--- title: 'Meta ad specs: Facebook, Instagram and Reels' description: 'Meta ad specs for Facebook, Instagram, Reels, Stories and Threads, with sizes, calculated Reels safe zones and placement checks before publishing.' canonical: 'https://plainrouter.com/library/meta-ad-specs' format: Guide published_at: '2026-09-19' last_updated: '2026-10-29' --- # Meta ad specs: Facebook, Instagram and Reels Meta ad specs depend on format and placement: start with 1440 × 1800 for portrait Feed images and 1440 × 2560 for full-height Stories and Reels creative. Instagram ad specs also differ between Feed, Stories and Reels, so choose the placement and safe zone before exporting. Use the reference below to check dimensions and file limits, then review the exported creative in Meta Ads Manager. Checking dimensions does not approve an ad. ## What are the Meta ad specs? Start with 1440 × 1800 for portrait feed images and 1440 × 2560 for full-height Stories and Instagram Reels images. The square Facebook Feed recommended minimum is 1080 × 1080; video and carousel limits depend on placement. | Format / placement | Recommended pixels | Aspect ratio | File type | Maximum file size | Video length | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Single image · Facebook Feed, square | 1080 × 1080 minimum¹ | 1:1 | JPG / PNG | 30 MB | Not video | | Single image · Facebook / Instagram Feed, portrait | 1440 × 1800 | 4:5 | JPG / PNG | 30 MB | Not video | | Single image · Facebook / Instagram Stories, Instagram Reels | 1440 × 2560 | 9:16 | JPG / PNG | 30 MB | Not video | | Video · Facebook Feed | 1440 × 1800 | 4:5 | MP4 / MOV / GIF | 4 GB | 1 second–241 minutes | | Video · Instagram Feed | 1080 × 1920 | 9:16 | MP4 / MOV / GIF | 4 GB | 1 second–60 minutes | | Video · Instagram Stories | 1440 × 2560 | 9:16 | MP4 / MOV / GIF | 4 GB | 1 second–60 minutes | | Video · Instagram Reels | 1440 × 2560 | 9:16 | MP4 / MOV | 4 GB | Up to 15 minutes | | Video · Facebook Reels | 1440 × 2560 | 9:16 | MP4 / MOV / GIF | 4 GB | No duration maximum listed | | Carousel · Facebook Feed, per card | At least 1080 × 1080 | 1:1 | JPG / PNG; MP4 / MOV / GIF | 30 MB image / 4 GB video | 1 second–240 minutes | | Carousel · Instagram Feed, per card | At least 1080 × 1080² | 4:5 images only; 1:1 with video | JPG / PNG; MP4 / MOV / GIF | 30 MB image / 4 GB video | 1 second–2 minutes | Checked October 9, 2026 against Meta’s Ads Guide. Pixels are width × height; recommended exports are not universal upload minimums. File size, duration and objective eligibility are separate checks. ¹ The square Feed figure comes from Meta’s [recommended minimum image pixel requirements](); the [Facebook Feed image guide]() recommends a 4:5 portrait export. Its ratio guidance supports square images but warns that delivery may mask them to 4:5. ² The [Instagram carousel guide]() states at least 1080 × 1080 while recommending 4:5 for image-only carousels. Check the ratio separately from that pixel minimum. Image sources: [Instagram Feed](), [Facebook Stories](), [Instagram Stories]() and [Instagram Reels](). Video sources: [Facebook Feed](), [Instagram Feed](), [Instagram Stories]() and [Facebook Reels]() and [Instagram Reels](). [Facebook Feed carousel]() supplies the Facebook card limits. ## Which specs apply to Facebook, Instagram and Threads? Choose a Feed composition for Feed placements and a separate vertical export for Stories and Reels. Check the selected format as well as the placement: the image recommendation is not automatically the video or carousel limit. ### Facebook Feed ad specs and safe zones For a portrait image, Meta recommends 1440 × 1800 pixels at 4:5, in JPG or PNG, up to 30 MB. Its [Facebook Feed image guide]() separates those recommendations from upload minimums. Keep essential text and logos inside the crop you actually preview; do not transfer a Reels interface overlay onto a Feed image. ### Instagram ad specs: Feed sizes and safe zones For an Instagram Feed image, start with 1440 × 1800 pixels at 4:5, in JPG or PNG, up to 30 MB. Those are the current [Instagram Feed image recommendations](). Check the Feed crop separately from Stories and Reels, and keep the message readable in the selected placement's preview. ### Instagram Stories ad specs and Facebook Stories Use a 9:16 composition at 1440 × 2560 pixels for Stories images. Both [Instagram Stories]() and [Facebook Stories]() recommend leaving roughly 14% at the top, 35% at the bottom and 6% on each side free of text, logos and key elements. Use