Best Time to Post on Instagram (Every Day of the Week, 2026)
By PostMax Team · Updated · 8 min read
Quick answer
The best time to post on Instagram is Tuesday to Thursday: Tuesday 3–7 p.m., Wednesday 12–6 p.m. and Thursday 7–9 a.m., in your audience’s local time. Wednesday is the best day. On weekends, studies disagree; if you post, try Sunday 8–10 p.m. For Reels, evenings (6–11 p.m.) work best.
On this page
We compared three recent Instagram studies: Sprout Social (nearly 2 billion engagements), Buffer (9.6 million posts) and SocialPilot (about 7 million posts). The times below are where at least two of them agree. Where they don’t, mostly on weekends, we show each study’s pick.
Best time to post on Instagram today
Pick where your audience lives to see today’s times on your own clock.
Best times to post on Instagram for each day
| Day | Best times | How strong |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 2–4 p.m. and 6 p.m. | Good |
| Tuesday | 3–7 p.m. | Strongest |
| Wednesday | 8 a.m. and 12–6 p.m. | Strongest |
| Thursday | 7–9 a.m. | Strongest |
| Friday | 7–9 a.m. and 9–10 p.m. | Weak; studies disagree |
| Saturday | 10 a.m.–2 p.m. and 8–10 p.m. | Weak; studies disagree |
| Sunday | 8 a.m. and 8–10 p.m. | Weak; studies disagree |
Best time to post on Instagram on Monday: 2–4 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Sprout Social names 2–4 p.m. and SocialPilot 1–2 and 4–6 p.m., so mid-afternoon is safe. Buffer’s Monday times are in the evening (6–8 p.m.), and 6 p.m. also falls inside SocialPilot’s window.
Best time to post on Instagram on Tuesday: 3–7 p.m.
A strong day. Sprout Social’s window is 1–7 p.m. and Buffer’s top times are 3, 5 and 7 p.m., which overlap at 3–7 p.m.
Best time to post on Instagram on Wednesday: 8 a.m. and 12–6 p.m.
Buffer’s best day. Sprout Social’s widest window of the week is Wednesday, 12–9 p.m., and Buffer’s top slots are 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. Buffer and SocialPilot also both list 8 a.m.
Best time to post on Instagram on Thursday: 7–9 a.m.
Mornings stand out: Buffer’s best slot of the whole week is Thursday at 9 a.m., and SocialPilot also names 7–9 a.m. Sprout Social adds 12–2 p.m.
Best time to post on Instagram on Friday: 7–9 a.m. and 9–10 p.m.
A weak day. Sprout Social found no clear peak on Fridays and Buffer ranks it among the weakest days. SocialPilot names 7–9 a.m. and Buffer’s best Friday time is 9–10 p.m.
Best time to post on Instagram on Saturday: 10 a.m.–2 p.m. and 8–10 p.m.
Saturday had the lowest engagement of the week in Sprout Social’s data. If you post, SocialPilot names 10 a.m.–2 p.m. and Buffer 8–10 p.m.
Best time to post on Instagram on Sunday: 8 a.m. and 8–10 p.m.
Sprout Social calls Sunday one of the worst days. Buffer, though, rates Sunday evening as moderate, with 8–10 p.m. its best Sunday times. SocialPilot also names 8 a.m.
Reels, carousels and Stories
| Format | Best times | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Reels and video | Evenings, 6–11 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday strongest | Buffer |
| Carousels | Wednesday 12 p.m., Wednesday 6 p.m., Thursday 9 a.m. | Buffer |
| Stories | No set time; post 1–2 a day while your followers are active | Buffer |
Buffer notes that its Reels times come from all post types analyzed together, so treat them as a starting point and test a midday slot too.
What 3 studies found
| Study | What it measured | Best days | Best times |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sprout Social (March 2026) | ~2 billion engagements, 307,000 profiles, Nov 2025–Feb 2026 | Monday–Thursday; weekends weakest | Mon 2–4 p.m., Tue 1–7 p.m., Wed 12–9 p.m., Thu 12–2 p.m. |
| Buffer (September 2026) | 9.6 million posts, median engagement rate, Jan 2024–Dec 2025 | Wednesday, Thursday, Tuesday | Thu 9 a.m., Wed 12 p.m., Wed 6 p.m. |
| SocialPilot | ~7 million posts from ~50,000 accounts, Feb 2025–Jan 2026 | Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday | Weekday mornings 7–9 a.m.; Monday afternoon |
All three agree on Tuesday to Thursday. They differ on the hour: Sprout Social favors the afternoon, SocialPilot early morning and Buffer a mix. That’s why each day above can have both a morning and an afternoon slot.
Find your own best time on Instagram
Instagram shows you when your followers are online, which beats any study:
- 1
Open Insights
You need a professional (business or creator) account. Go to your profile and open your professional dashboard or Insights.
- 2
Go to Total followers
Scroll to Most active times. Switch between Hours and Days.
- 3
Post just before the peak
Schedule posts 30–60 minutes before your followers’ busiest hour, so they’re there when it goes out.
- 4
Check reach after 3 days
Compare posts at different times by reach and shares, not just likes.
How much does timing matter on Instagram?
Timing gives a post its start. Early likes, comments, shares and saves help Instagram decide whether to show it to more people. After that, a good Reel can keep finding viewers for days through Explore and the Reels feed.
So use a good time, but spend more effort on the first second of the video, the cover and the caption’s first line.
Schedule Instagram posts for the best time
Tuesday at 6 p.m. and Thursday at 8 a.m. rarely fit a busy day. In PostMax you add the photos or video, a cover for Reels, and the caption, then pick the exact minute. It posts on time even when your laptop is off, and the same post can go to Facebook, TikTok and more with a different caption for each.
Compare every platform: best time to post on social media.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best time to post on Instagram?
Tuesday to Thursday, in your audience’s local time: Tuesday 3–7 p.m., Wednesday 12–6 p.m. and Thursday 7–9 a.m. These are where Sprout Social, Buffer and SocialPilot overlap. Buffer’s single best slot is Thursday at 9 a.m.
What is the best day to post on Instagram?
Wednesday, followed by Thursday and Tuesday. Buffer’s study of 9.6 million posts ranks Wednesday first, and Sprout Social and SocialPilot also favor midweek. Friday and Saturday are the weakest days.
What is the best time to post on Instagram on Sunday?
Sunday evening, 8–10 p.m. in your audience’s time zone, based on Buffer’s data. Sprout Social calls Sunday one of the worst days overall, so save your most important posts for midweek.
What is the best time to post on Instagram on Monday?
2–4 p.m., where Sprout Social and SocialPilot agree, or around 6 p.m., where Buffer and SocialPilot agree.
What is the best time to post Reels?
Evenings. Buffer found 6–11 p.m. the best window for video, with Wednesday and Thursday the strongest days. Test a midday slot too, because Reels keep getting shown for days.
Does the time you post on Instagram matter?
It helps most in the first hours, when early likes, comments and shares tell Instagram to show a post to more people. Reels can keep finding viewers for days, so the content matters more than the exact minute.
Keep reading
- How to Post to All Social Media at Once (Free and Paid Ways)The free ways, the paid way, and what to change for each platform so one post works everywhere.
- How to Manage Multiple Social Media Accounts (Without Losing Track)A 6-step system for running many accounts and clients, with an account list template and access steps for each platform.
- Best Time to Post on TikTok (Every Day of the Week, 2026)Today’s best time in your audience’s time zone, every day of the week, and what four studies agree on.