How to Post 60-Second Videos to Instagram from Computer?

Date February 28, 2017 Author Catherine Category Video Tips

 Instagram is a simple, fun & creative way to capture, edit & share photos, videos & messages with friends & family. You can upload some personal videos especially your video creation to Instagram to show your tablent and hobby. But you have to notice that Instagram only can accept max 60 seconds video clips. So if your video is longer than 60 seconds, you need to trim it to shorter than 60 secs. Following the guide below to learn how to make a 60-second video for Instagram.

Apart from video length, you also should know Instagram supported format cause there are hundreds of video formats but Intagram only support several. Instagram supports MP4 and MOV container format. The best video format for Instagram upload is MP4 with H.264 codec and AAC audio. Now, let’s start to make 60-second MP4 video for Instagram.

Video Maker for Instagram Needed

There are many video converters on the market that can convert any video to mp4 for Instagram. Here, we would choose Pavtube Video Converter Ultimate (Pavtube iMedia Converter for Mac).  This video transcoder + video editor can convert various video formats to Instagram and edit video to meet Instagram video specifications. With it, you can make a perfect video in right video length for Instagram. The main features have；

– Convert MKV, MP4, AVI, FLV, TS, even Blu-ray and DVD to Instagram.

– Convert AC3, MP3, MKA, WMA, etc audio to AAC for Instagram.

– Trim video length to 3 secs – 60 secs for Instagram.

– Add external subtitle to video for posting on Instagram.

– Adjust video and audio codec, size, bit rate, frame rate to get the most compatible video with Instagram.

– Split a whole video to several video clips for Instagram according to video size such as 50MB.

Now, click the right version video converter name to download the software on official page then install it on your PC or Mac. Windows version supports Windows 2003/XP/Vista/Windows 7/Windows 8/Windows 10 and Mac version will work stably on macOS Sierra, Mac OS X 10.11 El Capitan, 10.10 Yosemite, 10.9 Mavericks, 10.8 Mountain Lion, 10.7 Lion, etc. After installed Instagram video converter, launch it on your computer. Then click “File” button on the top menu to load your any video such as 4K video, GoPro Hero4/Hero5 footage, MKV, FLV, TS, Tivo, AVCHD, MXF that you want to upload to Instagram. You also can simply drag and drop your video to the interface of the video converter to import your video.

If you want to upload Blu-ray and DVD clips to Instagram, you can load Blu-ray and DVD movies by clicking "Load from Disc". Below is the main interface of Pavtube Video Converter Ultimate and Pavtube iMedia Converter for Mac.

Make 60-Second Videos from your video source for Instagram

Now, it comes the most important part of this guide which is convert and trim your video to 60 seconds MP4 video to meet Instragram specs. The operating steps are the same on Windows and Mac so we only put Windows snapshots below. But you can refer them to finish your 60 seconds video production for Instragram task on Mac.

Firstly, you need to choose video MP4 format for Instagram. Click “Format” button to open drop-down list and there you can choose MP4 format. You can choose MP4 format for Instagram in “Common Video” and “HD Video” categories.

Secondly, you should adjust video and audio parameters to meet Instagram video specs. You can follow the specification references below to adjust video in "Settings" window.

Instagram video specifications:

Videos don’t have to be to the below specification: however we recommend that if you’re outputting video files specifically for the purpose, keep them close!

Composition Size: maximum width 1080 pixels (height anything, although within the same ratios as images)
Video Frame Rate: Frame Rate 29.96 frames per second (max 30fps, but should be fixed, not variable)
Video Codec and Format: H.264 codec / MP4
Video Bitrate: 5,500 kbps video bitrate (although Instagram may reduce this to 3,500kbps when we post it)
Audio Codec: AAC audio codec at 44.1 kHz mono (up to 128kbps)

Thirdly, make a 60 seconds video

Method 1: trim video to 60 seconds

Now, click “Edit” to open video editing window. In “Video Editor” there are seven edit tabs: Trim, Crop, Text Watermark, Image/Video Watermark, Effect, Audio Editor and Subtitle.

The “Trim” feature allows users to decide where to start and where to end when converting the selected clip, so that unwanted segments will be cut out after conversion. To trim a video, please switch to “Trim” tab in “Video Editor” Interface and follow any of the methods below:

1. Drag the control sliders to include the segment you want to remain.

2. Click the left square bracket to set start point, and click the right square bracket to set end point when previewing the video.

