How to Post a YouTube Video on Instagram (3 Ways)
How to post a YouTube video on Instagram: upload your own video as a reel, share the link with a Story sticker, or clip it. Plus the copyright rules.
Published October 18, 2026
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You can't embed or share a YouTube video as a playable video on Instagram. Download your own video from YouTube Studio and upload it as a reel, or share a link to it with a Story link sticker. If the video belongs to someone else, link to it instead of re-uploading it.
Can you post a YouTube video on Instagram?
No, Instagram has no "share from YouTube" button and a pasted YouTube link does not play inside a post. You have three real options, and which one you can use depends on who owns the video.
| Option | Works for | What viewers get |
|---|---|---|
| Upload the video as a reel | Videos you uploaded to YouTube | The video plays on Instagram |
| Link sticker in a Story | Any public YouTube video | A tappable link that opens YouTube |
| Clip, then share the clip link | A section of a video, 5 to 60 seconds | A looping clip on YouTube |
How to post your own YouTube video on Instagram as a reel
Download the MP4 from YouTube Studio, fit it to a vertical frame, and upload it as a reel from instagram.com or the app. YouTube lets you download videos you uploaded as MP4 in 720p or 360p, depending on the video's size.
- Sign in to YouTube Studio and open Content.
- Select the video, open Menu, and choose Download.
- Open the file in a video editor and crop it to 9:16 if it is horizontal.
- Trim it to the stretch that makes sense without the rest of the video.
- On instagram.com, click Create, then Post, and select the file from your computer.
- Pick a cover, trim if needed, write a caption, and click Share.
Steps 5 and 6 follow Instagram's record a reel page. Instagram accepts ratios between 1.91:1 and 9:16, so a 16:9 video uploads, but a 9:16 export fills the vertical screen. The Instagram reel size guide has the full specs, and the Reels safe zone checker shows where captions and buttons will cover your frame.
What to do if YouTube won't let you download the video
YouTube lists the reasons itself. You can't download a video that has been removed, carries a copyright or Community Guidelines strike, or uses a preapproved audio track, and you can download any one video only five times in 24 hours, per the same help page.
If you still have the original file you edited, use that. It is a better source than a 720p or 360p download, and it skips the problem entirely.
How to share a YouTube link on Instagram
Add the link to a Story with the Link sticker. Capture or upload your Story content, tap the sticker tool, tap Link, paste the YouTube URL and tap Done, as Instagram describes in its 2021 announcement of links for all accounts.
Per Instagram, new accounts and accounts that repeatedly break the Community Guidelines don't get the sticker. The guide to adding a link to an Instagram Story covers what to do when it is missing. A Story needs content behind the sticker, so use the video's thumbnail or a short screen recording of your best moment.
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How to post a clip of a YouTube video
Use YouTube Clips to cut a short section, then share the clip's link. A clip is 5 to 60 seconds long and loops on the original video's watch page.
On a video, select More, then Clip, name it, drag the slider over the section, and click Share clip, then Copy the link. Paste that link into a Link sticker. A clip stays on YouTube, so it drives people to your video rather than putting a copy on Instagram. Clipping is on by default, and creators can turn it off for their channel, so a clip link won't exist for every video.
Posting someone else's YouTube video on Instagram
Don't download and re-upload it. YouTube states that you can't download other users' videos, and its Terms of Service forbid downloading content unless YouTube or the rights holders authorize it.
Instagram's Terms of Use say you can't violate someone else's rights, including copyright, and that you represent you own or have obtained the rights to what you post. Getting the creator's permission is the clean route. Otherwise, post the link with a Story sticker and let the video play on YouTube.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can a YouTube video be on Instagram?
As a reel, up to 20 minutes. Instagram records the limit as one or several clips adding up to 20 minutes. It adds that reels over 3 minutes won't be recommended to new audiences, so a shorter cut has a better chance of reaching people who don't follow you. The limits are on Instagram's record a reel page.
Is the YouTube download good enough for Instagram?
Only if the video was uploaded at a decent size. YouTube's download is 720p or 360p, and Instagram's reel page lists a minimum resolution of 720 pixels, so a 360p download falls short. The original file from your camera or editor will look better than a copy that has already been compressed once.
Can I post someone else's YouTube video if I credit them?
Crediting is not permission. Instagram's terms put the burden on you to own or have the rights to what you post, whoever is named in the caption. Ask the owner for permission, or share the link so the video stays on YouTube.
Will Instagram recommend a reel made from my YouTube video?
It can be, but under 3 minutes is safer. Instagram's recommendation guidelines say it tries not to recommend unoriginal content that is largely repurposed from another source with only minor, immaterial edits and no material value added. A video you made is your own work; a copy of someone else's with a logo on it is not.
Sources
- YouTube Help, Download YouTube videos that you've uploaded
- YouTube, Terms of Service
- YouTube Help, Learn about managing Clips
- Instagram Help Center, How do I record an Instagram reel?
- Instagram Help Center, Reel size and aspect ratios on Instagram
- Instagram, Expanding the ability to share links in Stories to everyone
- Instagram Help Center, Terms of Use
- Instagram Help Center, Recommendations on Instagram
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