	✓	✗
Hashtag Manager	✓	✓	✗
Shop Grid	✓	✗	✗
Music	✓ (Only if scheduled as a notification)*	✓	✓ (Only if scheduled as a notification)*
Story Text	✗	✗	✓ (Only if scheduled as a notification)*
Story Link	✗	✗	✓ (Only if scheduled as a notification)*
Topics	✗	✓ (Only if scheduled as a notification)*	✗
Tag Products	✓ (Only if scheduled as a notification)*	✓ (Only if scheduled as a notification)*	✗
Collaborator post	✓ (up to 3)	✓ (up to 3)	✗
Trial Reel	✗	✓	✗

:::info Good-to-knows

• Video posts: As of December 2023, Instagram treats all videos as Reels in its API. A single video always publishes as a Reel. To also show a reel in your main feed grid, turn on Share to Feed (see Scheduling Instagram reels).
• How your images display in the grid: Instagram displays feed images in a 3:4 format, so if you upload a 3:4 image, it will appear in full view. Buffer's composer, calendar, and queue may show a square (1:1) thumbnail, but the post preview to the right of the composer will always show the true aspect ratio of your image. See Instagram's accepted aspect ratio ranges. :::

Creating your Instagram post, reel, or story

To create any Instagram content in Buffer:

1. Select your Instagram account on the left-hand side of your dashboard.

2. Open the composer at the top of your queue.

3. Select your post type: Post*, Reel, or Story.*

   

4. Upload the image(s) or video you want to include.

5. Type or insert the caption you'd like to use. (To include a caption on a story, or music on a reel, you'll need to schedule it as a notification.)

6. Select a publishing mode: Automatic to publish automatically or Notify Me to receive a notification. If you select Add Sticker or choose a feature that isn't supported for automatic publishing, such as Music, Tag Product, Text, Link, or Topics, Buffer switches the post to Notify Me. You can add a note for each feature as a reminder when completing the post on Instagram.

   

7. Schedule your post using one of our scheduling options, and you're all set!

:::info Good-to-knows

• Videos must be 300 MB or smaller.
• An Instagram carousel can only contain images. Carousels don't support mixed media, so you can't combine an image and a video, or include multiple videos, in one carousel post.
• For carousel posts, the first image determines the aspect ratio for the entire carousel. All subsequent images are cropped to match it. For example, if the first image is square (1:1), the remaining images will be cropped to appear square as well. This behavior is the same in Buffer and Instagram.
• If your image or video falls outside Instagram's accepted aspect ratio range, it will be scheduled as a notification, and you'll need to finish the publishing process manually. :::

Scheduling Instagram reels

You can schedule Instagram reels in Buffer by choosing Reel in the composer. A reel accepts one video (between 4:5 and 9:16 aspect ratio, no wider than 1920 pixels), 3 seconds to 15 minutes long, and up to 300 MB.

A few things about reels that often surprise people:

• All Instagram videos are published as Reels. Instagram no longer has a separate "video post" type in its API, so any single video you schedule (including through Buffer) publishes as a Reel. We don't support scheduling standard/landscape feed videos as a separate post type.

• Share to Feed determines whether your Reel appears in your main profile grid and the Reels tab. Enable it in the composer before scheduling. This setting cannot be changed after publishing, so you’ll need to delete and repost the Reel if you want to change it later.

  

• Reels with effects or caption links should use notification publishing so you can complete them in the Instagram app. Music is the exception, because you can add it in Buffer and still publish automatically (see Adding music to Instagram Reels below).

:::info Notes

• If a reel gets stuck on "processing" or "your post will go live soon," it may still be uploading in the background. Sharing the post Now may not leave enough time for the video to finish processing, so schedule the reel a few minutes into the future instead. For more help with videos that won't upload or publish, see Troubleshooting video uploads in Buffer. :::

Scheduling Instagram trial reels

A trial reel is shown to people who don't follow you first, so you can test a hook, format, or topic before your followers see it. In Buffer, you choose how the trial reel is shared when you create a Reel.

Before you start

• You need an Instagram Professional account (Business or Creator).
• Trial Reels need to be available for your Instagram account. Instagram doesn't let us check this for you, so Buffer asks you to confirm it the first time you turn Trial Reels on. To check, open the Reel composer in the Instagram app and see if the Trial toggle is available.

How to schedule a trial reel

1. Open the composer, select your Instagram channel, choose Reel, and upload your video.

2. Find Trial Reel in the composer and choose how you want to share it:

   • Off: Everyone sees the Reel as soon as it publishes.
   • Auto: Non-followers see it first. If it performs well, Instagram shows it to your followers after 72 hours.
   • Manual: Non-followers see it first. You share it with your followers when you're ready.

3. If you choose Auto or Manual, Buffer asks you to confirm whether Trial Reels are available when you create a Reel directly in the Instagram app. You'll need to confirm this before you can continue.

