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Facebook & Instagram Ad Sizes 2026: Meta Specs & Safe Zones

Facebook & Instagram ad sizes for 2026 from Meta's own pages: feed, Stories, Reels, Marketplace and carousel specs, plus safe zones.

By Cedric A · Updated · 10 min read

Disclosure: I make AdForge, the ad tool linked in this article.

Facebook and Instagram ad sizes for 2026: feed 4:5 or 1:1, Stories and Reels 9:16, Marketplace and carousel 1:1.

Meta's Ads Guide recommends a vertical 4:5 image at 1440 by 1800 pixels for Facebook and Instagram feed image ads, and a full-screen 9:16 image at 1440 by 2560 pixels for Stories and Reels. Marketplace and carousel cards use a square 1:1 image of 1080 by 1080 pixels or more. If you can only make one image, make a square: it is supported in both feeds, Marketplace and carousels.

That's the short answer. The rest of this guide gives the full table, a simple rule for choosing a size, and the text lengths, file limits and safe zones Meta lists, so your image doesn't get cropped, padded or covered by buttons. Every number comes from Meta's own Ads Guide and Business Help Center pages, linked at the end and checked on October 11, 2026. Meta updates these pages, so check them before a big launch. Where Meta's own pages disagree, this guide says so.

Ad image sizes by placement

PlacementRecommended ratioRecommended sizeMinimum or limit (Ads Guide)
Facebook Feed4:5 (1:1 also supported)1440 x 1800 px600 px wide, 750 px tall for 4:5
Instagram Feed4:5 (1:1 also supported)1440 x 1800 px500 px wide
Facebook Stories9:161440 x 2560 px500 px wide
Instagram Stories9:161440 x 2560 px500 px wide
Facebook Reels9:161440 x 2560 px600 x 600 px
Instagram Reels9:161440 x 2560 px500 px wide
Facebook Marketplace1:1At least 1080 x 1080 pxNone listed (Meta's pixel page says 1200 x 1200)
Facebook Feed carousel, per card1:1At least 1080 x 1080 px2 to 10 cards

Every placement above takes a JPG or PNG up to 30 MB. Meta's separate minimum-pixel page lists 1080 x 1080 for Instagram Feed and for Facebook and Instagram Stories and Reels, 1080 x 1080 (1:1) or 1440 x 1800 (4:5) for Facebook Feed, and 1200 x 1200 for Marketplace. It also says to use the highest resolution you have.

Which size should you make?

Meta's pages don't always agree, so use this rule:

  • For the most phone screen in a feed, make 4:5. Meta's Ads Guide and its aspect-ratio table recommend 4:5 for Facebook Feed, and the Ads Guide recommends it for Instagram Feed too.
  • For one image that has to work everywhere, make 1:1. A square is supported in both feeds, Marketplace, carousels, Stories and Reels, and it's the recommended shape for Marketplace and carousel cards.
  • For Stories and Reels, make 9:16 and keep the important parts inside the safe zone below.

The disagreement is about Instagram Feed. The Ads Guide and Meta's aspect-ratio table recommend 4:5 for images there, while Meta's best-practices page says 1:1 is recommended for single-image ads in Instagram Feed. Both shapes are supported, so either will run.

If you upload only one shape, Ads Manager can pad, crop or expand it for other placements (see the FAQ below), so preview each version before you publish. Whatever the shape, the image still has to work in a single glance: one headline, a few simple points and one next step. How to Make a Facebook Ad People Actually Read (1-Second Checklist) walks through that layout step by step.

Facebook and Instagram Feed

Facebook Feed

For a single image ad, the Ads Guide lists a 3% aspect ratio tolerance on top of the minimums in the table. Meta's aspect-ratio table also supports 1.91:1, 16:9 and 1:1 in Facebook Feed. Text recommendations are 50 to 150 characters of primary text and a headline of 27 characters.

Instagram Feed

The tallest allowed shape is 4:5 and the widest is 1.91:1, with a 1% aspect ratio tolerance. Text recommendations are 125 characters of primary text and a 40-character headline, with a maximum of 30 hashtags. For Instagram Feed ads that aren't 9:16, such as 1:1 or 4:5, Meta says to keep the bottom and side edges free of key elements, text and logos.

Stories and Reels

Sizes and minimums

Stories and Reels are full-screen and vertical, so Meta recommends 9:16 for both Facebook and Instagram. Facebook Stories, Instagram Stories and Instagram Reels list a 1% aspect ratio tolerance. Facebook Reels lists 3%. Text recommendations:

  • Stories: 125 characters of primary text, plus a 40-character headline on Facebook Stories.
  • Instagram Reels: 44 characters of primary text.
  • Facebook Reels: 40 characters of primary text and a 55-character headline. Meta also recommends not adding text to Facebook Reels images, because of the small image size.

