Best Time to Post on Instagram
There is no single best time to post on Instagram for every account, and studies disagree on the exact hours. Start with the midweek windows below, test two of them for a few weeks, then let iHatePosting, an AI social media scheduler for 15 networks with unlimited accounts for $15/month (billed annually), schedule your winners.
Key takeaways
- No single hour wins for every account. Sprout Social's and Hootsuite's 2026 studies both point to midweek afternoons, but they differ on early mornings and weekends.
- Where the two studies overlap, start there: Monday 3 to 4 p.m., Tuesday 3 to 7 p.m. and Wednesday 5 p.m., in your audience's local time.
- Thursday to Sunday is where the studies split, so test one window from each study instead of trusting either.
- Instagram's own Total followers insight shows the times your followers are most active, for public accounts with at least 100 followers.
- Post at two windows for a few weeks each, compare saves, shares and replies, and keep the winner.
How do you find your own best time to post?
The best time to post is when your followers are online and ready to engage. Instagram can show you this. Open your insights, tap Total followers, and look for the times your followers are most active. Instagram's help center says these trends appear for accounts with at least 100 followers, and that insights need a public account. It lists them in About Instagram insights.
If you have fewer than 100 followers, or a private account, that view is not there yet. Use the windows in the table below as a starting point instead, and add your own data as the account grows.
What is the best day to post on Instagram?
Two large studies give day-by-day windows, and they only partly agree. Sprout Social's 2026 study looked at nearly 2 billion engagements from November 2025 to February 2026 and was published on 31 March 2026. Hootsuite's 2026 guide, made with Critical Truth from over 1 million posts, was published on 14 July 2026. Both give times in the local time of the audience.
| Day | Sprout Social (31 March 2026) | Hootsuite (14 July 2026) | Window to test first |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 2 to 4 p.m. | 3 to 9 p.m. | 3 to 4 p.m. (both agree) |
| Tuesday | 1 to 7 p.m. | 5 to 8 a.m. and 3 to 7 p.m. | 3 to 7 p.m. (both agree) |
| Wednesday | 12 to 9 p.m., plus 11 p.m. | 5 p.m. | 5 p.m. (both agree) |
| Thursday | 12 to 2 p.m. | 4 to 5 p.m. | One from each: 12 to 2 p.m. and 4 to 5 p.m. |
| Friday | No significant peak | About 4 p.m. | About 4 p.m. (one study) |
| Saturday | Lowest engagement of the week | 11 a.m. and about 5 p.m. | 11 a.m., only if you post at weekends |
| Sunday | One of the worst days | 12 to 3 p.m. | 12 to 3 p.m., only if you post at weekends |
The last column is our own rule, not a result from either study. Where the two studies overlap, we use the overlap. Where they do not, we suggest one window from each. Treat every row as a starting point to test.
Weekends are where the studies split the most. Sprout Social calls Saturday the lowest day and Sunday one of the worst, while Hootsuite lists windows on both days. Your audience may behave differently from either sample, which is why a short test of your own is worth more than any table.
Why do the studies disagree?
They measure different things. Sprout Social's data comes from the engagements of its own customers' profiles on six networks, over three months. Hootsuite's comes from over 1 million posts by businesses of all sizes, across 118 countries. A different sample, a different period and a different method will give different hours.
That is not a flaw to fix. It is a reminder that a benchmark describes other people's audiences. Yours is the one that counts.
How do you test two windows?
Pick two windows
Choose two from the table, such as Tuesday 3 to 7 p.m. and Wednesday 5 p.m. Use your audience's local time.
Post similar content in each
Share the same kind of post in both windows for a few weeks, so the comparison is fair.
Compare saves, shares and replies
Judge each window by what people did with the post, not by one big result.
Keep the winner and test a new one
Keep the window that wins more than once, then test another against it.
What about Reels and carousels?
Sprout Social found that the best times for Reels mirror its overall windows. Its data shows that when your audience is active matters more than the format. Our own posts look closer at where the studies split. Read about the best time to post Instagram Reels, the best time to post a carousel and Friday posting times.
How do you schedule these posts?
Once you have two windows, queue posts into them instead of posting by hand. Our guide to scheduling Instagram posts and Reels shows how. iHatePosting also suggests times from your own results, so you can compare what you tested. You can start with the 90-day free trial and see iHatePosting pricing for the single plan.
Related reading
- The best time to post on social media: the general windows for every network.
- How to schedule Instagram posts and Reels: queue your tested windows.
- Post to all social media at once: send one post to every network.
Frequently asked questions
Is the best time different for Reels?
Sprout Social found that the best times for Reels mirror its overall windows. The hours your audience is active matter more than the format. Our own Reels post says the benchmarks disagree. So start with the table above, then test one window of your own and compare the results.
Does my time zone matter?
Yes. Sprout Social lists its windows in local time. It says to schedule for the time zone your audience is in, so a post for London followers should follow London time. Hootsuite also localized its data. If your followers are spread out, test the window in your largest region first.
What if I have fewer than 100 followers?
Instagram's help center says the Total followers trends appear when you have at least 100 followers. They include the times your followers are most active. Until then, use the windows in the table. Post at two of them for a few weeks each, and compare saves, shares and replies.
How long should I test a window?
A few weeks is a fair start. Post similar content in each window so the comparison is fair, and judge them by saves, shares and replies rather than one big post. If one window wins more than once, keep it, and then test a new window against it.
Are these times guaranteed to work?
No. Both studies are averages across many accounts, and they disagree with each other on mornings and weekends. Your audience may behave differently. Use the times as a starting point, and let your own insights and your own tests decide what you keep.