Best Time to Post on Instagram in 2026: Data from 2 Million Posts

There are many factors to consider when posting on Instagram, but the one that often feels like a make-or-break decision is when to post your content.

Totally fair. You don't want to pour hours into a post, only to share it in an Instagram dead zone and hear... crickets.

Finding the best time to post can make the difference between silence and Instagram success.

Sharing Instagram Stories, reels, feed posts, and carousels at optimal times for engagement is an important consideration in your social media strategy.

Engagement is a super important signal for the Instagram algorithm. Likes, comments, shares, and reposts tell the app that your content is valuable, and the algorithm will share it with more users as a result.

If your content immediately makes it to your target audience's feed while they're around to engage with it, it's more likely to succeed.

That's why we analyzed the engagement of over 9.6 million Instagram posts to determine the best time to post on Instagram — backed by real-world data.

With all that in mind, let's dig into everything you need to know about when to post on Instagram. We'll also cover how to figure out your personal best time to post for engagement and reach, whether you're a marketer, creator, influencer, or casual Instagrammer.

Key takeaways

Peak times: The best times to post on Instagram are Thursday at 9 a.m., Wednesday at 12 p.m., and Wednesday at 6 p.m., based on engagement data.
Top days: Wednesday and Thursday are the highest-performing days for engagement, followed by Tuesday.
Evening performance: Generally, evening hours (6 p.m.–11 p.m.) see the strongest engagement across most days.
Weekends: Friday and Saturday are the worst days to post, with significantly lower engagement rates.

Jump to a section:

Is there a best time to post on Instagram?
The best times to post on Instagram in 2026
The best time to post on Instagram at a glance
The best time to post on Instagram for every day of the week
The best day of the week to post on Instagram
What is the best time to post reels on Instagram?
Get the best times to post on Instagram right in Buffer
How to find the best time to post on Instagram for you
The best time to post on Instagram FAQs
Your checklist for high-performing Instagram posts
More Instagram resources

Is there a best time to post on Instagram?

There's no universal best time to post on Instagram for guaranteed success. If only it were that easy! Ultimately, the quality of your content will always be the most important factor.

However, our analysis of 9.6 million posts showed us that certain days and times tend to yield more engagement than others. What was really interesting was the patterns we uncovered, too. For example, evening hours consistently outperform mornings across most days of the week.

Timing isn't as critical as it was in the chronological-feed days (R.I.P.), but it still plays a role in your social media marketing strategy.

Phew! Ready to dig into the numbers and uncover the best time to post on Instagram based on our research?

🌏 No time zone troubles! To make this data easier to understand, our data scientist has done some mathematical magic to make the recommended time zones universally applicable. In other words, no need to convert — these times already apply to your time zone. Whether you're in EST (Eastern Standard Time), PST (Pacific Standard Time), or IST (Indian Standard Time), the times apply to you.

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Schedule your Instagram reels, carousels, photos, and stories. Buffer makes it easy to test and discover your own best time to post on Instagram. Sign up for free →

The best times to post on Instagram in 2026

The best times to post on Instagram are Thursday at 9 a.m., Wednesday at 12 p.m., and Wednesday at 6 p.m., based on engagement data.

After analyzing more than 9.6 million posts, we found that posts shared at these times tended to get the highest engagement rates.

Our latest data reveals that evening hours (6 p.m.–11 p.m.) generally see the strongest engagement in all time zones. It's well worth sticking to these hours in your Instagram posting schedule.

This tracks, considering over a third of Instagram users are 25-34 years old, according to Statista — this demographic is most likely to check the app in the evenings to unwind after work. Things tend to pick up in the early afternoons on some weekdays. Peep that notable midday spike on Wednesdays around noon. (Who doesn't love a lunch break scroll?)

Interestingly, morning hours (6 a.m.–11 a.m.) tend to be the worst times to post, with one notable exception: Thursday mornings at 9 a.m. show surprisingly strong engagement.

As you'll see from the heatmap graph above, the best Instagram posting times vary depending on the day of the week. The darkest slots represent the time slots with the highest engagement.

The light-colored to white blocks are the time slots with the lowest engagement, showing the posting times that are best avoided if you're after the best possible engagement and reach.

The end of the week and weekends look different from weekdays. Friday and Saturday are the worst days to post content, with significantly lower engagement across all time slots. If weekends are part of your posting strategy, evening hours (8 p.m.–10 p.m.) on Sunday offer your best bet for catching weekend scrollers.

