Get 100 free creditsInstagram Reels Editor
Reels punish slow openings and horizontal framing. Recapo's Instagram Reels editor is tuned for the format: it crops any footage to 9:16, slices out the strongest moments so the pace never sags, and layers on captions sized for a phone held at arm's length.
The same project carries you to publish: AI voiceover if you don't want to record narration, a cover frame picked from keyframes, and a vertical MP4 export that's ready to upload to Instagram without another conversion step.
Click to upload or drop a video
Live-preview & trim in your browser; rendering runs in the cloud — don't leave this page (leaving cancels the render)
Built for the 9:16 vertical frame
Posting a letterboxed horizontal video as a Reel wastes most of the screen. The editor reframes footage into true 9:16, letting you decide what stays in the shot — the speaker, the action, the product — instead of settling for a centered crop with black bars.
Reels captions that work with the sound off
A large share of Reels viewing happens muted, so captions decide whether your hook lands. Recapo transcribes speech automatically, lets you fix wording line by line, then styles and burns the captions in:
- Adjust font, color and position so text survives bright or busy backgrounds.
- Keep lines short — phone-width captions read faster than full sentences.
- Burn captions into the video so styling is identical on every viewer's device.
One long video, a week of Reels
Reels reward consistency more than polish. Import one long video — a stream, a tutorial, an episode — and cut several highlight Reels from it in a single session, each with its own caption pass and cover. That turns existing footage into a posting schedule instead of a one-off.
How to use the Recapo instagram reels editor
Three steps, fully in the cloud — nothing to install.
Step 1: Bring in any footage
Upload from your device or import a link — horizontal, square or already vertical. Long-form source works too; you'll carve the Reel out of it.
Step 2: Shape it for Reels
Crop to 9:16 and choose the framing, cut highlight moments to keep the rhythm tight, then add captions styled to stay readable over busy footage.
Step 3: Export Reels-ready
Render a vertical MP4 with burned-in captions and pick a cover frame, then upload straight to Instagram.
Frequently asked questions about the instagram reels editor
Can I make a Reel from a horizontal video?
Yes. Import the horizontal source, crop it to 9:16 and choose the framing yourself, so the subject fills the vertical screen instead of floating between black bars.
Can I style the captions to match my account's look?
Yes. After the AI transcribes your audio, edit the text, then set font, color and position before burning the captions in — the style ships inside the video file.
What specs does the export use for Instagram?
Exports are vertical 9:16 MP4 files that Instagram accepts directly. Length and content rules change on Instagram's side, so check the app's current Reels guidelines before posting.
Can I trim a long recap down to Reel length?
Yes. You can cut the video down to just the segment you want to post, which is how most commentary creators turn a multi-minute recap into a single tight Reel.
Ready to try Instagram Reels Editor?
Turn any footage into Instagram Reels: crop to 9:16, cut the moments that hold attention, add styled captions and AI voiceover, then export a Reels-ready MP4.
Use it free