The Facebook Ads Guide for Image Sizes and Videos
If you run a Facebook Ads campaign but still aren’t sure what size your images should be to ensure that they’re displayed correctly, this article is something that may interest you!
When it comes to graphics, Facebook loves diversity. It provides users with different recommendations concerning image dimensions and sizes depending on the type of ad and place where it’s supposed to be shown. Unfortunately, the number of requirements provided in the Facebook Ads guide can be overwhelming for advertisers who may have trouble deciding whether the images they prepared are the most optimal choice.
However, there’s no need to panic – the industry is full of generally recommended dimensions that will certainly help you shorten the list of requirements sent to your graphic designer. In today’s entry, we’ll introduce you not only to the exhaustive list of recommendations provided by the social media platform but also to some quality suggestions from Delante’s specialists.
Table of Contents
- Delante’s recommendations
- Ad Sizes on Facebook
- Facebook’s Specs
- Some Extra Pieces of Advice
- The Takeaway
Delante’s Recommendations
We’re perfectly aware of the overwhelming and confusing abundance of guidelines concerning images in Facebook Ads campaigns. That’s why (before getting down to more detailed recommendations), we’ll provide you with certain instructions usually sent to our clients. In most cases, applying them correctly is enough to ensure that your images will work properly.
We recommend using at least four sizes of images: 1080×1080, 1200×1200, 1200×628, and 1080×1920 pixels of the highest possible quality and low weight.
When it comes to videos, it’s a good idea to enable sounds and subtitles. This results from the fact that a significant part of videos is muted, therefore, your content should be either accompanied by texts or fully understandable without sound.
Facebook Ads – Delante’s recommendations:
- Sizes – we suggest using at least four ad sizes: 1080×1080, 1200×1200, 1200×628, 1080×1920 px
- Supported formats – graphics: .jpg, .png / videos: .mp4, .mov, .gif
- Text in images – maximally 20% of the image area can be filled with text; to check your proportion of text to image, go to: https://www.facebook.com/ads/tools/text_overlay
- Graphic elements – logos and important elements shouldn’t be placed near edges as they might be cropped
- Quality – make sure that your images are of top quality
Ad Sizes on Facebook
One Graphic or Video
| Image Pixel Size | Format | Placement | Additional Information |
| 1080×1080 | Square (1:1) | Most placements (including campaigns driving users to like the site) | A minimum format recommended |
| 1200×628 | Horizontal image | Facebook Instant Articles, the right column on Facebook | – |
| 1080×1920 | Vertical image | Stories (Fb, IG, Msg), Audience Network (banner, native, full screen) | – |
| 1200×1200 | Square (1:1) | Most placements |
|
Carousel
| Image pixel size | Format | Placement | Additional Information |
| 1080×1080 | Square (1:1) | Facebook, Audience Network, Messenger, Instagram (feed) |
|
| 1080×1920 | 9:16 | Instagram Stories |
|
Collection
(graphics will also be displayed at the top of the Instant Experience)
| Image pixel size | Format | Placement | Additional Information |
| 1080×1080 | Square (1:1) | Facebook and Instagram feed | – |
| 1200×628 | Vertical (16:9) | Instagram Feed | – |
Canvas
(no specific guidelines)
| Image pixel size | Format | Placement | Additional Information |
| 1200×628 | 9:16 or 1:1 | A thumbnail in the feed | Available solely on mobile devices |
Slideshow
| Image pixel size | Format | Placement | Additional Information |
| Recommended min. 1080×1080 and 1280×720 | 1:1 16:9 (Stories) 2:3 |
Available for all advertising objectives and placements |
|
Facebook’s Specs
Ratios vs. Placements
Let’s start with aspect ratios as they’re determined by the ad placement.
- Feed:
- Square (1:1) for images
- Vertical (4:5) for videos
- Stories: vertical (9:16) graphics that capture the whole screen
- Carousel videos: square (1:1)
- In-stream videos: horizontal rectangle (16:9)
- Audience Network: vertical rectangle (9:16)
- The right column on Facebook: rectangle (1, 91:1), alternatively square (1:1)
Moreover, Facebook enables downloading aspect ratio templates that help you guarantee that all your images are compliant with the recommendations.