The best time to post on Instagram at a glance

Day of the Week	Best Time(s) to Post
Sunday	9 p.m., 10 p.m., 8 p.m.
Monday	7 p.m., 6 p.m., 8 p.m.
Tuesday	7 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m.
Wednesday	12 p.m., 6 p.m., 8 a.m.
Thursday	9 a.m., 8 a.m., 7 a.m.
Friday	10 p.m., 9 p.m., 6 a.m.
Saturday	9 p.m., 10 p.m., 8 p.m.

The best time to post on Instagram for every day of the week

Here's a closer look at the best Instagram posting times for maximum engagement, day by day.

The best time to post on Instagram on Monday

The best time to post on Monday is 7 p.m. Patterns show strong evening engagement, with other peak posting times at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Monday mornings tend to underperform as people are getting back into their work routines.

The best time to post on Instagram on Tuesday

The best time to post on Tuesday is 7 p.m. Other good times are 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Tuesday shows a nice balance of afternoon and evening engagement, making it a versatile day for posting.

The best time to post on Instagram on Wednesday

The best time to post on Wednesday is 12 p.m., very closely followed by excellent posting times at 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. Wednesday stands out as one of the strongest days overall, with both midday and evening slots performing exceptionally well.

The best time to post on Instagram on Thursday

The best time to post on Thursday is 9 a.m., followed by 8 a.m. and 7 a.m. If you're keen on posting earlier, this is your day. Thursday is unique in that it's the only day when morning hours significantly outperform other time slots. This makes it ideal for reaching early risers and morning scrollers.

The best time to post on Instagram on Friday

The best times to post on Friday are 10 p.m. and 9 p.m., with 6 a.m. also showing some engagement. Friday is generally a weaker day for Instagram engagement, so if you're posting, aim for late evening when people are starting their weekend.

The best time to post on Instagram on Saturday

The best time to post on Saturday is 9 p.m., though it's worth noting that Saturday engagement is significantly lower compared to weekdays. 10 p.m. and 8 p.m. are also decent options. Saturday is the worst day to post content overall, so consider saving your best stuff for other days.

The best time to post on Instagram on Sunday

The best time to post on Sunday is 9 p.m., when engagement on posts tends to be highest. 10 p.m. and 8 p.m. also see strong engagement and are great times to add to your posting schedule. Sunday evenings are when people are winding down their weekend and catching up on social media before the work week begins.

This is where social media management tools like Buffer really shine. Experiment by systematically going through the best times to post on the list above. Schedule posts at these times and track their performance to see what time to post on Instagram to reach your target audience.

The best day of the week to post on Instagram

Wednesday is the best day to post on Instagram, followed closely by Thursday and Tuesday. These midweek days consistently show the highest engagement rates across multiple time slots.

Comparatively, the worst days to post on Instagram are Friday and Saturday. Weekend engagement drops significantly, making weekdays your best bet for maximum reach and engagement.

What is the best time to post reels on Instagram?

Wondering when you should post Instagram Reels? The best time to post Instagram Reels aligns with our overall findings: evening hours (6 p.m.–11 p.m.) on weekdays, particularly Wednesday and Thursday. In our analysis, we reviewed all posts, rather than segmenting by post type, for maximum engagement.

That said, it's also worth considering that people treat different segments of the Instagram app a little differently.

An update on the algorithm by Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri offers some interesting insight on this front. "People tend to look for their closest friends in stories, use explore to discover new content and creators, and be entertained in reels," he said in a reel.

It stands to reason, then, that people are looking to be entertained at certain times of day, and catch up with friends, family, and their favorite creators at other times.

We recommend you post reels during the optimal posting times in the evening. Your followers will have slightly more time to scroll and enjoy your Instagram Reels as they wind down their day, making it a great time to post on Instagram.

Get the best times to post on Instagram right in Buffer

If, like me, you fancy working smarter, not harder, did you know you can access these recommended times right in Buffer?

You can automatically set these recommended times for Instagram and your other social media platforms. They'll appear as posting slots in your queue and calendar, like this:

Pretty handy, no? It'll take you less than a minute to set up:

Hover over Instagram on your channels list on the left, and click on the three dots to see more options.
Choose Posting Schedule.
Under Posting Times, click the Generate New Posting Times button, then Use Recommended Posting Times.

The schedule will automatically update to include the best posting times for the week, based on our latest analysis of millions of Instagram posts.

