Instagram’s Head, Adam Mosseri, has shed light on how the platform adjusts the quality of Reels, Stories, and photos. In a recent Instagram Stories Q&A, Mosseri said Instagram adjusts video quality based on performance. It considers a post's engagement and the user's internet speed.

How Instagram’s video quality adjustments work

Instagram’s new video quality system adjusts content in response to engagement rates and users’ internet connectivity. 

Mosseri noted that Instagram tries to show the highest quality video. However, if a Story or Reel does not have a lot of views after its first posting, Instagram will lower its quality. If that post experiences a sudden spike in views later on, Instagram will increase the quality of the video.

For users with slow internet, Instagram will reduce the video quality to load the content faster.

Lindsey Gamble said Mosseri explained that these quality adjustments work on a sliding scale. Higher-quality content goes to creators who bring in more views. “It’s not a binary threshold, but rather a sliding scale,” he said.

Why Instagram’s quality adjustments matter to creators

This approach has raised concerns about smaller creators potentially receiving lower video quality if their posts don’t attract views. 

Mosseri acknowledged the concern but downplayed the impact. He pointed out that viewers engage with videos more based on the content rather than video quality. Quality matters more to the creator, who’s more likely to delete low-quality posts, he explained.

This isn’t the first time Mosseri has addressed Instagram’s approach to smaller creators. In April, he said the platform changed its algorithm. It now gives smaller creators a better chance to reach new audiences. He acknowledged that they "haven't gotten their fair share of reach on Instagram" in the past.