Schedule and publish Instagram Reels directly from HighLevel Social Planner without switching between platforms. Social Planner helps you prepare Reel content, choose a connected Instagram account, and publish immediately or schedule content for later. Following the supported account and media requirements helps reduce publishing errors and keeps your social content workflow organized.
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Overview of Publishing Instagram Reels in the Social Planner
Instagram Reels publishing allows you to create and schedule Reel posts for supported Instagram Professional accounts directly from HighLevel Social Planner. Instagram Business and Creator accounts are supported, while personal Instagram accounts are not supported. Reels can be scheduled alongside your other social content, helping you manage publishing from one centralized calendar.
Key Benefits of Publishing Instagram Reels from the Social Planner
Publishing Instagram Reels through HighLevel Social Planner helps you manage video content from one place.
Centralized publishing: Create and publish Instagram Reels without switching between platforms.
Flexible scheduling: Publish Reels immediately or schedule them for later.
Draft management: Save unfinished Reels and continue editing them when you're ready.
Organized content planning: View your scheduled and published content in Social Planner.
Supported Instagram Accounts
Instagram account type determines whether HighLevel can publish your Reel. Using a supported Professional account ensures Social Planner can connect to Instagram and access the publishing permissions required for Posts, Stories, and Reels.
Supported account types include:
- Instagram Business accounts
- Instagram Creator accounts
Instagram personal accounts are not supported for Social Planner publishing.
HighLevel supports both Facebook-linked Instagram connections and Direct Instagram Integration. Direct Instagram Integration allows supported Business or Creator accounts to connect through Social Planner without requiring the Facebook-linked setup workflow inside HighLevel.
For connection requirements and differences between the two methods, see Connect Instagram: Facebook-Linked vs. Direct Instagram Integration.
Supported Content for Instagram Reels
Before uploading an Instagram Reel through HighLevel Social Planner, make sure your video meets the supported media requirements. Using the recommended specifications helps prevent upload and publishing errors.
Maximum video size: 300 MB
Video duration: 3 seconds to 15 minutes
Recommended aspect ratio: 9:16 (vertical video)
Videos per Reel: One video
Custom thumbnail: Supported, up to 8 MB
Caption limit: 2,200 characters
Note: If your Reel fails to upload or publish, check the video size, duration, and other media requirements before trying again.
For the latest specifications, see Social Planner Content Guidelines – Image, Video, and Text.
How to Publish or Schedule an Instagram Reel Using Social Planner
Follow these steps to upload, schedule, or publish an Instagram Reel directly from HighLevel Social Planner.
1. Open Social Planner
Navigate to Marketing → Social Planner. Click + New Post and select Create New Post to open the post composer.
2. Select your Instagram account
Under Post To, select your connected Instagram Business or Creator account.
If your account is not connected, open Social Planner settings and add your Instagram account.
For detailed setup instructions, see Connect Instagram: Facebook-Linked vs. Direct Instagram Integration.
3. Select Reel as the post type
Choose Reel as your Instagram content type.
4. Upload your video and add a caption
Upload one supported video and enter your caption. Review your Reel in the post preview before publishing.
Note: Instagram Reel captions support up to 2,200 characters. If Instagram rejects your caption because of its length, try shortening it. Special characters or emojis may affect how the caption is counted.
5. Add a custom thumbnail (optional)
A thumbnail is the cover image displayed for your Reel.
Hover over your uploaded video.
Click the pencil icon.
Select Edit Video Thumbnail.
Choose or upload your preferred thumbnail.
Review the thumbnail in the post preview.
Note: Custom thumbnails for Instagram Reels support a maximum file size of 8 MB.
6. Publish, schedule, or save your Instagram Reel
After uploading your video and adding a caption, choose how you want to publish your Reel:
Post Now: Publish your Instagram Reel immediately.
Schedule for Later: Select a future date and time to automatically publish your Reel.
Save as Draft: Save your Reel without publishing it so you can edit and publish it later.
If you schedule your Reel, you can find it under Scheduled Posts in Social Planner.
Note: Before scheduling, verify the selected date and time to ensure your Reel publishes when intended.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I publish a Reel from a personal Instagram account?
No. Personal Instagram accounts are not supported. The account must be an Instagram Business or Creator account.
Q: Do I need to connect a Facebook Page before I can publish Instagram Reels?
Not necessarily. HighLevel supports Direct Instagram Integration as well as the Facebook-linked connection method. The appropriate connection method depends on your account and the features you need.
Q: Can I create a Reel using several images in Social Planner?
No. Current Social Planner content guidelines list images as unsupported for Instagram Reels. Use one supported video for each Reel.
Q: Can I upload multiple videos to one Instagram Reel?
No. Current Social Planner guidelines support one video per Instagram Reel.
Q: Why is my Reel video being rejected during upload or publishing?
Check that the video meets the current Social Planner Reel requirements, including the 300 MB maximum file size and duration between 3 seconds and 15 minutes. Also confirm that your Instagram account is still connected and has the required permissions.
Q: Can I add a custom thumbnail to an Instagram Reel?
Yes. Thumbnail support is available for Instagram Reels, with a maximum thumbnail size of 8 MB.
Q: Why can't I find my Instagram account when creating a Reel?
Confirm that your Instagram Business or Creator account is connected to Social Planner. If the account is missing, check the connection status and permissions in Social Planner settings.
Q: Can I save an Instagram Reel without publishing it?
Yes. Select Save as Draft in the Social Planner post composer. You can return to the draft and continue editing it later.
Q: What happens if my Instagram account disconnects after I schedule a Reel?
Scheduled content cannot publish to a disconnected account. Reconnect your Instagram account and review your scheduled posts in Social Planner.
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