What is the best image size for Instagram feed ads?

The recommended size is 1080 x 1080 pixels for square feed ads, with a 1:1 aspect ratio. You can also use 1080 x 1350 pixels (4:5) for vertical feed ads, which take up more screen space and tend to generate higher engagement due to increased visual presence in the feed.

What resolution should Instagram Reels ads be?

Reels ads should be 1080 x 1920 pixels at a 9:16 aspect ratio. This fills the entire screen on mobile devices. Use a minimum resolution of 720p for acceptable quality, though 1080p is strongly recommended. Maximum file size is 4 GB with a maximum length of 90 seconds.

Do Instagram ad dimensions affect performance?

Yes. Ads using the correct dimensions display without cropping or letterboxing, which improves visual quality and engagement. According to Meta's own guidelines, properly sized creative receives better delivery in the ad auction because it produces a higher quality user experience.

What file formats does Instagram accept for ads?

Instagram accepts JPG and PNG for image ads, and MP4 and MOV for video ads. For images, keep file sizes under 30 MB. For video, stay under 4 GB. Use H.264 compression for video and AAC audio at 128 kbps or higher for the best playback quality across devices.

What Are Instagram Ad Sizes?

Instagram ad sizes are the specific pixel dimensions, aspect ratios, and file specifications required for each ad placement on Instagram. Using the correct sizes prevents cropping, compression artifacts, and letterboxing that degrade ad quality and waste ad spend.

Getting dimensions right is foundational. According to Meta's Ads Guide, creative that meets recommended specifications receives better delivery in the auction system because it provides a higher quality experience for viewers.

What Are the Instagram Feed Ad Dimensions?

Feed ads appear in the main scrollable feed between organic posts. They support three aspect ratios: square (1:1), vertical (4:5), and landscape (1.91:1).

Square feed ads at 1080 x 1080 pixels are the most versatile. They display well on both mobile and desktop and work for most product shots, graphics, and brand imagery. Square is also the safest choice when you need the same creative across multiple placements.

Vertical feed ads at 1080 x 1350 pixels (4:5 ratio) take up more screen real estate on mobile, which is where the vast majority of Instagram usage happens. This extra height gives your ad more visual dominance in the feed and can increase stop-scroll rates. For conversion-focused campaigns, vertical feed ads are generally the better choice.

Landscape feed ads at 1080 x 566 pixels (1.91:1) display smaller on mobile screens. They are rarely the best choice unless your creative specifically requires a wide format, such as panoramic photography or cinematic video clips.

For video feed ads, use MP4 or MOV format with H.264 compression. Maximum length is 60 minutes, though ads under 30 seconds typically perform best for engagement objectives. Keep file sizes under 4 GB.

What Are the Instagram Stories Ad Specs?

Stories ads appear full-screen between organic Stories from accounts a user follows. The required dimensions are 1080 x 1920 pixels at a 9:16 aspect ratio.

Design for the full-screen vertical experience. Leave a safe zone of approximately 250 pixels at the top and 280 pixels at the bottom to avoid overlapping with the username area and swipe-up CTA. Placing key text or product imagery in the center 1080 x 1420 pixel zone ensures nothing gets obscured by the interface.

Image Stories ads display for 5 seconds by default. Video Stories ads can run up to 120 seconds, though Hootsuite's research on ad performance shows that shorter Stories ads between 5 and 15 seconds maintain higher completion rates and deliver stronger results for most objectives.

Use bold, readable text. Stories move fast, and viewers decide within 1 to 2 seconds whether to tap forward. Front-load your message and make the visual immediately clear without requiring the viewer to read fine print.

What Dimensions Do Instagram Reels Ads Need?

Reels ads appear between organic Reels in the Reels tab, Feed, and Explore placements. They use the same 1080 x 1920 pixel dimensions at a 9:16 aspect ratio as Stories ads, but the creative approach should differ.

Reels ads perform best when they blend with organic Reels content. Native-feeling creative with on-screen text, trending audio cues, and handheld-style video outperforms polished commercial-style ads in the Reels placement. The audience expectation in the Reels tab is entertainment and authenticity, not brand advertising.

Maximum video length for Reels ads is 90 seconds. However, keep ads between 15 and 30 seconds for awareness campaigns and up to 60 seconds for consideration or conversion campaigns where you need more time to demonstrate value.

The safe zone considerations differ slightly from Stories. Reels have the creator handle, audio attribution, and interaction buttons overlaid on the right side. Keep essential elements away from the right 15% of the frame to prevent overlap with the like, comment, and share icons.

What Are the Carousel Ad Specifications?

Carousel ads allow 2 to 10 cards that users swipe through horizontally. Each card can be an image or video with its own link destination.

For image carousel cards, use 1080 x 1080 pixels (1:1) for consistency across all cards. You can technically mix aspect ratios, but Instagram will crop all cards to match the first card's ratio, which can ruin compositions on subsequent slides.

For video carousel cards, the same 1:1 ratio at 1080 x 1080 applies. Each video card can be up to 60 seconds long. Use a compelling first frame because the video does not autoplay until the user swipes to that card.

Design carousel ads as a connected sequence. The first card must stop the scroll and create curiosity to swipe. Middle cards build the narrative or showcase multiple products, while the final card carries the strongest call to action. Sequential storytelling across carousel cards tends to outperform disconnected product shots.

How Do Explore Page Ad Dimensions Work?

Explore ads appear when a user taps into a post from the Explore grid. They do not appear in the grid itself but in the scrollable feed that loads after tapping. Use the same dimensions as feed ads: 1080 x 1080 for square or 1080 x 1350 for vertical.

The Explore page audience is in a discovery mindset, browsing content from accounts they do not follow. This context means Explore ads should focus on introducing your brand or product to cold audiences rather than retargeting.

What About Collection and Shopping Ad Sizes?

Collection ads combine a cover image or video with a product catalog grid below it. The cover creative follows standard feed ad dimensions at 1080 x 1080 or 1080 x 1350. The product grid images are pulled from your catalog and should be square at a minimum of 500 x 500 pixels, though 1080 x 1080 is preferred.

Shopping ads pull directly from your product catalog. Ensure catalog images are high-quality, square, and at least 1080 x 1080 pixels with clean backgrounds for best display across all placements.

How Do You Manage Ad Creative Across Multiple Campaigns?

Running ads across multiple placements requires maintaining creative assets in every required dimension. A single campaign might need 1:1, 4:5, and 9:16 versions of the same creative to display correctly in feed, Stories, and Reels placements.

Conbersa helps teams distribute content across multiple accounts and platforms at scale, ensuring each placement gets properly formatted creative without manual resizing bottlenecks that slow campaign launches.