The next time you schedule a post, you can easily choose one of these high engagement slots. No more guessing!

How to find the best time to post on Instagram for you

While all of the above posting times can be useful in helping you put together a posting schedule as you're just starting out, take it all with a pinch of salt.

There are better ways to figure out when your audience is online and engaging — and your personal best time to post on Instagram might not align with the general guidelines above.

Ultimately, there is no one-size-fits-all for the best time to post on Instagram. Your best time might look totally different from someone else's.

For example, my personal Instagram audience's activity level is pretty steady on work days and on the weekends. Their most active times are between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.

For Buffer's Instagram following, things look a little different. They're most active on the platform between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Buffer Analytics

A social media management tool like Buffer can be really helpful in pinpointing the best time to post on Instagram based on your audience's unique behavior.

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Buffer Answers will highlight your personal best time to post based on reach and engagement.

If you're a Buffer user, our analytics offer even deeper insights than the best time to post on Instagram — you'll also find your best posts, best days to post, and best Instagram content types.

To find yours:

Head over to analyze.buffer.com in your desktop browser and make sure you're logged into your Buffer account.
Click on Instagram on the left side of your screen. There's a host of important data to dig into here, including Instagram post performance and audience demographics.
Click on Answers. Here, you'll find insights on a whole lot more than the best time to post on Instagram (like which post types are the best for you, or how often you should be posting) but the best time to post is the second box from the top.

Here are some of the answers for our Instagram account in Buffer:

Instagram Insights

Instagram Insights, the native Instagram analytics tool for the social media platform, can be helpful in pinpointing some good times to post on Instagram.

To get stats for your own audience via the Instagram analytics baked into the app, head over to Instagram Insights on the mobile app. You'll need to have a professional Instagram account — a Creator or Business Account — to access these numbers.

Go to your Instagram profile and click on 'Professional dashboard' just below your bio.
Tap on 'Total followers.'
Scroll to 'Most active times' to pinpoint your followers' best time to post moments. You'll be able to toggle between every day of the week to see when they're active online on different days, and how ideal posting times differ.

You can also access Instagram Insights via the web version of Instagram. To find yours:

Log in to your Instagram account in your browser via instagram.com
Click on 'Dashboard' on the left-hand side of the screen
Scroll down to 'Followers' to see your audience's most active times (i.e. your ideal posting times).

If you don't see these Instagram analytics options, you may still have a personal account — remember to switch to a creator or business account, first!

The best time to post on Instagram FAQs

Here are some commonly asked questions when it comes to the best time to schedule posts for engagement and reach.

How did you calculate the best time to post on Instagram?

For this updated analysis, we examined 9.6 million Instagram posts to identify patterns in engagement performance. We measured engagement rates across different times and days to determine when posts tend to perform best.

Why did we focus on engagement? While reach is important for growth, engagement tells us when your audience is most likely to interact with your content — and the Instagram algorithm now prioritizes 'sends per reach' (how often people DM your post or reel to a friend) as a critical ranking signal.

Instagram head Adam Mosseri has candidly shared that sends per reach is Instagram's most important algorithmic signal, particularly in the reels and discover feeds.

We measured median engagement rates to ensure results weren't skewed by outlier posts or large accounts — making this advice applicable whether you're just starting out or have an established following.

Does the time you post on Instagram matter?

Our data shows that Instagram posting times do matter. Analyzing more than 9.6 million Instagram posts showed that content posted at specific times had significantly higher engagement rates.

Evening hours (6 p.m.–11 p.m.) consistently outperformed other time slots, with Wednesday and Thursday showing the strongest overall performance.

But timing can't save a weak post. Think of it as the cherry on top of your strategy, not the cake itself.

For guidance on how to improve your Instagram account and content, head over to the section: Your checklist for high-performing Instagram posts

When is it best not to post on Instagram?

When it comes to when not to post on Instagram, our data reveals clear patterns. Morning hours (6 a.m.–11 a.m.) tend to be the worst times to post, with one exception: Thursday mornings show surprisingly strong engagement.

The most obvious answer is overnight. Our analysis supports this — any posts shared between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. tended to get the lowest engagement, no matter what day of the week it is. Rule of thumb: Don't post on Instagram while your audience is asleep.

Friday and Saturday are the worst days to post overall, with significantly lower engagement across all time slots. If you're after maximum reach and engagement, save your best content for midweek.