   

4. Finish your Reel and schedule it as usual.

:::info 📝 Note:

• Reels only. The Trial Reel options appear when Reel is selected.
• Trial reels and collaborators can't be combined. When you choose Auto or Manual, the Collaborators field shows "Not available on a trial reel." If you've already added a collaborator, the Trial Reel options show "Not available with collaborators."
• Check that Trial Reels are available before you turn them on. Open the Reel composer in the Instagram app and see if the Trial toggle is available. If it is, click Yes, I've Checked in Buffer.
• Buffer can't show whether your trial reel moved on to your followers. With Manual, you choose the moment in the Instagram app. With Auto, Instagram decides.
• If Trial Reels aren't available for your account, Instagram won't publish the Reel and the post will fail. If the account doesn't meet Instagram's follower requirement, you'll see this message: "Instagram did not publish this trial Reel because the account does not meet its follower requirement. Publish it as a regular Reel or try again after the account has more followers." Turn Trial Reel to Off and reschedule it as a regular Reel, or try again after the account has more followers.
• You can add music to a trial reel. If the Reel doesn't publish, you may see the follower message above or a general Instagram message about the media on the post. :::

How to add a thumbnail to your reel or video

You can choose a thumbnail for your reel or video by picking a frame from the video itself. You can't upload a separate image as a custom cover through Buffer, because Instagram's API doesn't support it for third-party tools. By default, the first frame of the video (0 seconds) is used as the thumbnail.

To choose a different frame as the thumbnail:

1. Once your video has finished uploading, click Edit Thumbnail*,*
2. Drag the slider to the point in the video you'd like to use as the thumbnail image.
3. Click Save.

:::info Notes

• If you want to use a designed cover image that isn't in the video, schedule the reel with Notify Me and add the cover in the Instagram app when you finish publishing. Alternatively, add the cover frame to the video itself before uploading.
• Edit Thumbnail isn't available on posts scheduled as notifications (only on automatically published posts).
• If the thumbnail does not generate or appears black or blurry, the video format or first frame is usually the cause. Export the video as an MP4 using H.264 instead of HEVC/H.265 or MOV formats, and ensure the first frame is not black. See Troubleshooting video uploads in Buffer.
• Uploading a custom cover image isn't supported at this time. If you'd like to see this available on Buffer, give this feature request a comment or upvote. :::

Adding a location

You can add a location to Instagram posts and reels, but not to stories or to posts published as notifications.

:::info Important note: To add locations, your Instagram channel needs to be linked to a Facebook Page, and you'll need to connect Instagram to Buffer through the linked Facebook Page. Locations are only available for posts scheduled for automatic publishing. :::

To add a location, start typing a location name (or the name of a Facebook Page you'd like to point to) in the location field. Learn more about how location tags work.

Tagging users in images

Tagging users in an image is only available on posts published automatically. It's not available for reels or stories.

1. After uploading an image to your post, click the Tag button on the image.
2. Click the spot on the image where you'd like to insert the tag, enter the @ handle, and click Add Tag.

3. The tagged account is added to your tag list, where you can confirm the handle. You can add up to 20 image tags per post.

   For carousels, tags added to the first image are applied to every image. Each application counts toward the 20-tag limit, along with tags added to individual images. If you exceed the limit, reduce the number of tags before publishing. To remove a tag, click the x next to it, then click Save and continue scheduling.

:::info Notes

• Instagram’s API does not support handle autocomplete, so enter the user’s exact @ handle. Use the account link on the right to confirm you tagged the correct user before scheduling.
• Posts that tag private or non-existent users will fail to publish. :::

Adding collaborators

You can invite up to 3 Instagram accounts to collaborate on a post, Reel, or carousel. A collaborative post appears on each collaborator's profile as well as yours, so likes and comments are all in one place. Collaborators are not available on Stories.

Before you start

• You need an Instagram Professional account (Business or Creator).
• Your channel needs to be connected through Facebook. If you connected with your Instagram login, follow the steps in Refreshing your Instagram connection through Facebook to reconnect, then come back to the composer.

How to add collaborators

1. Open the composer, select your Instagram channel, and choose Post or Reel. Carousels are supported too.

2. In the Collaborators field, type an Instagram username.

3. Add it by pressing Enter, typing a space or comma, or clicking the user-plus button next to the field.

4. Each collaborator appears as a tag next to the field. Click a tag to open their Instagram profile in a new tab, which is a good way to check that you've entered the right account. Click the x to remove one.

5. The post preview updates as you add collaborators, showing your username and the number of others. Schedule as usual.

   

:::info 📝 Note:

• You can add up to 3 collaborators per post. If you try to add a fourth, you'll see a message that Instagram only allows 3.
• Check each username before you schedule. We can't confirm that a username belongs to the account you meant. If Instagram rejects a collaborator (for example, the username doesn't exist or the account can't be reached), the post will fail to publish and you'll see an error in Buffer.
• You can't change collaborators after the post is published. Instagram doesn't allow it, so make any changes before the scheduled time.
• Collaborators can't be combined with a trial reel.
• Collaborators need to accept the invite. :::

Using Hashtag Manager

Hashtags can help make your Instagram posts more discoverable. Use Buffer’s Hashtag Manager to save hashtag groups, test different combinations, and easily reuse your top-performing hashtags. This feature is only available on our paid plans. See how hashtags work in Buffer.

