Facebook Ad Image Sizes: Dimensions for Feed and Stories

The Best Facebook Ad Image Size for the Mobile Feed

The best image size for the Facebook mobile feed is 1080 by 1350 pixels. This dimension uses a 4

aspect ratio. Most advertisers use square images. Square images only measure 1080 by 1080 pixels. When you use a 4 ratio, you claim 25 percent more vertical space on a phone screen. The 4 ratio captures more attention because it pushes other content further down the screen.

Why 4

Aspect Ratio Wins

The mobile feed is a vertical experience. A square image leaves a gap at the bottom. This gap shows the next post in the feed. A 4

image fills that gap. This extra real estate allows for larger product shots and clearer text. You do not want to share the screen with a competitor. Meta's own ads guide lists 4 among the supported ratios for feed placements.

Square images are a relic of old Instagram layouts. Modern phones are taller and narrower than older models. A 1

square looks small on an iPhone 15 or a Samsung Galaxy S24. The 4 ratio fits these screens better. It makes your brand look modern. Every pixel you do not use is a pixel you give away to someone else.

Recommended Pixel Dimensions

Export your feed images at exactly 1080 by 1350 pixels. Some designers suggest 1440 by 1800 pixels. We advise against this because Meta compresses large files. A 1080px width is the native width for most mobile displays.

If you go smaller than 1080 pixels, your image looks blurry on high-resolution screens. If you go larger, the compression algorithm might create artifacts around your text. Stick to the 1080 by 1350 standard for a sharp result. This size works for both Facebook and Instagram feeds. It simplifies your production process. You can generate ads from your website using these exact specs to save time.

Dimensions for Stories and Reels

Use 1080 by 1920 pixels for Facebook Stories and Reels. This is a 9

aspect ratio. It is a full-screen vertical format. This placement hides the rest of the app UI. You have the entire screen to tell your story. If you use a square or 4 image here, Meta fills the background with a generic gradient. This looks unprofessional and reduces your click-through rate.

Stories and Reels Specs

The 9

ratio is mandatory for a good user experience. You can find these requirements in the Recommended Minimum Image Pixel Requirements Across Placements. Stories and Reels are fast-moving environments. Users swipe through them in seconds. A full-screen image ensures your message is the only thing they see.

Keep your most important content in the center 1080 by 1420 pixel area. The top 250 pixels show your profile icon and the progress bar. The bottom 250 pixels contain the "Sponsored" label and the call to action button. If you put text in these areas, the app covers it. We see many brands make this mistake. They design for the canvas but forget about the app interface.

File Size and Format Requirements

Meta has strict technical limits for these images. The maximum file size for an image is 30MB. We recommend keeping your files under 5MB for faster loading. A slow-loading ad is a skipped ad. Meta prefers JPG or PNG files. JPG is usually better for photos because it has a smaller file size. PNG is better for graphics with flat colors and text.

Select the sRGB color profile in Adobe Photoshop or Canva before you export. This ensures your colors look the same on every phone. If you use a different color profile, your reds might look orange. Consistency is a key part of an agency ad workflow where many people handle the same files.

Specs for Marketplace and Right Column Ads

Marketplace ads work best at 1200 by 1200 pixels. This is a 1

square ratio. This placement is unique because users actively look to buy products. They browse a grid of images. Your image needs to be clear and high-contrast. If your photo is dark or cluttered, people skip it.

Marketplace Dimensions

The Marketplace grid is very busy. Most images there are organic photos taken by individuals. A professional square image stands out in this environment. Meta recommends a minimum of 600 by 600 pixels. You should always use 1200 by 1200 pixels. This higher resolution ensures your product looks sharp when a user clicks to expand the ad.

Square images are the standard here because the grid is designed for squares. If you try to use a vertical 4

image, the system crops it. You lose control over the composition. Stick to the 1 ratio for Marketplace to maintain your visual hierarchy.

Desktop Right Column Specs

Right Column ads also use a 1

square ratio. These ads only appear on desktop computers. They are much smaller than feed ads. Because they are small, you must avoid small text. Use a single, bold image of your product.