Is it better to post early or late on Instagram?

Based on our analysis of 9.6 million posts, late (evening) is generally better than early (morning) for Instagram engagement.

Evening hours (6 p.m.–11 p.m.) consistently show the highest engagement rates across most days of the week. This aligns with when most Instagram users — particularly the 18–34 demographic — are winding down from work and actively scrolling.

The one notable exception is Thursday, where morning hours (7 a.m.–9 a.m.) actually outperform other time slots.

What is the best time to post on Instagram today?

If you're wondering about the best time to post on Instagram right now, it depends on what day it is:

Weekdays:

Monday/Tuesday: 7 p.m. or 6 p.m.
Wednesday: 12 p.m., 6 p.m., or 8 a.m.
Thursday: 9 a.m., 8 a.m., or 7 a.m.
Friday: 10 p.m. or 9 p.m. (though engagement is lower overall)

Weekends:

Sunday: 9 p.m. or 10 p.m.
Saturday: 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. (also a weaker day)

For more details, scroll up to the cheatsheet section: The best time to post on Instagram at a glance.

When is the best time to post on Instagram in my country or timezone?

Many of the guides you'll find on the best times to post will be in U.S. time zones, like Eastern Time (EST) or Pacific Time (PST), which can be super confusing when it comes to figuring out your best time to post on Instagram.

But if you're based outside these zones (hello from South Africa!), all of the best times to post on Instagram data above are still applicable to you.

Buffer's data scientist has crunched the numbers to be universally applicable. So if the best time to post on Instagram on Wednesday is 12 p.m., that's 12 p.m. in your time zone — whether you're based in California or Calcutta.

How often should I post on Instagram?

Social media post frequency is important — regularly showing up on any of the major social media platforms is often the best way to grow.

Another 2025 Buffer study showed that the more often you post on Instagram, the higher reach you get per post. We found that 3-5 posts on Instagram per week (reels, carousels, or photo posts) was the sweet spot for better reach for your efforts.

Instagram Stories, which disappear after 24 hours, offer a helpful, lightweight way to stay consistent on the platform. Post an Instagram Story at least daily to stay top-of-mind for your followers.

Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, has made similar recommendations. Post reels, carousels, photos, and stories every week to grow your social media presence, he says. Mosseri recommends sharing one to two Instagram Stories daily and a couple of feed posts weekly, which should be enough for consistent Instagram engagement and reach.

It's worth experimenting with your posting schedule to see what cadence, along with time to post, works best for your target audience.

Buffer can help here, too. With enough data, our analytics tools crunch the numbers for you to recommend your best posting frequency, along with the best time to post. Scroll up to The best time for you to post on Instagram section to learn how.

Your checklist for high-performing Instagram posts

While figuring out the best time to post on Instagram for maximum reach is an important part of your Instagram marketing strategy, it's not the be-all and end-all.

As we unpack in our guide to the Instagram algorithm(s), there are a huge number of factors to take into account if you want your content to perform well when you post on Instagram. Here's our checklist for high-performing Instagram content:

Make the most of Instagram's new features: As with the launch of Instagram Stories and reels, the platform loves showcasing its new features. Using them when you post on Instagram could mean getting your content in front of new audiences.
Experiment with content types: Regularly trying out a new type of content when you post on Instagram will help you figure out what resonates the most with your audience. Plus, it's a great way to repurpose your content.
Don't neglect your caption: According to a fascinating report by HubSpot, captions that performed the best were either very long (over 2,000 characters) or very short (less than 20). Using emojis in captions was also shown to boost Instagram engagement.
Use hashtags: Studies show that posts with hashtags receive higher engagement than those without. Buffer's Hashtag Manager will make adding your favorite ones to your caption or comments on Instagram a breeze.
Prioritize authentic engagement: Rather than wasting time and resources on Instagram algorithm hacks, focus on fostering meaningful engagement with your followers. That means replying to comments and messages, resharing their mentions of you, and even interacting with them on their own content. Remember: the algorithm now prioritizes 'sends per reach' — encourage your audience to share your posts with friends.
Analyze to see what's working: Use Instagram Insights to build your social media presence and see which of your posts have had maximum engagement and reach. Buffer's analytics will also help you uncover your best posts in just a few clicks.

What have you found most helpful when determining your best posting times? We'd love to hear more about your Instagram strategy! Let us know @buffer on all our social media accounts!

More Instagram resources