One image or video
One-image ads are the most popular and effective solutions found on Facebook.
Try to ensure that your images have:
- Resolution: highest possible. Minimum 500 pixels
- Format: .jpg or .png
- Ratio:
- Square (1:1) – for placements like feed or in-stream videos
- Vertical image (9:16) – it’s a full-screen format in stories, applications or websites
- Horizontal image (1.91:1) – used in the right column on Facebook, search results or Instant Articles
Different campaign objectives suit different ad placements. When it comes to standard minimum image sizes, it’s possible to distinguish:
- 500×262 pixels for:
- Instagram feed
- Explore tab on Instagram
- Facebook and Messenger stories
- 500×889 pixels (vertical) for Instagram stories
- 254×133 pixels for:
- Facebook feed
- In-stream videos
- Audience Network: native ads, banners, full-screen ads, rewarded videos
- Instant Articles on Facebook (or 1200×1200 with a link)
- Facebook Marketplace
- Search results on Facebook
- The right column on Facebook
- Messenger inbox
- 1200×444 pixels:
- Page likes (it’s also possible to use 2:3 and 1:1 ratios – 1080×1080 pixels)
Carousel
The carousel format allows you to advertise a few images in the form of one advertisement. The images are displayed on separate cards and each of them can have its own link that redirects users to different websites.
Here, it’s possible to employ either static images (and fill the cards with product images) or videos (including slideshows).
Your carousel should comprise at least 2 and maximally 10 images (or videos).
Image specs:
- Size: 1080 x 1080 pixels
- Ratio: square (1:1)
- Format: .jpg. or .png
- Weight: max. 30 MB
Video specs:
- At least 600 x 600 pixels (however, the recommended size is 1080×1080)
- File size: max. 4GB
- Ratio: vertical (4:5)
- Format: .mp4, .mov, .gif
- Sound: added with subtitles (to learn more, go to the section with extra pieces of advice)
- Length:
- Recommended: up to 15 seconds – then it can be applied in most placements
- Facebook: max. 240 min.
- In-stream: 5-15 seconds
- Audience Network: 5-120 seconds
- Instagram stories: max. 120 seconds
- Rewarded videos: 3-60 seconds
Collection
When applying this ad format, you can take advantage of a group of elements displayed in the full-screen mode. It’s possible to use videos, images,
and slideshows. However, it needs to be mentioned that collections work solely on mobile devices.
After clicking on the ad, users are automatically redirected to an Instant Experience, which is a full-screen experience aiming at engaging users’ interest.
In this ad format, it’s advisable to use:
- 1080×1080 pixels images
- 2 minutes long videos.
Canvas/Instant Experience
This is a full-screen environment designed to maximally engage users. It enables using videos, images, carousel cards, forms and allows users to browse through products. For the time being, it’s available exclusively on mobile devices.
9:16 (rectangle) or 1:1 (square) are the recommended aspect ratios. The feed thumbnail is 1200×628 pixels, however, Facebook hasn’t published any specific recommendations concerning the Instant Experience.
Slideshow
Slideshows are interesting solutions for advertising products. They smoothly combine photos and offer the possibility to insert text elements and logos. You can prepare your own slideshow or take advantage of the ready-made templates.
When it comes to slideshows, it’s required:
- To insert from 3 to 10 images when creating the slideshow yourself
- To insert from 1 to 10 images when using one of the templates (the number depends on the selected template)
- To ensure that the slideshow is maximally 15 seconds long
- Format:
- Square (1:1)
- Horizontal (16:9)
- Vertical (2:3)
Video
Due to the fact that users focus their attention on ads only for a short while, it’s recommended to keep your videos maximally 15 seconds long. Depending on the placement, there are different video requirements.
