Guide
Edit a Reel in Instagram's own editor, or let an AI editor make the whole edit
Updated
Instagram's editor lets you trim clips and add text, captions and music yourself, for free. An AI editor makes the whole edit from your clip, and you post the result.
In short
- You edit an Instagram Reel in the app by tapping Edit video to trim and crop, then adding text, captions and music.
- Instagram's editor is free and posts straight to your profile, but you make every cut and place every word yourself.
- Instagram lets you make Reels up to 20 minutes long, but it doesn't recommend Reels over 3 minutes to new audiences.
- Cutroom's Magic Editor makes the whole edit from one clip of you talking, and you ask for changes in a chat.
- Instagram's editor suits quick Reels you're happy to edit yourself, and the Magic Editor suits Reels you want finished for you.
How do you edit an Instagram Reel?
There are two ways. You edit the Reel yourself in Instagram's editor, or an AI editor makes the edit and you post the result.
- In Instagram, you trim the clips and add text, captions and music by hand, then share from the same screen.
- With an AI editor, you upload your clip, get a finished video back, and post it to Instagram yourself.
- Either way, film upright on your phone, because a Reel fills a vertical phone screen.
Editing a Reel inside Instagram, step by step
These steps follow Instagram's own help pages for the iPhone app. Button names can differ a little between app versions.
- While you edit on the timeline, you can undo or redo up to 20 actions with the arrows above it.
- You can add photos and other clips from your camera roll, and you time each one by hand.
- Instagram lets you make Reels up to 20 minutes long. Reels over 3 minutes aren't recommended to new audiences.
Editing a Reel in Instagram
From Instagram's help pages, read on 12 November 2026.
Start a Reel
Tap Create, then Reel, and pick your clips
Tap Edit video
Bottom left: trim each clip, and crop, scale or rotate it
Add text
Set the font, colour, size and animation, then drag it into place
Add captions
Stickers, then Captions, then fix any wrong words
Add music
Pick a song, or keep your own original audio
Share
Tap Next, write your caption, then Share
How Cutroom's Magic Editor edits a video like this
Jacob is the AI editor inside Cutroom's Magic Editor: it edits your video for you, then changes it when you ask in a chat.
The 4 styles, as example edits
Steps
Three steps, four angles
Skit
Hook, hard stop, demo card
Verdict
The tester's verdict
Poster
Typography does the talking
Hover or tap an example to play it, without sound. These are example edits of each style; the presenters in them are generated with AI.
- Your take: one video of you talking, up to 3 minutes
- Your style: one of 4: Steps, Skit, Verdict or Poster
- Your files: screenshots, a screen recording or a logo, if you have them
- Your goal: what the video is for, in a few words, if you like
- Jacob makes it: normally 10 to 15 minutes, and you get an email
- Your edit: ask Jacob for changes in a chat, then export
Then you ask Jacob, for example
- “Make this about 10 seconds shorter”
- “Put a clip on the strongest sentence”
- “Change the music to something calmer”
Each change is a new version, and going back is free. First cut 250 credits, each change 40, questions free, export 30 credits per started minute.
Editing a Reel with an AI editor
An AI editor does the trimming, captions and music for you. Here is a drawn example of one clip in Cutroom's Magic Editor, in the Poster style.
- You upload the clip, pick a style, and answer "Where and when will it run?" with Instagram Reels in the goal step.
- Then you press "Make my video" once. It normally takes 10 to 15 minutes, and you get an email when your first cut is ready.
- To change the Reel, you type to Jacob, for example "Make this about 10 seconds shorter", and you get a new version.
- You download a vertical MP4, 1080 by 1920, 30 frames a second, with the sound levelled, then upload it in Instagram like any other Reel.
- The Magic Editor takes one clip of up to 3 minutes, so it suits Reels of you talking, not montages of many clips.
A dog trainer's one-point tip, before and after
In Instagram's editor this clip ends up trimmed by hand with one text box. In the Magic Editor, Jacob makes the whole edit.
