How to Add Reel to Highlights on Instagram with Easy Steps

What is an Instagram highlight

An Instagram highlight is a collection of saved stories that stay on your profile instead of disappearing after 24 hours. Users create highlights to organize and showcase important content, such as events, tutorials, or special moments. These highlights appear below the bio section and can have custom covers and names. Unlike regular stories, they remain visible until removed, helping to keep valuable content accessible to followers anytime.

Can you post Instagram reel videos to highlights

Instagram does not have a direct option to post reel videos to highlights. Unlike stories, reels cannot be added to highlights directly from the Reel section. To do this, you first need to share the reel of your story. Once shared, you can save it as a highlight from the story section. This keeps the reel visible on your profile even after 24 hours. It also helps organize your best videos for followers to easily access.

Benefits of adding a reel to the highlights

Saving important reels on your profile helps keep them visible and accessible to viewers. Since Instagram does not keep reels in highlights automatically, adding them manually ensures they stay on display. Here's why you should add a reel to highlights and how it benefits your profile:

• Highlight top content

Some reels get more views, likes, and shares than others, making them stand out. Adding these to highlights makes it easy for new and existing followers to find them at any time. This way, your best content remains visible rather than getting lost in the feed as you post new videos.

• Keep your profile active

An updated profile attracts more viewers and makes a strong impression on visitors. Learning how to add reels to Instagram highlights makes your page look fresh and engaging. Even when you're not posting new content regularly, saved reels keep your profile lively and visually appealing.

• Boost engagement

Reels in highlights get more views over time because they stay on your profile permanently. Since they remain accessible, followers and new visitors can watch, like, and share them anytime, increasing their reach. This increases interaction and helps grow your audience by keeping your content engaging.

• Feature popular reels

Some reels may trend or perform better than expected due to high engagement. Adding them to highlights ensures they stay visible long after they leave the main feed or story section. This keeps the best-performing content available for users to watch again and enjoy anytime they visit your profile.

• Make content discoverable

When you add reels to highlights, new visitors can explore your content easily and without effort. Instead of scrolling through your posts endlessly, they can check the highlights section and find key videos quickly. This improves your profile's organization and viewer experience.

How to add reels to highlights on Instagram

Instagram doesn't have a built-in feature to save reels directly to highlights, but you can easily do so with a simple trick. First, share the reel to your story, then save the story to your highlights. This ensures your reels stay visible on your profile even after they're no longer in the feed. Follow these steps to add your favorite reels to highlights effortlessly:

STEP 1
1. Share the reel to your story

Go to your profile and find the reel you want to save. Click the share button, select "Add to Story," and expand it to fit the screen before posting.

STEP 2
1. Wait for the story to post

Once shared, wait for the story to upload completely. You can check by going to your stories section to confirm that the reel has been posted successfully.

STEP 3
1. Add the story to the highlights

Open the posted story and tap the "Highlight" button at the bottom. Select an existing highlight or create a new one to save the story. Now, your reel will stay in highlights for easy access.

Craft unforgettable Instagram reels: CapCut desktop video editor

The CapCut desktop video editor helps create eye-catching Instagram Reels with smooth edits and creative effects for a professional look. It streamlines advanced editing, making it easy to craft professional-quality videos that stand out from the crowd. It is perfect for adding accurate captions, custom AI fonts, and effects to your videos for maximum impact and engagement.

Key features

The CapCut desktop video editor has advanced tools to enhance Instagram Reels, making editing faster and more creative. Here are some key features that help improve video quality and engagement:

• Creative text animations

Add eye-catching text effects to make captions, titles, or subtitles stand out in your reels and keep viewers engaged.

• Generate accurate captions

Automatically add subtitles to videos, making content more accessible and engaging for viewers who watch videos without sound.

• Auto reframe reels in a click

Instantly adjust video framing for different aspect ratios, keeping key subjects centered effortlessly for various platforms and audiences.

