Instagram sizes and formats - cheat sheet

Navigating in the jungle of sizes and ratios can be confusing, so we decided to make a cheat sheet for you. Here’s a cheat sheet for all the imagery you use on Instagram organic posts and ads creatives. Scroll all the way in the bottom and download our sheet.

Let’s take a look at some examples:

The most used format is pictures with ratio 1:1 (1080×1080), but the most powerful is the vertical (portrait) format with ratio 4:5 (1080×1350).
Just keep in mind that all pictures are shown as 1:1 on your profile.

The same image, but ratio 1.91:1 (1080×566). When making ads, the same rules apply. Wanna learn more about ads recommendations? Keep reading.

Advertising on Instagram

When choosing Instagram as a placement option for your ads its is important to know about the different design recommendations and the technical requirements. We have listed the different design and technical requirements based on Facebook best practice.
There are two different placement options for your ads on Instagram: 1) ads in the feed and 2) ads in stories.

The recommended image size for Instagram ads are as follows, but depends on which format and placement you choose:

Square – 1:1
Minimum Resolution (600 x 600 pixels)
Maximum Resolution (1936 x 1936 pixels)
Landscape – 1.91:1
Minimum Resolution (600 x 315 pixels)
Maximum Resolution (1936 x 1936 pixels)
Vertical – 4:5
Minimum Resolution (600 x 750 pixels)
Maximum Resolution (1936 x 1936 pixels)

Ads in the Instagram Feed

Instagram link ads

Combine Instagram’s branding potential with a conversion driving link ad.
Instagram recommends about 125 characters, and allows max 2 200 characters. Optimal length may vary from brand to brand and audience to audience – as well as from photo to photo, so we recommend testing various lengths, and develop your own style and tone. Testing is the key 😉

Instagram link ad in feed example: picture 1:1 on the left and 4:5 to the right.

Image Design Recommendations

The Instagram Feed placement supports these image formats: landscape, square and vertical.

File type: jpg or png
Maximum file size: 30MB
Recommended resolution: Upload the highest resolution image available that meets ratio requirements.
Text: Two rows of text will display.

Technical Requirements

Minimum Image Width in Pixels : 500
Aspect Ratio Tolerance : 1%
Minimum Image Ratio : 4:5
Maximum Image Ratio : 1.91:1
Maximum Text Length : 2200
Maximum Number of Hashtags in Text : 30

Carousel Design Recommendations

The carousel format allows you to showcase up to 10 images or videos within one ad, each with its own link. With more creative space within the ad, you can highlight different products, showcase specific details about one product, service or promotions. You can tell a story about your brand that develops across each card in the carousel.
A powerful way of getting your story told.

Image and video design recommendations

Minimum numbers of cars is 2 and the maximum is 10 cards.
Image file type: jpg or png
Image maximum file size: 30MB
Video file type: mp4 or .mov with maximum filesize 4GB
Video lengt: up to 60 seconds
Recommended resolution is at least 1080×1080 px
Carousel ratio: 1:1
Text: Two rows of text will display. However images that have more than 20% text may experience reduced delivery.

Technical Requirements

Minimum image width in pixels: 500
Minimum video width in pixels: 500
Aspect ratio tolerance: 1%
Minimum image and video ratio: 4:5
Maximum image and video ratio: 1.91:1
Minimum video duration is 60 seconds and maximum is 2200
Maximum number of hashtags in text: 30

Instagram video ads

To get the best result with video, we recommend that you upload the highest resolution video that you have avilabe.
And as a best practice, it’s recommend that you avoid using URLs in your Instagram ad’s text. URLs are not clickable from your ad’s text field – they will just be shown as plain text.

Design Recommendations

Aspect Ratio: 1:1
File type: .mp4 container ideally with leading mov atom, no edit lists
Video: H.264 video compression, high profile preferred, square pixels, fixed frame rate, progressive scan
Audio: Stereo AAC audio compression, 128kbps + preferred
Caption: Optional, 125 characters recommended

Technical Requirements

Caption length text: Text only, max 2,200 characters, but 125 characters are recommended
Video aspect ratio: 1.9:1 to 1:1
Minimum resolution: 600 x 315 pixels (1.9:1 landscape) / 600 x 600 pixels (square)
Minimum length: 2.5 seconds
Maximum length: 60 seconds
File type: .mp4
Supported video codecs: H.264, VP8
Supported audio codecs: AAC, Vorbis
Maximum size: 1.75 GB
Frame rate: 30fps max
Bitrate: No limit to bitrate file if you’re using two pass encoding, as long as your file doesn’t exceed 1 GB. Otherwise, 8 megabits per second for 1080p and 4 megabits per second for 720p.
Thumbnail image ratio: Should match the aspect ratio of your video. Your thumbnail image may not include more than 20% text.

Stories Image Design Recommendations

Ads in Stories are becoming more and more popular and gives a full screen experience. Another powerful way to tell your brand or company story. This gives you a chance to connect with your followers in a less formal way. The ad shows between Instagram user stories and are visible for 5 seconds or until the user swipes out.

Image ratio: 9:16
Recommended resolution: at least 1080 x 1920px
Images that consist of more than 20% text may experience reduced delivery.

Technical Requirements

Minimum Image Width in Pixels : 500
Aspect Ratio Tolerance : 1%
Maximum Image Ratio : 9:16

Stories Video Design Recommendations

Videos in Stories are full screen video ads that appear between Instagram user stories for up to 15 seconds and very impactful. Upload the highest resolution source video that you have available. However, recommended H.264 compression, square pixels, fixed frame rate, progressive scan and stereo AAC audio compression at 128kbps+.

Video resolution: at least 1080 x 1920 pixels
Video File Size: 4GB Max
Video Length: 1 to 15 seconds
Video Captions: Not available
Video Sound: Optional
Video thumbnail images that consist of more than 20% text may experience reduced delivery.

Technical Requirements

Aspect Ratio Tolerance : 1%
Maximum Video Ratio : 9:16
Maximum Video Duration in Seconds : 15

Now you are sett to make some powerful and creative ads 🙌🏻 If you need some help? Do not hesitate to DM us @24sevensocialcom.

As with Facebook ads, there’s a set maximum of 20% text in an image. This goes for all Instagram ads formats as well.
And it’s not a straight forward 20%. It’s based on this grid. -If there’s any text in a box, you’ll have to tick it off.

Don’t forget to download our cheat sheet ✌🏻

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