Best Times to Post on TikTok & Instagram in 2026 (With Help From AI Video Tool Selects)
Want more reach on TikTok or Instagram? Discover 2026’s best post times + how AI editing tool Selects helps you clip and repurpose content with ease.
Today, more people are joining the social media space worldwide. As a content creator seeking to maximize reach, timing is crucial. But the biggest question is, when are the best days and times to post on social media? Knowing the best posting times for reach and staying consistent with them can help you gain maximum views and keep social media algorithms happy.
The key to consistency is a solid content strategy, likely backed by a social media calendar where you can manage content filming, editing, and social media scheduling. In order to stick to a healthy social media management routine, you need your content creation process to be as streamlined as possible. Here's where the need to use a reliable tool like Selects comes in.
Selects is an AI-powered system that automates the prep phase of the video editing workflow. It automatically assists in clipping long-form videos into short, engaging segments. This approach leaves you with enough time to focus on what to publish. It also helps you focus on when to publish. Continue reading to discover the perfect times to post on TikTok and Instagram. In addition, you'll find out how to pair this timing with Selects for maximum reach.
Understanding Why Timing Still Matters in 2026
A huge part of content optimization is posting during an optimal time. No doubt, platforms like Instagram use algorithms to decide what people see. But even at that, timing still has a big effect on the result. Here's why:
Both TikTok & Instagram currently prioritize posts with early engagement. This explains why the first few minutes or hours after posting matter today.
Unlike before, online user behavior is shifting today. Younger users, especially Gen Z, now come online at different times. This explains why you need to target multiple time zones & user scroll patterns when posting your content.
Bottom line: Timing certainly matters when posting content on TikTok and Instagram today. According to industry experts, the best time to post on Instagram in 2025/2026 is:
Weekday mid-mornings
Weekday afternoons
Speaking of weekdays, you can target Tuesdays through Thursdays for effective results. As for TikTok post timing, experts recommend early-morning windows. Evening windows are also perfect for maximum engagement.
Note that there is platform-specific timing and that optimal posting times vary depending on where you’re publishing your videos. This will lead to different content visibility, engagement rates, and overall content performance.
The Best Times to Post on TikTok in 2026 for Max Impressions
When is the best time to post on TikTok?
Overall, the best time to post on TikTok for maximum engagement is in the evening hours, according to Sprout Social. As for days, you'll get the best results when you post on Mondays through Thursdays. This trend indicates that most TikTok users are usually active after their workday.
Below is a breakdown of the best times to post on TikTok by weekday and weekend:
Monday: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Tuesday through Thursday: 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday: 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Furthermore, industry experts say posting during weekends also works. For instance, Sprout Social suggests posting at 8 pm on Sundays & 7 - 9 p.m. on Saturdays for maximum reach.
As mentioned earlier, you need to target multiple time zones if you're a global creator. To do this, all you need is to convert your target audience’s time zone. Just make sure your content reaches them at the suggested times above in their locations.
With the aforementioned timing suggestions, how should you schedule your posting? It's simple:
For main clips, consider aiming for afternoon to evening posts during mid-week, especially Tuesday through Thursday.
To repurpose your content, focus your content publications on Sunday evenings.
With Cutback's Selects, you can automatically generate multiple clips from your long-form videos, such as interviews. This allows you to schedule all TikTok posts for different times that work.
The Best Times to Post on Instagram in 2026 for Better Reach
When is the best time to post on Instagram?
As you already know, Instagram is highly competitive today with constantly evolving Instagram engagement patterns. As such, you need to post your content at the right time if you want to maximize reach.
According to Buffer, the best time for uploading on Instagram is 3 p.m. on Friday. Sprout Social says targeting between 10 a.m.–5 p.m. is way better. This platform further emphasizes the need to post on Tuesdays through Thursdays for maximum reach. It also suggests focusing on these days:
Mondays: 1 to 2 pm or 4 to 5 pm
Tuesdays: 11 to 6 pm
Wednesdays: 11 to 6 p. & 7 to 9 p.m.
