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You can schedule four kinds of Instagram posts: a photo, a carousel, a Reel and a Story. This works the same whether you connected the account through Facebook or with the Instagram login. If you haven’t connected it yet, see Connect Instagram. Every Instagram post needs media. A text-only post stops with “Instagram does not support this type of post.” For an account on the Instagram login, the message says “Instagram-direct” instead.

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Post a photo or carousel

1

Open the composer

Click New Post and pick your Instagram account under Accounts. Leave the type on Post.
2

Add your media

Add one image for a single photo. Add several for a carousel. A post holds up to 8 files.
3

Write the caption

Type your text. It goes out as the caption.
4

Choose when it goes out

Click Add to Queue, or use the arrow next to it to Schedule or Publish Now.
A carousel can mix photos and videos. Videos in a mixed carousel can’t be 9:16 (tall vertical). If one is, saving stops with “Mixed media contents validation failed.” Use photos only, or post the vertical video as a Reel.

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Post a Reel

1

Pick Reel

In the composer, pick your Instagram account, then click Reel at the top.
2

Add one video

Add exactly one video. PublishBuddy checks that it’s 3 seconds to 15 minutes long and no bigger than 1 GB.
3

Write the caption

Your text becomes the Reel’s caption. Emoji and Write with AI work as usual.
4

Schedule it

Pick a time or add it to your queue.
A video sent as Post also goes out as a Reel. That’s how Instagram handles videos.
You can set a Thumbnail on a video for Instagram accounts connected through Facebook. It must be a JPG up to 8 MB. Right now it’s only used when you send the video as Post. A thumbnail on a Reel is ignored.

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Post a Story

1

Pick Story

In the composer, pick your Instagram account, then click Story at the top.
2

Add one image or video

A Story takes exactly one file. After you add it, the upload box turns off.
3

Schedule it

There’s no caption to write. Pick a time or add it to your queue.
Stories go out without a caption. The text box, emoji and Write with AI all turn off when you pick Story. If you want to add text or stickers, put them on the image or video before you upload it. You can’t add follow-up comments to a Story.

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Post to Instagram and other networks together

You can send one post to Instagram and other networks at the same time. Two things to know:
  • Reel only works when every account you picked is on Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.
  • Story only works when every account is on Facebook or Instagram.
To post a Story to Instagram and a regular post to LinkedIn, make two posts. See Posts, Reels and Stories.

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Add a first comment

On Pro and Business, you can add a follow-up comment to an Instagram photo, carousel or Reel. On Instagram, comments are text only. It’s a good spot for hashtags or a link. See Add a follow-up comment.