Instagram Reels
Schedule Instagram Reels that post themselves
Upload a video, write the caption, pick a time. At that time Bloom publishes it to Instagram as a Reel, through Instagram’s official publishing connection, and it shows on your grid as well as in the Reels tab. It works on the free plan, and the same video can go to Facebook, Bluesky, X and your TikTok inbox from the same post.
Free plan. No card needed. Works on the web, Android and iPhone.
How to schedule a Reel in Bloom
- Connect a professional Instagram accountInstagram only lets apps publish for Business and Creator accounts. Switching is free in Instagram’s settings. Then open Setup in Bloom and sign in with your Instagram login, or through Facebook if you prefer.
- Add one videoA single video on its own is what makes a Reel. Add photos or more videos alongside it and Instagram gets a carousel instead.
- Write the caption, tag people, invite collaboratorsCaptions can run to 2,200 characters. Tag up to 20 people and invite up to 3 collaborators; Instagram sends each collaborator an invitation, and the Reel appears on their profile once they accept.
- Pick the other places it should goTick your Facebook Page, Bluesky, X or TikTok and the same video goes there too, each in the shape that platform takes.
- Choose a timePick one yourself, or let Bloom place it at one of your best times. At that time the Reel is published and Bloom shows it as live.
What Bloom sends to Instagram
- How Bloom posts
- Posts automatically
- Format
- One video on its own posts as a Reel. A video among several photos or videos posts as one item in a carousel of up to 10.
- Where it appears
- In the Reels tab and on your profile grid
- Caption
- Up to 2,200 characters, with your saved hashtag sets if you use them
- People
- Up to 20 tagged accounts and 3 collaborator invitations
- File size
- Up to 25MB per video on the free plan, 500MB on Pro and Plus
- Plan
- Free and every paid plan
If Instagram refuses a tag or a collaborator (a private account can’t be tagged, for one), Bloom sends the Reel without it rather than failing the whole post, and the post’s record says what was left off.
Why a Reel can take a few minutes to appear
A photo goes live almost as soon as it’s sent. A video doesn’t: Instagram downloads the file and converts it before the Reel can be published, and that takes minutes, not seconds. Bloom waits for Instagram for up to about eight minutes. If Instagram still hasn’t finished, Bloom tries again a few minutes later, up to three attempts in all, and tells you if the Reel still can’t go out.
So a Reel scheduled for 6:00 may show up at 6:03. If the minute matters, for a launch or a live event, schedule it a little early.
What Bloom can’t do with Reels yet
- Stories. Bloom posts Reels, photos and carousels, not Stories.
- A custom cover. Bloom doesn’t choose a cover image for the Reel, so make the opening frame of your video one you’d be happy to see on your grid.
- Sounds from Instagram’s library. The Reel goes out with the audio already in your video. Bloom can’t add a track from Instagram’s music library.
- Alt text on the Reel. Bloom adds your alt text to photos; a Reel goes out without it.
We would rather you read that here than find it out after scheduling a month of videos.
One video, every platform
The same post can carry your video to the other places you post. Each platform takes it a little differently:
| Platform | What the video becomes | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| A Reel, on your grid too | Needs a professional account | |
| Facebook Pages | A video post on your Page | A video goes on its own; photos beside it don’t go |
| Bluesky | A video post | One video, up to 100MB, never mixed with photos |
| X | A video post | Automatic on Pro and Plus, one tap on Free |
| TikTok | A draft in your TikTok inbox | Up to 64MB; you add the caption and post it in TikTok |
TikTok is the one that needs you at the end. Here is how the TikTok inbox route works, and why no scheduler can skip it yet. If Instagram and Facebook are your two main places, read how to post to Instagram and Facebook at the same time.
Planning a month of Reels
Reels are usually filmed in batches, so schedule them that way. Bulk scheduling takes up to 60 videos or photos at once, one to four posts a day from a start date, and spreads them across the content calendar at your best times. Each one becomes its own post, so you can still open any of them and change the caption or the time.
Best times come from your own results, not a chart about everyone else: log how your posts do and Bloom works out the days and hours that suit your audience. Until it has enough to go on, it uses sensible defaults.
Storage is 500MB on the free plan and 10GB on Pro ($4.99 a month), which is the main reason someone posting a lot of video upgrades. It is the same for a band announcing a tour, a photographer showing a shoot or a small business posting a product clip.
Frequently asked questions
Can you schedule Instagram Reels?
Yes. Instagram allows apps to publish Reels for professional (Business or Creator) accounts. In Bloom, a post with a single video is published as a Reel at the time you choose.
Can I schedule Reels for free?
Yes. Scheduling Reels is on Bloom’s free plan, and so is automatic publishing. Pro ($4.99 a month) adds storage and larger files, which matters if you post a lot of video.
Will a scheduled Reel show on my profile grid?
Yes. Bloom asks Instagram to share each Reel to your feed, so it appears on your grid as well as in the Reels tab.
Can I add music to a scheduled Reel?
Only the audio that is already in your video. Bloom can’t add a sound from Instagram’s music library, so add music in your editing app before you upload.
Can Bloom schedule Instagram Stories?
No. Bloom publishes Reels, single photos and carousels. Stories aren’t supported.
Do I need a Facebook account to schedule Reels?
No. You can connect a professional Instagram account with your Instagram login. Connecting through Facebook also works if your account is linked to a Facebook Page.
Write it once. Bloom posts it everywhere.
Connect your accounts, schedule your first post and let Bloom publish it. The free plan includes automatic posting to Instagram, Facebook and Bluesky.
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