the pixel conversions below, then inspect the actual caption and call to action. These are design margins, not proof of approval. ### Instagram Reels ads and Facebook Reels Prepare a separate 9:16 video at the recommended 1440 × 2560 pixels, rather than relying on a Feed crop. Meta's [Instagram Reels]() and [Facebook Reels]() guides give the same 14% top, 35% bottom and 6% side guidance. Keep important content inside the [Reels safe zone](<#what-is-the-reels-safe-zone>), including on the final frame. ### Threads ads specs and safe zones Start with Feed artwork, not a Reels overlay. Meta confirms [4:5 and carousel support on Threads](); 1440 × 1800 pixels is a useful 4:5 working canvas, not a verified Threads upload minimum. Its current [Threads ads page]() describes image, video and carousel placements. Preview the Threads crop and caption treatment separately, keeping key text away from crop edges. A Reels safe-zone template does not establish what Threads will show. Placement recommendations and linked sources checked October 29, 2026. The earlier format-and-file-limit table retains its October 9 snapshot; working canvases and calculated margins are labelled separately from Meta's requirements. For ads in other publishers' apps, check [Meta Audience Network]() separately from Facebook and Instagram Feed placements. ## Which image size should you start with? These are **working canvases for preparing artwork**, not a list of Meta's minimum dimensions or acceptance limits. They give you clean versions of three useful shapes. Confirm the supported format, ratio and resolution for your actual placement and objective in [Meta's Ads Guide](). | Composition | Aspect ratio | Example working canvas | What to check | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Square | 1:1 | 1440 × 1440 px | Whether the message still reads in a compact crop | | Portrait | 4:5 | 1440 × 1800 px | Whether moving from square cuts the sides or needs a new layout | | Full height | 9:16 | 1440 × 2560 px | Space for captions, buttons and other placement controls | A larger canvas cannot restore detail missing from a small source. Keep editable text and logos in your design file, export from the original, and inspect the result at approximately the size someone will see on a phone. For the current platform requirements, use Meta's [Facebook Feed image guide](), [Instagram Feed image guide]() and [Instagram Stories image guide](). These pages may require a Meta login. Requirements can differ by placement and objective; a single universal size table hides those differences. ## What happens when an image is cropped? Consider a **fictional 1440 × 1440 square image** filling a 1440 × 1800 portrait canvas. A center crop keeps 1152 pixels of the original width and loses 144 pixels from each side. That removes 20% of the original image area. A logo near an edge can disappear even though the original file is large enough. A centered fill uses that crop geometry. It does not reproduce Meta’s automatic creative adjustments, placement rendering or your manually chosen crop. When a crop cuts the message, rearrange the source design for the new shape instead of shrinking every element until it becomes unreadable. ## What is the Reels safe zone? For Instagram and Facebook Reels ads, keep key text, logos and other important elements out of the top 14%, bottom 35% and 6% on each side. On a 1080 × 1920 frame, that means reserving 269 pixels at the top, 672 at the bottom and 65 on each side, rounding the margins up. Meta publishes these [Instagram Reels design margins]() as percentages, not a universal pixel template. The same percentages produce different pixel margins on a larger export: | Frame, width × height | Clear at top | Clear at bottom | Clear on each side | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1080 × 1920 | 269 px | 672 px | 65 px | | 1440 × 2560 | 359 px | 896 px | 87 px | Calculated from Meta's percentages, with each margin rounded up to a whole pixel; checked October 29, 2026. Background artwork can fill the frame. Keep the message inside the remaining area, then check it in the placement preview. Use these measurements for the cited ad placements, not as a guarantee for organic Reels or every interface variation. Review the actual caption, call to action and any disclaimer: a matching export size alone does not establish that the message stays visible. ## Image preflight before you publish 1. Confirm the file. Open the final export, not only the editable design. Compare its type and size with the placement’s technical requirements above. 