How To Design The Perfect Instagram Reel Cover

Do you suffer from Instagram reel cover envy? Do you try and try, but you can’t seem to create reel covers that instantly attract viewers?

We’ve got you covered with the ultimate guide to designing the perfect Instagram reel cover in just a few simple steps. And, the best part is, you don’t have to be a professional designer to create instantly iconic reel covers.

Take the Easy Way Out

If you’re in a hurry and you don’t know where to start when creating a reel cover, Canva can act as a cheat sheet.

All you need to do is open a blank template sized 1080 x 1920. Search for Square under Elements and place it in the center of the template. Then, add the image you want for your cover onto the square.

You can now change the color of your canvas using the Background option. Add stickers, text, and the finished product to your reel as the cover image.

Add a Reel Cover in Instagram

If you don’t add a reel cover, Instagram will use the first frame of your reel. Your first frame isn’t likely to tell a great story, so it is essential to add an eye-catching cover.

To add your cover on Instagram, choose Reel and select the video you want to use. Add sounds and special effects that you want to include and select Edit Cover.

Now, upload the cover you made in Canva, or choose an image from Instagram to use as a cover.

Designing a Cover From Scratch

If you want to design your cover without the help of Canva or another online design program, keep the following sizes in mind.

Reels follow 1080 by 1920 px format, but your cover photo size will vary depending on the page they are viewed. For instance, when someone sees your reel cover as part of your Instagram grid, it will display as a 1:1 cropped image.

If they see it while browsing your content feed, the cover will display as 4:5. On the reels tab, cover images display as 9:16, which corresponds to 1080 x 1920 px.

These variations mean that you should always place the main elements of your cover image in the center (the same way you would in Canva). This will ensure that nothing gets cut off, no matter where the image is opened.

Making That All-important First Impression

Next up is the visual itself. You only have one chance to motivate Instagram users to click on your cover image to view the reel. You have to make the cover as exciting and bold as possible.

Never use blurry or pixelated images. Ensure that whatever is in the picture can be seen clearly. If you use action shots, use them as close-ups with a contrasting background.

If you have a large following on Instagram and consistently post reels, you can experiment with blurred-out covers. This will help you maintain the element of surprise and motivate viewers to watch the reel to discover the whole story.

Maintaining Brand Voice and Personality Is Essential

Whether you use blurred-out images or not, your reel covers must be consistent and convey your brand voice and personality. This means using the same colors and fonts for all covers without making them seem like carbon copies.

Use color to your advantage and include design elements to help your covers stand out on Instagram. You can implement bold color blocks with recognizable fonts to instantly draw attention to your content.

Your brand personality should shine through all the text you include on your cover. You can overlay the text over your main image to spark interest but don’t write paragraphs.

Two or three-word call-to-actions are enough to get people tapping on your reels. Just remember to size and place your text so it fits in with the 1:1 and 9:16 views.

If you randomly place your text, it will likely get cut off within these views. In fact, you should create your reel covers with all devices in mind.

Never place images or text near the edges of your image canvas so that every part of your design is visible on laptops, tablets, and phones.

2025 Is the Year of the Unique Reel Cover

You can level up your reel cover game in 2025 by incorporating the latest trends. These include adding micro-animations to your covers, which are a breeze to create in Canva or Spark.

Micro-animations are excellent for drawing attention, but keep in mind that your reel must live up to the hype of these animations.

Most importantly, no matter what your reel is about, your cover must be a genuine representation of your content. For example, if you create paint tutorial reels, you should not use photos instead of paintings as your cover image.

Artists often use their completed canvas to encourage people to watch their reels. But, if the canvas at the end of the reel doesn’t look like the photo cover, you will leave your audience disappointed.

Also, use interactive elements to make a lasting impression with your reel covers in 2025. You can use animated emojis or question marks to spark curiosity.

Use GIFs and stickers to add some fun to your reels. And don’t forget to use trending music and sounds to elevate your reel cover and the reel itself.

The Perfect Cover Will Sell Your Reel

If your cover is dull, it won’t sell the reel content. If it is exciting, people will watch the reel. That is just how simple it is. Experiment with different looks and designs until you find something that works for you and your audience.

Check out Instagram Insights to discover which of your reels perform the best because that means the covers of those reels work well.

Always try to incorporate the latest trends into your covers so that your content continues to appeal to the right audience. By doing this, you will not only create the best possible covers, but you might go viral on Instagram.