3. Input specific values to “Start” and “End” box.

Trim frame by frame Pavtube Video Converter Ultimate offers “Previous Frame” and “Next Frame” options for users to select frames and trim accurately.

Method 2: Split video to 60 seconds

By clicking the “Split” button  on file list, or from “Edit” menu, you can launch the “Video Split” window. Checking “Enable” to enable it, and then you can split the file by file count, time length, or file size. But question is in this method, if your video is too long, you will get so many fragments when splitting video by time length. So, sometimes, you also need to trim video to a shorter one than split it to 60 seconds videos in several clips.

Instagram will allow you to display your video with a 16:9 widescreen ratio or with a square 1:1 ratio. You also can adjust video aspect ratio in Pavtube Video Converter Ultimate. You can adjust the display aspect ratio. Go to "Edit"> "Crop". Then click "Advanced Mode" in the right panel, then select "Keep Ratio" option in the left panel, then from "Display aspect ratio" drop-down list, you can either keep the original aspect ratio by choosing "Original" or keep the cropped aspect ratio such as 16:10, 16:9, 5:4, 4:3, 3:2, 2:1, etc from the aspect ratio lists.

With Pavtube Video Converter Ultimate, you also can add subtitle to video, add watermark to video, mute audio, replace audio, etc in “Edit” windows. After all the settings, clicking the Convert button on main interface, you can go to Conversion window to start to make a 60 seconds video for Instagram. After the conversion, you can get perfect 60 seconds 1080p video in MP4 format by H.264 codec with 3,500 kbps video bitrate and 29.96 frames per second with AAC audio codec and 128kbps audio bitrate from your video to Instagram.

How to Post 60-Second Videos to Instagram from Computer?

Now that you have a 60 seconds Instagram file on computer, you will need to transfer the file to your phone. For Mac/iPhone users, the best way is to use Apple AirDrop. For Mac/Android or PC/Mobile you can use programs like Google Drive or Dropbox. As a Mac/Android user, Google Drive will be faster.

Apple AirDrop

Mac users with iPhones will find it easiest to send files using AirDrop. You will just drag the compressed Instagram video file to your iPhone. On your iPhone, you will now find the file under Photos.

1. Open a Finder Window
2. Click on AirDrop
3. Drag and Drop the compressed Instagram video file to your iPhone
4. On your iPhone, open Photos and verify the file transferred

Google Drive

Google Drive works for both Mac and PC and will transfer files to iPhone and Android phones. You will need both a Google Drive account on your computer and the Google Drive App on your phone.

1. Sign into your Google account and open Google Drive
2. Drag and Drop the compressed Instagram video file
3. Open the Google Drive App on your phone
4. Download the compressed Instagram video file to your phone
5. Open the Photos/Gallery app on your phone
6. Verify the file fully transferred

Upload to Instagram

We’ve finally made it. It’s time to open Instagram and upload the video.

1. Open the Instagram App on your phone
2. Tap on the Camera icon
3. Go to the Gallery
4. Select your Instagram video file

Instagram defaults to the 1:1 aspect ratio. Here is the only step that applies to the type of video you made.

1:1 Aspect Ratio

Remember how your 1080 x 1080 1:1 video file was compressed down to a 1920 x 1080 video? Instagram will automatically crop out the excess black bars on the sides, and you will have a perfectly square video ready to share. The result is like the middle image above.

1. Tap the blue arrow
2. Add a filter if you’d like, change the cover image, and/or mute the video
3. Tap the blue arrow
4. Add a caption, hashtag, location, or send as a Direct message
5. Tap the check mark, and you’re done.

16:9 Aspect Ratio

Instagram defaults images and videos to 1:1. If you want a 16:9 aspect ratio like the right image above, you will need to adjust the crop.

1. Tap the Crop button to change to 16:9
2. Tap the blue arrow
3. Add a filter if you’d like, change the cover image, and/or mute the video
4. Tap the blue arrow
5. Add a caption, hashtag, location, or send as a Direct message
6. Tap the check mark, and you’re done.

This steps of posting 60 seconds video to Instagram refers to Michael Maher’s post on premiumbeat.com. If you like, you can read his whole article.