Thursdays: 11 to 6 p.m.
Saturdays: 10 to 6 p.m.
Sundays: 4 p.m.
Based on post type nuances, here's what we suggest:
Reels: Unlike standard feed-posts, Reels tend to ride the algorithm more strongly. They also show up in the Explore tab. As such, we suggest posting them in the afternoon or early evening windows.
As for your Stories, you can consider dropping them at any time because users often check them throughout the day. However, industry experts suggest posting them around when you post your main feed post. This will certainly give your stories better visibility.
A carousel post is one that's available in multiple images. In this case, we recommend posting it during the early windows — morning to early afternoon. Most Instagram users often browse slowly during these windows.
With Selects, you can automatically extract multiple versions of your content. This allows you to schedule them across the aforementioned windows for feed posts, reels, and carousel posts.
Posting Times: Should You Post at the Same Time Every Day?
Posting at the same time every day is an effective way of staying consistent. However, this approach has its drawbacks.
Pros of Keeping the Same Posting Time
By posting at the same time every day, you can always prepare your audience to expect your content.
Instagram’s algorithm can detect when your posts usually get the most engagement. By posting at the same time every day, the algorithm can boost your visibility during the windows.
Lastly, posting consistently at the same time every day will simplify scheduling for you. It's simple:
Cons of Consistent Social Media Timing
User shifting behavior is one drawback of posting at the same time every day. A good example is the time zone shifts. Holiday seasons can also make it difficult to maintain maximum reach if you post at the same time every day.
Algorithm changes over time. Unfortunately, this can also affect the optimal posting windows.
By being over-reliant on certain windows, you may end up missing new hot windows.
Here's a real creator example:
On Instagram, consider posting two reels every Tuesday around 4 PM your local time. Occasionally, you can add a bonus drop on Sunday night, around 8 PM. This will certainly position your account for maximum views.
Understanding How to Plan Ahead and Stay Consistent
Since you're a creator, we'll assume you understand how to create great content. But understand that this alone isn't enough. In addition, you need to know how to stay consistent with your content creation on TikTok and Instagram. Here's where the need to use Selects comes in.
Below is a step-by-step guide for planning ahead and staying consistent with Selects:
First, you need to start by using Selects. This AI-powered tool is effective for clipping videos and repurposing content. Here's how this system works below:
Capture your long-form videos.
Drop the footage into Selects. After that, consider auto-syncing and auto-cutting filler & silence.
Pull out suitable highlight moments by using the natural-language search feature.
Automatically create multiple short clips. A good example is the 15-second hook footage. You can also create a short teaser.
When done, consider exporting the clips to your NLE. Alternatively, you can export them immediately for posting.
Using Selects will streamline the video creation process and allow you to feel less pressure when delivering videos to your audience at speed/consistently.
We already mentioned the best times to post on TikTok and Instagram. Follow the windows and post your content accordingly.
For effective results, we recommend using suitable scheduling tools.
After posting, ensure to watch your analytics on both platforms. This allows you to better identify the times your high-performing posts went live.
For batch content, always use Cutback’s Selects to achieve consistent and efficient results.
Lastly, pay attention to audience behavior and revisit your timing every 2 to 3 months. You should keep a close eye on your social media data, including social media analytics, engagement metrics, peak engagement hours, and more. Regardless of the platform you’re posting on, these stats will be available to you.
Conclusion: Why Posting Time is Critical to Expand Your Reach
Timing is unarguably important if you want to reach a wider audience today. With the aforementioned Instagram & TikTok post timing, you'll certainly see a significant boost in your reach and views.
Ready to get the most out of the aforementioned posting windows? Download Selects today. This tool will help you clip your upcoming content and schedule it for the optimal windows.
For more in-depth knowledge about the ins and outs of video editing, check out our latest posts on the Cutback blog or our YouTube channel. You can also join Cutback’s Discord community of like-minded video editors.
Kay Sesoko
Marketer
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