For Facebook and Instagram ads in 2026, design in three shapes: 1:1 (1080×1080) and 4:5 (1080×1350) for feeds, and 9:16 (1080×1920) for Stories and Reels. Keep important text away from the top and bottom of vertical creatives, keep primary text short (about 125 characters), and check Meta’s Ads Guide for the latest details, specs do change.
Quick cheat sheet
| Placement | Recommended size | Aspect ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Facebook & Instagram feed | 1080 × 1350 px | 4:5 | Most screen space on mobile |
| Feed (all-rounder) | 1080 × 1080 px | 1:1 | Works almost everywhere |
| Stories | 1080 × 1920 px | 9:16 | Keep safe zones clear |
| Reels | 1080 × 1920 px | 9:16 | Leave room for captions and buttons |
| Carousel cards | 1080 × 1080 px | 1:1 | Same ratio for every card |
| Right column / landscape | 1200 × 628 px | 1.91:1 | Desktop and some network placements |
Safe zones for 9:16 creatives
Stories and Reels overlay the profile name at the top and the call-to-action, captions and buttons at the bottom. Keep logos, prices and key words out of roughly the top and bottom 14% of the frame, and away from the right edge on Reels where action icons appear.
Text guidance
| Element | Guidance |
|---|---|
| Primary text | Keep to about 125 characters so it shows before “See more” |
| Headline | Short, a few words that state the benefit or offer |
| On-image text | As little as possible; let the visual carry the message |
Video tips
- Hook in the first 1 to 3 seconds: most people decide to keep watching almost instantly.
- Design for sound off: add captions.
- Vertical first (9:16) for Reels and Stories; crop to 4:5 or 1:1 for feeds.
- Keep the product or person in the centre so crops don’t cut them off.
One creative, every placement
Rather than designing six versions by hand:
- Design the master at 9:16 with the subject centred.
- Export a 4:5 and a 1:1 crop for feeds.
- Check each crop for cut-off text or logos.
- Upload all three so Meta can serve the right one in each placement.
How Spotnxt helps
Spotnxt’s Creative Studio resizes every creative to every placement, fit, fill or extend, so one design becomes feed, Stories and Reels versions in seconds. Each creative runs an 8-point quality check and a compliance score before launch, and Brand Intelligence keeps colours, logo and tone consistent across every size.
See Creative Studio → · Read: Creative fatigue, how to refresh fast →