Contrast is vital for Right Column ads. The white background of the Facebook desktop site can swallow up light-colored ads. Use a colorful border or a dark background to create a clear boundary. These ads are often used for retargeting. A simple square image of the item a user just viewed is very effective. You can check our pricing to see how we help automate these variations.

The 3 Percent Aspect Ratio Tolerance Rule

Meta allows a 3 percent aspect ratio tolerance for image uploads. This is an important technical detail. It means your image does not have to be mathematically perfect. If your 1080 by 1350 image is off by a few pixels, the system still accepts it.

This rule exists to accommodate different cropping tools. Some software might round a decimal up or down. Meta explains this in their Best practices for aspect ratios across placements. This tolerance prevents the ad manager from flagging your creative as broken for a minor rounding error. However, you should still aim for the exact specs. Precision prevents the system from performing its own automatic crop.

Why 1080px Wide is Better Than 1440px

There is a myth that 1440 by 1800 pixels is the best size for 4

ads. People think more pixels mean more quality. This is not how the Meta CDN works. Facebook serves a 1080px wide version of your image to almost every mobile user.

When you upload a 1440px image, the system has to shrink it. This process is called downsampling. Meta uses an aggressive compression algorithm to save bandwidth. This algorithm often struggles with high-contrast edges. If you have small text on a 1440px image, the downsampling can make that text look blurry.

We have tested this across hundreds of accounts. A native 1080px image usually looks sharper than a downsampled 1440px image. By uploading at 1080px, you control the final look of the file. You do not leave the quality of your text up to an automated script. This also makes your file sizes smaller. Smaller files upload faster and enter the auction sooner.

Safe Zones and UI Overlays

Safe zones are the areas of your image that are never covered by app buttons or icons. These are more important than the total pixel count. Facebook and Instagram place buttons over your image. For example, the "Shop Now" button sits at the bottom of a feed ad. In Stories, the bottom 20 percent of the screen is covered by the message box.

The Bottom 20 Percent Danger Zone

You must keep your logo and primary message out of the bottom 20 percent of your canvas. If you place a headline there, the "Learn More" button sits on top of it. This makes your ad unreadable. It also makes your brand look like it does not understand the platform.

The top 14 percent of a Story image is also a danger zone. This is where the user's profile name and the close button appear. If you put a face or a product there, it will be obscured. Always center your content. Leave a generous margin around the edges of your 1080 by 1350 or 1080 by 1920 files.

Generating ads that already fit

Getting this right by hand means exporting every placement separately and checking each overlay. The alternative is to have the sizes handled for you. IMGPT reads your website, builds a brand profile from your logo, colors, typography and voice, and generates static ads at the ratios above for Facebook Feed, Instagram Feed, Stories and Reels, plus Google, LinkedIn, Pinterest and TikTok sizes. Smart Resize turns an ad you already like into a missing shape instead of starting over, and every ad arrives with 5 headline variants and 5 primary text variants.

Example image is being generated.

Place your call to action and brand name in the middle 60 percent of the canvas. This is the only area that is guaranteed to be visible on every device. Different phones have different screen ratios. The center of the image is the only place that stays consistent across the entire hardware ecosystem.

The Reality of the 20 Percent Text Rule

The 20 percent text rule used to be a hard limit. If your image had too much text, Facebook would reject it. That rule is no longer a reason for rejection. You can technically run an ad that is 100 percent text. However, the rule has not completely disappeared. It has moved into the auction logic.

Meta still tracks text density. High text density often reduces your reach in the auction. This means your cost per thousand impressions (CPM) will go up. Meta wants ads to look like organic content. People do not post images of pure text on their personal profiles. Images that look like photos or clean graphics tend to perform better.

Keep your image text minimal. Use the image to grab attention. Put the bulk of your message in the primary text field or the headline. This approach satisfies the algorithm and the user. If you must use text in the image, use a large font size. This ensures it remains readable after Meta applies its compression. Clean images with one clear focal point get the best results in modern social advertising.