How to Make a Map Animation for Instagram Reels

Step-by-step guide

1. 1

   Switch to the Mobile frame

   In the bottom bar, next to Play Preview, there are four frame icons: Wide, Web, Mobile, and Square. Click Mobile, the phone-shaped one. The map area becomes a vertical 9:16 frame, so you design exactly what a phone will show. The export dialog's Format row opens on the frame you pick here.

   

2. 2

   Set the frame rate

   Click the FPS button in the bottom bar to switch between 30 and 60. This is the frame rate you build and preview at, and the export dialog starts from it. 60 FPS makes camera moves look smoother, but it is a Pro option: free exports are limited to 480P at 30 FPS.

   

3. 3

   Keep it short: plan 3 to 5 slides

   Short-form video works well at around 15 to 30 seconds. With three to five slides of 3 to 5 seconds each you land in that range without overstaying. The total length and slide count show at the right of the bottom bar. Open with your most striking view.

   

4. 4

   Use a close-up starting shot

   Begin with a zoomed-in city view rather than a world overview. Small text and details are hard to read on a phone, and the zoom-out makes a good reveal later in the animation. Zoom and tilt the map to the view you want, then open the slide's three-dot menu and choose Retake Slide (use current camera) to save it.

   

5. 5

   Add a bold title

   Click Text in the toolbar above the map. A text label is added to the selected slide, with a small bar beside it. Click More to open the text's settings on the right. Type your title in the Text box at the top (keep it short, like Paris to Rome in 5 Days), then on the Style tab open Typography, choose a font (Montserrat is the default) and switch on Bold. Reels and TikTok draw captions and buttons over the bottom and right edges of a video, so keep the title in the upper part of the frame and key details away from those edges.

   

6. 6

   Use large, readable pins

   Click a pin and, under Pin Style, choose Bubble or Marker rather than Dot. Bubble pins show the place name in a colored label, which stays readable on a phone screen. If pins still look small, raise the Size slider below the styles.

   

7. 7

   Keep transitions at 2 to 4 seconds

   The Duration box between two slide cards sets how many seconds the camera takes to reach the next slide. Two to four seconds keeps the video moving without feeling rushed. Save moves of six seconds or more for a slower, documentary feel. The small pill under each Duration box sets the easing: Smooth, Linear, Late brake or Elastic.

   

8. 8

   Export and upload

   Click Export Video, check that Format is Mobile, choose 1080P (which gives 1080x1920), and click Export MP4. Upload the file to Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube Shorts as you would any vertical video.