Best time to post on Instagram
The best time to post on Instagram is in the evening, between 6 PM and 10 PM in your audience's time zone. Thursday is the exception: mornings from 7 to 9 AM work best that day. The strongest single slots are Thursday at 9 AM and Wednesday at noon and 6 PM. Wednesday is the best day overall, and Friday and Saturday are the weakest.
Best times to post on Instagram by day
| Day | Best | 2nd | 3rd |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 7 PM | 6 PM | 8 PM |
| Tuesday | 7 PM | 3 PM | 5 PM |
| Wednesday | 12 PM | 6 PM | 8 AM |
| Thursday | 9 AM | 8 AM | 7 AM |
| Friday | 10 PM | 9 PM | 6 AM |
| Saturday | 9 PM | 10 PM | 8 PM |
| Sunday | 9 PM | 10 PM | 8 PM |
All times are local to the account. Source: Buffer's 2026 analysis of 9.6 million Instagram posts.
Reels, carousels and Stories
The table covers feed posts and Reels together. Two differences are worth knowing:
- Reels keep getting shown to non-followers for days, so timing matters less than the first three seconds. Post them when your followers are online so the first batch of views comes quickly.
- Stories disappear after 24 hours, so post them when people are actually scrolling, usually mornings and evenings. Many accounts post one in the morning and one in the evening.
Find your own best time on Instagram
Studies give you a starting point. Your own numbers are better:
- Switch to a free Creator or Business account (Settings → Account type and tools).
- Open Professional dashboard → Total followers and scroll to Most active times. Instagram shows the hours and days your followers are online.
- Post a little before the peak, so the post is live when people open the app.
Post at the best time automatically
Instagram's own scheduler only works from the app, one post at a time. ClipFlame's Instagram scheduler posts Reels at the times you pick from a calendar, alongside YouTube, TikTok and Facebook. Before you post, check the caption length in the character counter and the size in the image resizer.
Common questions
What is the best time to post on Instagram?
Evenings, between 6 PM and 10 PM in your audience's time zone. On Thursdays, mornings from 7 to 9 AM do best.
What is the best day to post on Instagram?
Wednesday is the best day overall; Friday and Saturday are the weakest.
Where do I find my own best time on Instagram?
In the app: Professional dashboard, Total followers, then Most active times.
Can I schedule Reels for these times?
Yes. Instagram schedules up to 75 days ahead, and ClipFlame's Instagram scheduler posts Reels at the times you pick.