Find it by clicking the # symbol in the composer. Click the + sign to save a group of hashtags, then click Insert to add a group to your post.

:::info Note: Instagram allows up to 5 hashtags in the caption and up to 30 hashtags in the first comment. Buffer enforces both limits in the composer: if you add a 6th hashtag to the caption, or a 31st to the first comment, you'll see an error before you can save the post.

This is why the Hashtag Manager is especially useful for posting hashtags in the first comment — you can save a group of up to 30 hashtags and insert them there without hitting the caption cap. :::

Scheduling a first comment

The first comment feature is available on our paid plans for Instagram Professional accounts (Business or Creator). You can use it to add a first comment to any post or reel scheduled for automatic publishing.

This is helpful for information you don't want included in the caption itself. Type your first comment into the first comment field, and it will publish alongside your Instagram caption.

Adding Shop Grid links

If you're using Shop Grid, add the link you'd like to direct users to in the Shop Grid Link field.

Why didn't my Instagram post publish?

If an Instagram post didn't go live, work through these common causes:

• If the post shows a Notify label or an orange phone icon, it was scheduled as a notification and needs to be finished in the Instagram app. Tap the push notification on your phone, or open the Sent tab and use Duplicate to reschedule. See using notification publishing.
• If you never got a notification, check that the Buffer mobile app is installed and push notifications are enabled. The error "Whoops! We are having trouble sending notifications to your mobile device. Please try linking a mobile device to your account!" means no mobile device is linked to receive the reminder.
• Is your account a Personal account? Automatic publishing is not supported for Instagram Personal accounts. Switch to a Business or Creator account to use automatic publishing.
• If the post failed with an "unknown error," check the aspect ratio of every image or video first.
• If a post with a location keeps failing, try removing the location and publishing the post again.

:::info If everything looks correct but the post still won’t publish, there may be a temporary issue with Buffer or Instagram. Check our status page to see if there's an outage. :::

FAQ

Is it possible to hide the number of likes on Instagram posts or reels?

No, this isn't possible while scheduling in Buffer. To hide likes, open the published post on Instagram and use the Hide Likes feature there.

If automatic sharing is enabled in Instagram, will posts published through Buffer also be shared to Facebook?

Instagram posts published through Buffer will not automatically be shared to Facebook, even if automatic sharing is enabled in Instagram. To publish on both platforms, connect your Facebook Page to Buffer as a separate channel and schedule the post for both platforms, or publish directly on Instagram to use its automatic Facebook sharing feature.

Can I schedule posts to Instagram broadcast channels?

Instagram doesn't support sending messages, photos, or videos to a broadcast channel via its API, so we can't schedule content there.

Can I move the position of my text or change the font on my Instagram story or reel?

Instagram’s API does not allow third-party tools like Buffer to reposition text or change fonts for stories or reels. Buffer’s preview is only a guide. To customize the font or placement, use Notify Me, then add the text in the Instagram app when you receive the notification.

Why can't I add collaborators to my Instagram post?

Collaborators need your Instagram channel to be connected to Buffer through a linked Facebook Page. If you connected with your Instagram login, follow the steps in Refreshing your Instagram connection through Facebook to reconnect. Your drafts and scheduled posts stay where they are. Collaborators also aren't available on Stories, or on a Reel set up as a trial reel.

Can I add collaborators to Instagram Stories?

No. Instagram doesn't support collaborators on Stories. You can add collaborators to feed posts, Reels, and carousels.

Can I use collaborators and a trial reel on the same Reel?

No. Instagram's trial reels and collaborators can't be combined, so Buffer turns one off when you choose the other.

Can I add music to a trial reel?

Yes. If the Reel doesn't publish, you'll see either a general message about the media on the post or a message about Instagram's follower requirement for Trial Reels.

Will a collaborative post show up in my collaborator's Buffer analytics?

No. Instagram only gives post data to the account that published the post, so performance shows in the Buffer account that scheduled it.

Can I change my collaborators after I schedule the post?

Yes, any time before the post publishes. Open the scheduled post, update the Collaborators field, and save. After it's published, Instagram doesn't allow changes.

Can I schedule more than one Story at once?

Yes. Add up to 10 images and videos to one Story post and they publish as a sequence, whether you choose Automatic or Notify Me.

More resources from our blog

• The Best Times to Post on Instagram — Backed by Data
• How to Get More Followers on Instagram
• How to Increase Your Reach on Instagram
• How the Instagram Algorithm Works
• Instagram Stories: The Complete Guide