Safe zones

Meta's Ads Guide suggests leaving roughly the top 14%, the bottom 35% and 6% on each side of the image free of text, logos and other key elements. It gives the same guidance for Instagram Stories, Facebook Stories, Instagram Reels and Facebook Reels, so the profile icon and call-to-action button don't cover them. If you're making video for these placements instead, how to make video ads with AI, step by step covers the vertical export. Meta publishes these as percentages only. On a 1440 x 2560 image they work out to about 358 px at the top, 896 px at the bottom and 86 px on each side.

Two more notes from Meta's safe-zone page. If a Reels ad includes disclaimers, leave the bottom 40% free instead. And on phones with screens taller than 9:16, Meta may zoom the ad to fill the screen, which can crop areas outside the safe zone, so keep headlines and products comfortably inside it. In Ads Manager, the Safe zone guardrail toggle shows the area.

Common sizing mistakes

  1. Uploading a small image. Meta says small image files may look blurry and that size is the most common reason images don't render correctly. Export at the recommended size or larger.
  2. Putting text in the Stories danger zones. A headline at the very top or bottom of a 9:16 image can end up under the profile icon or the button.
  3. Mixing shapes in one carousel. Keep every card the same ratio to avoid automatic adjustments.
  4. Ignoring the automatic crops. When you don't provide every shape, Ads Manager fills the gaps with padding, cropping or expansion. Check each preview before you publish.
  5. Writing for desktop. Most feed viewing happens on phones, so check that your text is readable at phone size.

Frequently asked questions

Does Facebook still have a 20% text rule for ad images?

Meta's Business Help Center says there is no longer a limit on the amount of text in your ad image, and the text overlay tool is no longer available. Meta still advises that text should not obstruct the visuals, should use a clean, readable font and contrasting color, and should carry one message, since ads usually have one call to action.

Why does my ad image look blurry after upload?

Meta's troubleshooting page lists three things to check: the aspect ratio, the size (small image files may appear blurry) and the placement you chose, since each needs a different size and ratio. It also says that PNG files larger than 1 MB may appear pixelated. Start by uploading the largest version you have at the recommended size for your placement.

Should I use PNG or JPG for Facebook and Instagram ads?

Meta recommends JPG or PNG, and lists many other formats as supported. The limit is 30 MB. Because Meta says a PNG over 1 MB may look pixelated, a good habit (my suggestion, not a Meta rule) is to compare a high-quality JPG against your PNG in the ad preview.

What size should a Facebook ad image be?

For Facebook Feed, Meta recommends 4:5 at 1440 x 1800 pixels. A square 1:1 image of at least 1080 x 1080 pixels is also supported.

What size should Instagram ads be?

Instagram Feed: 4:5 at 1440 x 1800 pixels, with 1:1 supported. Instagram Stories and Reels: 9:16 at 1440 x 2560 pixels.

What size is a Facebook Reels ad?

Meta's Ads Guide recommends 9:16 at 1440 x 2560 pixels for an image ad in Facebook Reels, with a minimum of 600 x 600 pixels. Meta's minimum-pixel page lists 1080 x 1080.

What size are Instagram Explore ads?

Meta's aspect-ratio table lists 4:5 as recommended for images in Instagram Explore home, and 9:16 as recommended for videos. I didn't find a separate pixel size for Explore on Meta's pages, so use the Instagram Feed size and check the Ads Manager preview.

Will Meta crop or change my image automatically?

It can. If you don't provide every aspect ratio, Meta says the system fills the gaps with adjustments such as padding, media expansion and cropping, and optional AI-enabled features. You can review each variation in the aspect ratios view before publishing, and opt out of any adjustment you don't want. Uploading your own square, vertical, portrait and horizontal versions gives you the most control.

Is 1080 x 1080 still a good size for Facebook ads?

Yes. It's Meta's listed minimum for a square Facebook Feed image and is supported in both feeds, Marketplace and carousels. For Facebook Feed specifically, Meta recommends 4:5.

Sources

Make the image, then test it

If you'd rather not design it yourself, AdForge writes 3 ads plus 3 square infographics with your link printed on them, and you pick one. On the download page you can also get your pick as an optional 1080×1350 (4:5) portrait at no extra charge. Whatever tool you use, check the image in Ads Manager's preview before you publish.

Getting the size right keeps Meta from cropping or padding your ad. It won't make a vague ad clear, though. Start with the size your main placement recommends, keep the message readable in one glance, and test two or three versions.

Make your ad with AdForge

Disclosure: I make AdForge, the ad tool linked in this article.

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