What Are Instagram Reels Ads and How Do They Run?

A Reels ad looks and behaves like an organic reel, except that it carries an ad label and is placed by Meta’s delivery system. It plays full screen in the Reels tab, sits between other people’s reels and can be skipped. Approved Reels ads can also appear in the feed view of the Reels tab on public Instagram profiles of people 18 and older.

Where do Instagram Reels ads appear?

Meta says Reels ads appear in viewers’ Reels tab, inserted between other reels, and within the feed view of the Reels tab on public profiles of people aged 18 and up. Since January 2026, tapping a tile in the Explore grid opens an immersive reels viewer, and Meta says ads targeting the Instagram Reels placement now show in what used to be the Explore feed.

What creative rules apply to Reels ads?

Meta’s Reels ads article sets these rules for creative used in Ads Manager:

• Video can be up to 15 minutes and should be full-screen vertical.
• Music or sound is recommended so the ad fits the placement.
• Licensed music cannot be used; use original audio or royalty-free music such as Sound Collection.
• Reels published before 15 October 2021 should not be used.
• The media should not contain face and camera effects, GIFs or product tags.

Meta’s formats page adds that only a full-screen vertical asset can be used for ads delivered to Instagram Reels. For text, keep the top, bottom and side edges clear, and leave the bottom 40% free if you include a disclaimer.

How do you create a Reels ad in Ads Manager?

1. Click + Create campaign and choose Awareness, Traffic, Engagement, Leads, App promotion or Sales.
2. Set your budget, schedule and audience at the ad set level.
3. Leave Advantage+ placements on, which includes Reels, or open Show more settings and select Reels manually.
4. Add identity, destination and creative, then preview the Reels placement.
5. Publish and wait for review and approval.

How is boosting a reel different?

Boosting from Instagram uses an existing reel and has its own eligibility rules. Meta says a reel must be 90 seconds or less and 9:16 to be boosted, cannot use licensed music, cannot include face or camera effects, GIFs, product tags, interactive stickers or third-party camera filters, and cannot already have been shared to Facebook. Boosted reels appear in the Reels tab, Explore, Feed and Stories.

Rule	Reels ad in Ads Manager	Boosted reel
Maximum length	Up to 15 minutes	90 seconds or less
Licensed music	Not allowed	Not allowed
Product tags	Should not be included	Not allowed
Where it can show	Placements you select	Reels tab, Explore, Feed and Stories

What are “ads on Instagram Reels”?

Meta also describes a separate placement, ads on Instagram Reels, where ads appear at the top of publicly shared reels from eligible accounts. Creators who meet the eligibility rules can earn a share of the revenue. You select it under placements in Ads Manager, and brand safety tools such as block lists and publisher lists are available for it.

FAQ

Can people skip Instagram Reels ads?

Yes. Meta says that, as with organic reels, people can comment on, like, view, share and skip Reels ads. For video playback, Meta’s specifications say 50% of a Reels ad’s pixels must be in view for the ad to play, compared with 25% in Instagram Feed and 100% in Stories.

Can I use my existing reel as an ad?

Yes, if it meets Meta’s rules. You can boost it from Instagram when it is 90 seconds or less, vertical 9:16 and free of licensed music, effects, GIFs, product tags and interactive stickers. Reels published before 15 October 2021 or already shared to Facebook cannot be used this way.

Do Reels ads need sound?

Meta does not require it, but it recommends that video ad creative for Reels includes music or sound to better fit the placement. Any music must be original audio or royalty-free, such as tracks from Sound Collection, because Meta says Reels ads cannot use licensed music.