Drawing of an example clip, not a customer video
Before · the clip as filmed
A 55-second phone video of a dog trainer making one point about commands
“So, um, if you say sit five times, your dog learns to wait for the fifth one. … (pause) Say it once , just once, and then wait.”
struck through = what Jacob cuts
After · Jacob's first edit, Poster style
“If you say sit five times, your dog learns to wait for the fifth one. Say it once and then wait.”
- On “once”: the word set big, stacked with the words around it in three fonts
- On “five”: the number in neon
- On “dog”: a black-and-white moment while you say it
- Under the whole video: dark, cinematic music under your voice
Then you ask Jacob
- “Make this about 10 seconds shorter”v2the same edit, about 10 seconds shorter
Which way fits your Reel
Instagram's editor wins on price and on posting straight away. The Magic Editor wins when you'd rather not edit at all.
- Choose Instagram's editor if your Reel is a quick montage, or you like placing every cut and word yourself.
- Choose Cutroom's Magic Editor if you talk to camera and want the Reel edited for you, with changes asked for in plain words. Your first video is free.
Instagram's editor and the Magic Editor
Instagram's side is from its own help pages, read on 12 November 2026.
Who makes the cuts
- Instagram's editor
- You, clip by clip
- Cutroom's Magic Editor
- Jacob, from one press
Captions
- Instagram's editor
- You add the Captions sticker
- Cutroom's Magic Editor
- Added in the style's look
Text on screen
- Instagram's editor
- You type and place each text box
- Cutroom's Magic Editor
- Set by the style, changed in the chat
Music
- Instagram's editor
- You pick a song
- Cutroom's Magic Editor
- Added, and quieter or off on request
What you start from
- Instagram's editor
- Any clips and photos, up to 20 minutes
- Cutroom's Magic Editor
- One clip of you talking, up to 3 minutes
Price
- Instagram's editor
- Free
- Cutroom's Magic Editor
- Paid in credits; your first video is free
Posting
- Instagram's editor
- Straight from the editor
- Cutroom's Magic Editor
- Download the MP4, then post it in Instagram
| Instagram's editor | Cutroom's Magic Editor | |
|---|---|---|
| Who makes the cuts | You, clip by clip | Jacob, from one press |
| Captions | You add the Captions sticker | Added in the style's look |
| Text on screen | You type and place each text box | Set by the style, changed in the chat |
| Music | You pick a song | Added, and quieter or off on request |
| What you start from | Any clips and photos, up to 20 minutes | One clip of you talking, up to 3 minutes |
| Price | Free | Paid in credits; your first video is free |
| Posting | Straight from the editor | Download the MP4, then post it in Instagram |
Questions people ask
- How do I edit a Reel on Instagram?
- Start a Reel, pick your clips and tap Edit video in the bottom left. Trim, crop or rotate each clip there, then add text, the Captions sticker and music before you share.
- How long can an Instagram Reel be?
- Up to 20 minutes, Instagram says. But Reels over 3 minutes aren't recommended to new audiences, so keep a Reel under 3 minutes if you want new people to see it.
- Can I undo an edit in Instagram's Reel editor?
- Yes. On the editing timeline you can undo or redo up to 20 actions, using the arrows above the timeline.
- Is Instagram's Reel editor free?
- Yes. The editing tools are part of the Instagram app, including text, the Captions sticker and music.
- Can I edit Reels outside Instagram?
- Yes. You can edit the video in another app or an AI editor, save it as a vertical MP4, then upload it in Instagram as a Reel.
- How do I make a Reel without editing it myself?
- Use an AI editor. In Cutroom's Magic Editor you upload one clip of you talking, pick a style and press "Make my video". Jacob makes the whole edit, and you post the MP4 to Instagram.
Film one clip, pick Instagram Reels as where it runs, and let Jacob make the edit. Your first video is free.