How to Post 5120×1080 Anamorphic Videos on Instagram (and Why You Should Try It)
There’s a new creative trend sweeping through Instagram Reels — the 5120×1080 anamorphic video. These ultra-wide clips, sometimes referred to as super-wide Reels or cinematic widescreen videos, appear as thin horizontal strips floating inside Instagram’s vertical interface.
While they might look unusual, they’ve become a fun and eye-catching way for editors, filmmakers, designers, and content creators to experiment beyond the standard 9×16, 4×5, or 1×1 Instagram aspect ratios.
In this detailed guide, you’ll learn exactly how to create and upload a 5120×1080 Instagram Reel, why this resolution is used, what export settings work best, and how to get around iOS import issues using CapCut. Whether you edit in Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects, or Final Cut Pro, this workflow will walk you through everything step by step.
Why Use the 5120×1080 Format on Instagram?
Instagram supports a limited range of aspect ratios for Reels — typically 1080×1920 (9:16) for vertical videos, 1080×1080 (1:1) for square posts, and 1080×1350 (4:5) for portrait posts. None of these allow for a true cinematic, widescreen experience.
That’s where 5120×1080, a super-ultrawide 32:9 aspect ratio, comes in. It’s the same horizontal field of view used by some dual-screen monitors and ultra-wide displays. By compressing a panoramic video into this aspect ratio, you create a letterbox-style Reel — one that appears small and centred inside the tall Instagram window but feels visually cinematic, much like a film strip or widescreen movie trailer.
This isn’t a trick to boost algorithmic reach — rather, it’s a creative choice. The anamorphic 5120×1080 Reel allows you to showcase cinematic sequences, timelapses, panoramic landscapes, widescreen edits, or design showcases in a fresh way. For visual storytellers, this format stands out precisely because it doesn’t fill the frame like everything else does.
Step 1: Create a Custom 5120×1080 Canvas
To make a 5120×1080 video for Instagram, you’ll need to use a desktop editing program that supports custom sequence sizes. Mobile video editors often restrict you to standard dimensions, so tools like Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects, or Final Cut Pro are ideal.
When creating your sequence or composition, manually set the resolution to 5120 (width) × 1080 (height). This defines the ultra-wide canvas. You can now import your footage or images and reframe them creatively to fit the wide composition.
Because this resolution is so panoramic, you’ll need to pan and crop strategically — centre important subjects and use the wide framing for visual storytelling.
💡 Working with images? Try framing them first in Photoshop, Figma, or Adobe XD. Set the artboard to 5120×1080 so you can precisely design the layout before exporting stills into your video timeline.
This ensures your images and footage fill the entire anamorphic space without leaving blank edges.
Step 2: Export Settings for Instagram 5120×1080 Reels
When your edit is complete, it’s time to export. Because Instagram heavily compresses videos, you should always export at the highest reasonable bitrate to preserve clarity.
Recommended export settings for 5120×1080 Instagram videos:
Resolution: 5120×1080
Aspect Ratio: 32:9 (anamorphic widescreen)
Frame Rate: Match your source footage (typically 24, 25 or 30fps)
Bitrate: ~40 Mbps or higher
Codec: H.264 or H.265 (H.265 gives slightly better compression)
Audio: 48 kHz AAC
This higher bitrate ensures the final Instagram anamorphic Reel maintains sharpness and detail even after upload. Because the video displays at a small size on phones, clarity and colour integrity matter even more.
If you’re using Premiere Pro, choose a Custom Sequence Preset and enable “Render at Maximum Depth” for better colour. In After Effects, export via Adobe Media Encoder for full control over bitrate and codec.
Step 3: Transferring 5120×1080 Videos to Mobile
Once exported, transfer the video to your smartphone or tablet. Here’s where many people hit a snag — iOS Photos doesn’t natively accept videos in ultra-wide 5120×1080 resolutions. When you AirDrop or import them, they often don’t appear in your gallery.
The solution? Use CapCut — a free video editing app that automatically places exported files into the Photos app.
Here’s what to do:
Open CapCut on your iPhone or iPad.
Import your 5120×1080 video into a new project.
Don’t change the aspect ratio — leave it as is.
Go to Export and set it to the highest resolution available.
Once exported, the video will appear in your Photos library.
Tip: If you’re using the free version of CapCut, remember to trim off the CapCut endcard watermark. Use the Photos app video editor to remove the last few seconds before uploading to Instagram.
This CapCut export workaround is essential for iOS users wanting to upload anamorphic Reels directly.
Step 4: Uploading to Instagram as a Reel
Now that your 5120×1080 anamorphic video is in your Photos app, it’s time to post it.
Open Instagram and create a new Reel.
Select your 5120×1080 video from the gallery.
Don’t zoom, crop, or resize — keep it as is.
The preview will appear small and centred, which is exactly what you want.
Avoid uploading via the Photos “Share” tab — it can sometimes stretch or fill the video incorrectly. Always upload from within the Instagram app itself.
You can add captions, hashtags, and a custom Reel cover (strongly recommended). Instagram doesn’t generate good previews for extra-wide Reels, and the default cover may appear pixelated.
Once you’ve added your cover and caption, publish — and you’ll see your 5120×1080 panoramic Reel live on your feed, perfectly preserved.
Step 5: Why This Works — and When to Use It
The anamorphic 5120×1080 Instagram Reel format isn’t about gaming the algorithm — it’s about creative differentiation. It immediately stands out in a feed dominated by vertical content.
Consider using it for:
Cinematic montages
Panoramic travel edits
Dual-screen comparison videos
Widescreen trailers or teasers
Artistic experiments and visual loops
Because Instagram treats it like any other Reel, it retains all engagement features — comments, shares, saves — while visually breaking from the vertical norm.
TL;DR (Quick Reference)
Create a 5120×1080 (32:9) project in Premiere Pro, After Effects, or Final Cut Pro.
Edit and frame your footage for the anamorphic widescreen look.
Export at ~40 Mbps, using H.264 or H.265.
Re-export via CapCut to make sure iOS imports it properly.
Upload directly as a Reel inside Instagram.
Don’t crop, zoom, or adjust — small and centred is correct.
Add a custom Reel cover for clean presentation.
And that’s it — your Instagram 5120×1080 Reel is ready to post.
Here my take on it!
Enjoy taking a Walk on the wide side
TL;DR
Set project to 5120×1080 in After Effects, Premiere or Final Cut.
Export at high bitrate (~40 Mbps).
Re-export via CapCut to get it into your Photos app.
Upload as a Reel — don’t crop, don’t resize.
Enjoy your new anamorphic Instagram video.