Every Meta ad spec that matters in 2026.
Sizes, character limits and safe zones for static image ads - consolidated from Meta's own Ads Guide placement pages instead of scattered across ten of them. Last verified against the Ads Guide on October 13, 2026.
Meta ad specs are the image sizes, character limits and safe zones Meta publishes for each ad placement. For static image ads in 2026 that means 4:5 at 1440x1800 pixels for Facebook and Instagram Feed, 9:16 at 1440x2560 for Stories and Reels, JPG or PNG under 30 MB.
Image sizes and aspect ratios by placement
Meta's current recommendations are portrait-first: 4:5 at 1440x1800 for feeds and 9:16 at 1440x2560 for Stories and Reels - the old square 1080-class guidance is gone from the image spec pages.
| Placement | Ratio | Recommended | Minimum | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Facebook Feed | 4:5 | 1440 x 1800 px | 600 px wide | Portrait 4:5 is the current official recommendation |
| Instagram Feed | 4:5 | 1440 x 1800 px | 500 px wide | Supported range 4:5 to 1.91:1 |
| Facebook Stories | 9:16 | 1440 x 2560 px | 500 px wide | Shows 8 s or until swipe |
| Instagram Stories | 9:16 | 1440 x 2560 px | 500 px wide | Shows 5-16 s or until swipe |
| Instagram Reels | 9:16 | 1440 x 2560 px | 500 px wide | Static images are supported |
| Facebook Reels | 9:16 | 1440 x 2560 px | 600 x 600 px | Static images are supported |
| Ads on FB Reels (overlay) | 1:1 | 1080 x 1080 px+ | 300 x 300 px | Static banner/sticker on creator Reels |
| Right column | 1:1 | 1080 x 1080 px+ | 254 x 133 px | Desktop only; Meta advises no text on the image |
| Marketplace | 1:1 | 1080 x 1080 px+ | - | - |
| Carousel (per card) | 1:1 | 1080 x 1080 px+ | - | 2 to 10 cards per ad |
File type for every placement above: JPG or PNG, max 30 MB where Meta lists a limit. TheAdHook renders Story and Feed creatives at 2K (above these recommendations), so they stay crisp everywhere Meta places them - and the free preflight checker verdicts any file you already have against these sizes.
Character limits by placement
These are Meta's published recommendations, not hard caps - text beyond them risks truncation, not rejection. Meta does not publish exact "See more" thresholds.
| Placement | Primary text | Headline | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Facebook Feed | 50-150 | 27 | - |
| Instagram Feed | 125 | 40 | - |
| Facebook Stories | 125 | 40 | - |
| Instagram Stories | 125 | - | - |
| Instagram Reels | 44 | - | - |
| Facebook Reels | 40 | 55 | - |
| Marketplace | 125 | 40 | 30 |
| Ads on FB Reels (overlay) | 60 | 10 | - |
| Right column | - | 40 | - |
| Carousel | 80 | 20 | 18 |
A "-" means Meta's current image spec page for that placement does not list the field at all. Carousel is the tightest of the lot, so copy written for Feed will not fit it. Meta's Ads Manager labels the last column "description"; on link ads the same field is often called the link description. TheAdHook writes primary text, headline and description within these limits automatically, and the free character counter shows where "See more" cuts text you already have.
Stories and Instagram Reels: the 14 / 35 / 6 rule
Meta's image-ad pages say to keep roughly 14% of the top, 35% of the bottom and 6% of each side free of text, logos and key elements - that is where profile icons and the CTA sit. For Facebook Reels, design inside the same frame - Meta publishes no separate figures.
| Edge | Keep clear (Meta) | At 1440 x 2560 | At 1080 x 1920 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top | ~14% | 358 px | 269 px |
| Bottom | ~35% | 896 px | 672 px |
| Left / right | ~6% each | 86 px each | 65 px each |
Pixel columns are computed from Meta's percentages, not Meta-stated. TheAdHook's quality gate checks safe-zone placement on every Story creative automatically. To check a creative you already have, drop it into the free safe zone checker or preview it in a real feed with the ad mockup generator - both sit in the free Meta ad tools.
Meta ad specs, answered
What are the specs for Meta video ads?
Meta video ads use 4:5 for Facebook Feed and 9:16 for Instagram Feed, Stories and Reels - Instagram Feed is the one place where video and image differ (images are 4:5). Video accepts MP4, MOV or GIF (MP4 or MOV on Instagram Reels), and the ceiling is 4 GB rather than 30 MB. TheAdHook generates static image ads, not video.
Does 1080x1350 work for Facebook?
Yes. 1080x1350 is a 4:5 portrait image, the ratio Meta recommends for Facebook Feed, and it clears the 600-pixel minimum width. Meta's current recommendation has moved up to 1440x1800, so 1080x1350 still renders correctly but leaves less resolution headroom on large screens.
How powerful are Meta ads?
One Meta campaign places creative across Facebook, Instagram and Messenger, which is the usual reason advertisers start there. In practice the leverage is creative volume: testing several angles per product beats polishing one. That is the part TheAdHook automates.
What are the recommended dimensions for a 1.91:1 Facebook ad?
1.91:1 is the landscape link format, commonly produced at 1200x628 pixels. It is still supported on Instagram Feed, but it is no longer what Meta recommends: the image spec pages now point to 4:5 portrait at 1440x1800, which takes noticeably more screen on mobile.
Worth knowing in 2026
Feeds went portrait
Both Facebook and Instagram Feed image pages now recommend 4:5 at 1440x1800 - the long-standing square 1:1 / 1080x1080 guidance no longer appears there. Portrait creatives simply get more screen.
The 20% text rule is gone
Meta no longer limits how much text an ad image can carry and retired the overlay checker.
Resolution bar moved to 1440-class
Recommendations now read 1440x1800 and 1440x2560 where 1080-class sizes used to be. Assets rendered at 2K, like TheAdHook's, clear the new bar with room to spare.
Sources: Meta's Ads Guide placement pages linked in the size table, and Meta's help pages on image sizes and ad text, all checked October 13, 2026. We re-verify this page when Meta updates the Ads Guide.
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