Best Time to Post on Instagram in 2026, by Day
Instagram's top posting hours for every day of the week, Reels included, in your audience's local time, with a calculator that converts them to your clock.
Evgenii PlugarevPublished
The best time to post on Instagram is Thursday at 9 AM in your audience's local time. It's the top slot in a 2026 engagement study of millions of Instagram posts, Reels included. Thursday is the only day that peaks in the morning: Monday and Tuesday peak in the evening, Wednesday at midday, and Friday to Sunday late in the evening.
Set your audience's location and the calculator shows each day's best times on your clock. For other networks, see the best time to post on social media.
Best time to post on Instagram
Thursday, 9 AM
Your audience's local time
| Day | Best times |
|---|---|
| Monday | 6 PM, 7 PM, 8 PM |
| Tuesday | 3 PM, 5 PM, 7 PM |
| Wednesday | 8 AM, 12 PM, 6 PM |
| Thursday | 7 AM, 8 AM, 9 AM |
| Friday | 6 AM, 9 PM, 10 PM |
| Saturday | 8 PM, 9 PM, 10 PM |
| Sunday | 8 PM, 9 PM, 10 PM |
Times are a starting point from aggregate engagement data. Test against your own analytics.
Best time to post on Instagram by day of the week
The top hour for each day, in your audience's local time.
Best time to post on Instagram on Monday
On Monday, the best time to post on Instagram is 7 PM. Its three top hours run back to back through the early evening.
Best time to post on Instagram on Tuesday
On Tuesday, the best time to post on Instagram is 7 PM, the same as Monday. Mid-afternoon and late afternoon work too.
Best time to post on Instagram on Wednesday
On Wednesday, the best time to post on Instagram is 12 PM, the only midday peak of the week. Early evening and morning are the other windows.
Best time to post on Instagram on Thursday
Thursday is the best day of the week to post on Instagram. Its peak, 9 AM, is the top slot overall, and all three of its top hours fall in the morning.
Best time to post on Instagram on Friday
On Friday, the best time to post on Instagram is 10 PM. Late evening leads, and early morning works too.
Best time to post on Instagram on Saturday
On Saturday, the best time to post on Instagram is 9 PM. Its three top hours run back to back through the late evening.
Best time to post on Instagram on Sunday
On Sunday, the best time to post on Instagram is 9 PM, the same as Saturday. The whole weekend peaks in the late evening.
How to find your own best time to post on Instagram
Your followers may keep different hours than the study. Once you have at least 100 followers, the Total followers section of Instagram Insights shows the times they're most active on Instagram (Meta Business Help).
Post at those hours for a few weeks, alternating with the times above, and compare reach and engagement. Keep the hours that win and recheck every few months.
Schedule Instagram posts for the best time with Pubblica
A late peak like 10 PM on Friday is easy to miss if you post by hand. Pubblica's Instagram scheduler publishes feed posts, carousels, Reels and Stories at the time you set, and sends the same post to Facebook, Threads and your other networks at once.
The Free plan includes 20 posts a month with unlimited accounts and no card. Pro is $20 a month for unlimited posts, with a 7-day free trial.