• Library of royalty-free music

Access a vast collection of background tracks to enhance mood and storytelling without copyright issues, ensuring professional-quality sound.

• Efficient AI voice changer

Modify voiceovers instantly with CapCut's AI voice changer, adding creativity or matching different themes easily for unique and engaging audio.

How to edit your Instagram reels with CapCut's AI tools

Click the button below to download and install CapCut easily. Once downloaded, open the installer and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup. Finally, start editing your Instagram Reels with AI-powered tools in minutes.

STEP 1
1. Import the video

To begin, import your video into CapCut's desktop editor by clicking "Import" or dragging it into the workspace. Then, drag the video to the timeline for editing.

STEP 2
1. Edit the reel

Tap "Auto reframe" in the "Basic" editing tab to choose the appropriate ratio and resize your video for Instagram. Enhance visuals by adding versatile body effects. Add text to the video, then navigate to the "Text to speech" tool, where you can choose from various voices for your video's audio. Click "Generate" to add them to the video, and enhance the audio further using CapCut's "Voice changer" with versatile AI voices and characters.

STEP 3
1. Export and share

After editing, hit "Export" and choose the appropriate format, resolution, and frame rate. Then click "Export" to save or post it on Instagram.

Tips for creating Instagram highlights

Keeping your Instagram highlights well-organized makes your profile look clean and professional. Thoughtfully arranged highlights help viewers quickly find important content and keep them engaged. Here are some useful tips to improve your Instagram highlights:

• Organize by theme

Group highlights into categories like tutorials, product showcases, or behind-the-scenes clips. This makes it easier for viewers to find specific content and keeps your profile structured. A well-organized highlight section improves user experience.

• Use eye-catching covers

Custom highlight covers to create a neat and professional look, making your profile more attractive. For consistency, use simple, visually appealing designs that match your brand or profile aesthetic. This makes your highlights stand out, attract more viewers, and improve overall branding. With CapCut, you can easily design and customize highlight covers using its graphic design tools to match your style and create cohesive visuals.

• Keep important content first

Place the most valuable or engaging highlights at the beginning for better visibility. Since people may not scroll through all highlights, showing key content first increases the chances of more views and interactions. Keep your best-performing stories easily accessible for better engagement.

• Update regularly

Refreshing highlights with new content keep your profile active, interesting, and relevant. Remove outdated stories and replace them with fresh, high-quality content that aligns with your latest updates. This helps maintain engagement, attract new followers, and keep your profile looking fresh.

• Limit the number of highlights

Avoid overwhelming visitors by keeping only essential and high-quality content for better clarity. Too many highlights can make your profile look cluttered and difficult to navigate, reducing engagement. Keep only the most relevant and engaging stories to maintain a clean and structured profile.

Conclusion

Understanding how to add reels to highlights is a great way to keep your best videos visible on your Instagram profile. Organizing highlights properly helps engage viewers and makes important content easy to find. Regularly updating them keeps your profile fresh and attractive. For better reels, smooth edits, and creative effects, try the CapCut desktop video editor to enhance your content effortlessly.

FAQs

1
1. Can you add a reel to highlights without alerting followers?

To add a reel to your Instagram highlights without notifying followers, first, post the reel to your story while hiding it from all followers in the story settings. Then, add the story to your highlight. Afterward, unhide your followers. For a more professional reel, consider editing it with the CapCut desktop video editor before uploading.

2
1. Can you add a reel to highlight multiple times for different categories?

Instagram lets you add the same reel to multiple highlights, effectively categorizing it under different themes. To do this, add the reel to your story and then include it in each relevant highlight. However, to edit your Instagram reel before adding them to the highlights, use the advanced AI tools in the CapCut desktop video editor.

3
1. How do I change the cover of a reel in my highlights?

To change the cover of a highlight containing a reel, go to your profile, tap and hold the highlight, select 'Edit Highlight,' then 'Edit Cover.' Choose a new cover image from your gallery or the included stories. However, creating a custom cover using the CapCut desktop video editor can give your highlight a distinctive look.