What is an Instagram Reel Thumbnail/Cover Image?
A reel’s thumbnail (or cover image) is the picture that appears on your profile grid and in the reels tab before someone taps your reel to watch it.
It’s the first thing people see when they visit your profile grid or reels tab. And sometimes the thumbnail is also shown on the feed when a reel is loading.
So it’s important to choose a good thumbnail that not only matches the aesthetic of your profile but also one that makes people want to click on your reel and watch it.
If you post a reel without selecting a thumbnail image, it will automatically use the first frame of your video as the thumbnail.
Don’t worry if you have already posted reels in the past and didn’t choose the thumbnails; we’ll take a look at how you can change the thumbnail when posting a new reel, as well as for previously posted reels.
How to Add a Thumbnail/Cover Image to an Instagram Reel Before Posting
Let’s take a look at how you can add a thumbnail when posting your reel.
Step 1: Start creating a reel
Start by clicking the plus icon and uploading your content that you want to share as a Reel.
Step 2: Go to the preview screen
Once you’ve chosen your content, click ‘Next‘ to go to the preview screen.
Step 3: Tap “Edit Cover”
On the preview screen, click on the Edit Cover button found on the reel thumbnail just above the caption input.
Step 4: Change the cover image
On the Edit Cover page, you will have two options to add the cover image:
1. You can add the cover image by selecting a frame from the video via the slider
2. Add an image from the gallery as your cover image
Step 6: Add text and adjust the photo
Once you’ve chosen your cover image, you can also add text to it.
Once you’re done, you can click on the Post Grid tab to preview and adjust how the cover image will look on your grid.
Once you’re happy with the changes, click on Done and proceed to adding the caption, hashtags, and posting you reel.
How to Change The Thumbnail/Cover Image of an Instagram Reel After Posting
Luckily, Instagram allows you to update the cover even after your content is live.
Step 1: Open Your Reel
Go to your profile and select the reel.
Step 2: Tap the Three Dots
Click on the three dots icon to open the settings options.
Step 3: Tap “Edit”
In the settings options, scroll down until you see the “Edit” option and click on it.
Step 4: Tap on “Cover”
On the edit page, just tap on Cover on your reel thumbnail and proceed to editing the cover of your image.
What is The Ideal Instagram Reel Thumbnail/Cover Image Size?
The ideal thumbnail/cover image size is 1080 x 1920 pixels, which is the same as the reel size itself.