When it comes to general guidelines, we can distinguish:
- The recommended ratio for most placements:
- 4:5 vertical (for feed, Facebook, Instagram and parts of Audience Network)
- Full-screen vertical (9:16) for Facebook and Instagram
- Full-screen horizontal (16:9) for in-stream videos (in some cases also 1:1)
- The recommended length: max. 15 seconds
- It’s also suggested to provide subtitles (for users who turned off the sound)
Facebook’s recommendations:
- Resolution: minimum of 600 pixels
- File size: max. 4GB
- Sound: added with subtitles (more in the advice section at the end of this article)
- Format: .mp4, .mov, .gif
- Length:
- Recommended: up to 15 seconds as then it can be applied in most placements
- Facebook: max. 240 minutes
- In-stream: 5-15 seconds
- Audience Network: 5-120 seconds
- Instagram stories: max. 120 seconds
- Rewarded videos: 3-60 seconds. If you select video views as the objective of the campaign, then the recommended lengths are:
- Instagram feed: up to 120 seconds
- Instagram stories: up to 120 seconds
- The explore tab on Instagram: up to 120 seconds
- Facebook feed: up to 240 minutes
- Facebook stories: up to 120 seconds
- Audience Network (native, banner, full-screen): 5-120 seconds
- In-stream videos in Audience Network: 5-120 seconds
- Rewarded videos in Audience Network: 5-120 seconds
- Instant Articles on Facebook: up to 240 min
- In-stream videos on Facebook: 5-120 seconds
- Messenger stories: up to 15 seconds.
- Video sources on Facebook: up to 240 minutes
Obviously you can take advantage of more solutions and various aspect ratios. For Facebook ads, you can apply:
- Ratio: vertical (9:16) – however, make sure that the most important parts of the video are also displayed in 2:3 ratio (Facebook feed on mobile devices)
- It’s advisable to advertise Facebook feed in the form of a square (1:1) carousel or in a form of ads without links: from 16:9 to 1:1.
On the other hand, for Instagram choose:
- 1:1,91 to 4:5 for Instagram feed
- Full-screen vertical (9:16) for Instagram stories
Some extra pieces of advice
Now we’re going to introduce you to a few pieces of advice thanks to which your images will be effective and Facebook won’t have any problems with loading or using them.
Facebook’s image guidelines
If you want to learn more about given ads and their specs for each placement, you can delve into Facebook Ads guide discussing images or videos requirements or check everything directly when creating ads.
How much text in images?
Remember to avoid putting too much text in your images. This is the common mistake that can not only lower the reach of your advertisement (while spending the same budget) but also lead to a situation when your ad isn’t displayed at all.
Text in Facebook ads should constitute maximally 20% of the image. It’s worth mentioning that logos or watermarks are also considered text. When there’s too much text in your ad, try to use a smaller font (on condition it’s transparent and legible) or apply shorter phrases.
If you want to check whether your images are compliant with the recommendations, use the Text Overlay Tool. It’ll thoroughly analyze your content and tell you whether your images exceed the limits, whether their reach is likely to be lowered or whether the ad can be penalized by the portal. Obviously it needs to be remembered that this is only a supplementary tool, therefore it may happen that your ad won’t be accepted by the portal even when the tool evaluated it as compliant with the rules.
Of course, there are some exceptions which include:
- covers (books, magazines, records, newspapers),
- images of products in packaging with text,
- games,
- posters,
- charts and tables.
Consequently, such images have to be reviewed manually and you need to wait for your ad to be approved.
What’s more, logos and other relevant elements shouldn’t be too close to the edges of the image because they can get cropped depending on the placement.
The takeaway
Many advertisers find the amount of Facebook guidelines really overwhelming. Therefore, it’s a good idea to search for optimal and universal solutions such as recommended image sizes thanks to which ads are displayed properly in most placements.
At the same time, it’s worth noting that Facebook Ads very often publish images in inappropriate sizes, however, they’re frequently cropped in certain (or all) placements. So, if you want to make sure that all of the important elements of your ads are shown properly and aren’t cropped, stick to Facebook’s guidelines and recommendations concerning sizes, formats, and content.
Thanks for this Agnieszka! Finally, I have all the sizes gathered in one place, really hated the navigation through facebook’s guide.