1. **Compare the ratio.** Choose the intended working canvas and inspect any crop. Review each selected placement separately. 1. **Check source resolution.** Avoid enlarging a small raster image. A matching aspect ratio does not mean there are enough pixels for your working canvas. 1. **Read the message on a phone-sized preview.** Make the main promise, product cue and next step understandable without zooming. 1. **Inspect interface coverage.** Review captions, logos, buttons and placement overlays in Meta's native preview. 1. **Check the destination.** Keep the offer consistent with the landing page and use a [campaign URL]() you can distinguish from other creative variants. 1. **Review the change.** Confirm account, creative and intended delivery state before approval. File checks do not establish ad-policy compliance or campaign eligibility. ## What should you check for video ads? Check the placement’s duration, file type and ratio separately: a Facebook Feed video allowance is not an Instagram Reels allowance. Meta recommends H.264 compression, square pixels, a fixed frame rate, progressive scan and stereo AAC audio at 128 kbps or more on the Feed, Stories and Reels guides linked above. Inspect the opening frame, captions, audio rights and interface coverage in the actual placement preview. Instagram Stories can split longer videos into cards, so the upload ceiling does not mean the whole video plays uninterrupted. Instagram Reels lists additional restrictions, including licensed music and GIF media; review those before exporting. ## What should you check for carousel ads? Meta’s Facebook and Instagram Feed carousel guides allow 2–10 cards. Check each card’s file size, crop and destination, then preview the whole sequence: a successful first card does not establish that every later card meets the same requirements. Facebook Feed uses 1:1 cards. Instagram Feed recommends 4:5 for an image-only carousel, while carousels containing video support only 1:1 in the current guide. Keep the artwork consistent with the format you chose; do not apply Facebook’s video-duration limit to Instagram cards. ## Where Plainrouter fits [Plainrouter Launch]() checks images before an ad is created, and new ads start paused. File checks do not replace reviewing Meta's placement preview or establish ad approval. For message ideas, study the [SaaS ad examples](). If an existing creative performs worse, use the [ad-fatigue diagnosis guide]() before assuming that a new crop will fix it. ## Frequently asked questions ### What are the recommended sizes for Meta ads? Start with 1440 × 1800 for portrait Facebook and Instagram Feed images and 1440 × 2560 for Stories and Instagram Reels images. Meta lists 1080 × 1080 as the recommended minimum for square Facebook Feed images; video and carousel recommendations differ by placement, as shown above. ### Is 1080 × 1350 good for Facebook ads? It has the recommended 4:5 shape, but it is smaller than Meta’s current 1440 × 1800 Feed recommendation. Export from a higher-resolution original when available, then check the actual placement preview; matching the ratio alone does not establish image quality or approval. ### What size is a Meta ad in pixels? There is no single pixel size for every Meta ad. Use the format-and-placement table: portrait feed images are recommended at 1440 × 1800, full-height Stories images at 1440 × 2560, and Facebook Feed carousel cards at least 1080 × 1080. ### What are the safe zones for Meta ads? They are areas kept clear so text, logos and key content are not hidden by interface controls or cropping. For the cited Stories and Reels placements, Meta recommends 14% at the top, 35% at the bottom and 6% on each side; use the [Reels safe zone]() pixel conversions and preview each placement separately. ### Is 1080 × 1080 always the correct Meta ad size? No single size describes every placement. It is a square canvas, while portrait and full-height compositions use other ratios. Check the current placement guide and the quality of the source rather than treating one familiar export size as a universal requirement. ### Does passing a dimension check guarantee approval? No. Dimensions are one preparation check, separate from policies, claims, landing pages, account restrictions and Meta’s final rendering. ## Related guides - [Check why an ad has little or no delivery]() - [Review safe access before delegating an ad change]()