It took Instagram a long time before they could allow users to post long-form video content. However, even today, long-form videos only work for in-feed videos and live videos. If you are posting Instagram reels or stories, you will still be limited on the length of the video. If you would like to post a longer video, such as a reel or story, we will show you how to do that.

How Do You Post Long-Form Videos On Instagram?

Videos can be one of the best tips for growing your Instagram account. If you want to post long-form videos, follow these steps:

1. On your Instagram account’s homepage, tap on the + button.
2. You will be provided with a wide range of options. You can tap on Post. If it's an in-feed video, you can post it for a maximum of 15 minutes. If it is a reel, you cannot upload more than 60 seconds. If it's a story, you can only upload a maximum of 15 seconds. If it's a live video, you are allowed to post for up to four hours.
3. Go to your gallery and choose the video you want to upload.
4. Tap Next. You will be provided with options to customize your video using captions, filters, music, or stickers. Alternatively, you can use the trim feature on the Instagram editing page to adjust the length of the video.
5. When you tap on Next, you will be given the option to add Caption. You can select the audience you want to share your video with. You can also change other settings.
6. Tap on share to post your video.

By posting a combination of short and long videos, you can get a diverse audience to watch your videos, and you can easily become an Instagram influencer.

How to Post Long Instagram Videos Using a Third-Party Tool

As noted earlier, you can only post Instagram reel videos up to a maximum of  60 seconds. These stories are usually deleted after 24 hours. If you want to post an Instagram reel that is longer than 60 seconds, you need to trim it before posting.

In fact, a recent Instagram trend is the breaking of long videos into small segments to make them shareable on the platform and to increase engagement. Imagine trying to share a story within the 15-second timeframe. It becomes hard to share anything meaningful. 

Fortunately, there are tools you can use to trim your videos and extend the timeframe of your stories. There are lots of apps and software to help you with this. But let us take a look at a few you can use on a PC, Android, and IOS.

Here are a few ways you can trim your videos.

Splitting On Your PC

Longer videos can help improve your Instagram marketing. If you need to add a longer story to your Instagram profile, you can use software such as VideoProc Converter AI to split the video on a PC. This great tool will enable you to split a long video into shorter segments on a PC without losing the quality of the video.

If you want to split vertical or horizontal videos, the tool will enable you to do that. Besides, it supports different types of video formats such as MP4, MOV, AAC, H.264, and more. Here are the steps to follow when using VideoProc Converter AI:

1. Download and install the software on your PC.
2. Launch the software. Under the main interface, select video.
3. To upload a video from your PC, click on the + sign.
4. At the bottom, click on the Toolbox feature and double-click on Split. The menu for splitting the video will appear. You will be provided with an option to choose the period after which you want the program to split the video in the menu. You can choose after 60 seconds.
5. Click on Done to be taken back to the previous page.

After the program has completed the splitting, you can transfer the videos back to your PC. You can then upload it on Instagram.

Splitting on IOS

Many apps on IOS will enable you to split your videos. You can search for them on the App Store using keywords such as video splitting. But for the sake of illustrating how they work, we will use a splitting tool known as CutStory as it is free. Its downside is that it will add a watermark to your Instagram videos. If you want to remove the watermark, it will cost you $0.99.

If you don't want the watermark, you can use a tool known as “Continuous”. However, it will cost you $8. That said, here are the steps to follow when using CutStory.

1. On the IOS app store, download CutStory.
2. Open the app and click on the Video icon located at the bottom left corner. The app will take you to your image and video gallery, providing you with an option to upload the video you want to split. Tap on it and choose Save. If you mistakenly choose the wrong video, you can cancel the action by clicking on the X button at the corner.
3. Select the duration you need to split up the video. Instagram allows you to upload a maximum of 15 seconds for stories. However, you can slice the video in ten seconds.
4. Cutstory will now automatically slice the video into portions you want and will save them automatically in your gallery.
5. You can now upload the files to Instagram.

How to Split An Instagram Video On Android

If you have an Android device, you will also not be limited to options for splitting your Instagram video. One of the apps we recommend for the role is StoryCutter, an app by Insocial8, which is free to use. You can download the app on your mobile device and then open it. After that, follow these steps:

1. After opening the app, you will have two options: recording a video or uploading one. If you want to record the video, you can tap on the big red button to begin recording.  When you finish recording, tap the square button labeled Stop. There is also a Pause button that allows you to pause the recording midway.
2. If you want to slice the video you have already recorded, click on the gallery icon.
3. The next step is to choose the length of the video you would like to post. If you are using a free version, you can only split videos to a maximum length of ten seconds.  This shouldn't worry you because Instagram allows video lengths of less than 15 seconds. To choose the length of the segment, click on Select. 
4. After the software has processed your video, it will save it in your gallery or anywhere else where you would like to save it.

How to Upload Your Split Video to Instagram

After your Instagram videos are ready, you should open the Instagram app, and tap on the camera icon located at the top left corner. You can then click on the preview icon to access the video. To upload the first part of your cut video, click on the + sign in your story. You can then go ahead to add the other parts of your Split video. Make sure you add them in the same order you recorded them. 

One way you can hasten the upload process is by clicking on your profile picture after uploading the first video. You can now fill your Instagram story with some fulfilling stories without having to worry about being limited to 15 seconds.

FAQ’s on Posting Longer Videos on Instagram

Longer videos can bring a diverse audience, which will help you improve your Instagram reach. Here are some of the questions people often ask when they want to post longer videos on Instagram.

What happens when you try to upload longer videos than recommended on Instagram?

It will not be possible to upload a video that is longer than recommended. You will need to cut the video.

Are all Instagram users limited to the same video length?

Yes. It doesn't matter what the status of your account is or whether your account is verified. All Instagram users are limited to the same video length.

What is the difference between cutting and splitting videos?

While the two terms sound similar, they are usually different. When cutting a video, you will be removing one part of it. But when you split a video, you don’t delete any part of it. Instead, you are separating two different parts of the videos.

Final Thoughts

Instagram is one of the best marketing platforms. While Instagram videos offer creators an opportunity to market their products, the limited length can be a hindrance. You can imagine a situation where you want to add a video ad of 30 seconds but you are unable to do so in your story. Fortunately, by following our guide, you will be in a better position to post longer videos. We recommend you also read our guide on the best time to post on Instagram.