Meta ad specs, sizes and ratios

Meta ad specs are the aspect ratios, resolutions and file limits that creative must meet to display well in each placement. Meta updates these from time to time, so treat the numbers below as a working guide and confirm them against Meta’s current guidance before you export.

The ratios that matter

Three ratios cover most needs.

• 1:1 (square). Works in feeds across Facebook and Instagram. A safe default when you want one file to run in many places.
• 4:5 (vertical). Takes up more screen in mobile feeds, which often helps attention.
• 9:16 (full vertical). Built for Stories and Reels, where the ad fills the phone screen.

Link ads in feeds can also use a wider landscape ratio, about 1.91:1. Wide formats tend to look small on phones, so use them sparingly.

Resolution and file basics

Aim for at least 1080 pixels on the short side. Low-resolution files look soft once Meta compresses them. For video, common formats such as MP4 and MOV are accepted, and Meta sets maximum file sizes and length limits that depend on placement. Check those limits before you build long assets.

Keep a master file at high quality, then export versions for each ratio. Uploading a poor copy and letting Meta resize it often gives worse results than cropping yourself.

Safe zones

In Stories and Reels, the app overlays interface elements on the ad. The profile name, the caption, the call-to-action button and the reply bar all cover parts of the frame. Meta’s current guidance describes how much of the top and bottom to leave clear. Keep faces, logos and key text inside the middle of the frame so nothing gets hidden.

Text on creative

Less is better. Short overlay text that the viewer can read in a second is more useful than a dense paragraph. Put the main message in the ad copy field and use the image for the visual hook. For video, the first seconds decide whether anyone keeps watching, which is why hook rate matters.

Building for several placements

You can supply one asset and let Meta crop it, or provide a version for each placement. Custom assets per placement give you control over framing. Automatic cropping is faster but can cut off important content, so preview every placement before you publish.

A simple routine works well. Design in 9:16 first, check that it survives a 4:5 crop, then add a square version if you need it.

How YieldBI helps

YieldBI’s AI creative generation produces ad variations, and its guided campaign wizard walks you through setup so assets are attached to the right ad sets. You should still preview each placement in Meta before launch.