Make a 1080×1920 story ad
Full-screen vertical, the shape of stories and reels. It is the only common ad format that gets the entire screen to itself, with no competing content around it.
The specification
| Dimensions | 1080 × 1920 pixels |
|---|---|
| Aspect ratio | 0.56:1 |
| Common name | Story |
| Category | Social |
| Where it runs | Instagram and Facebook stories and reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and anywhere 9:16 full-screen vertical is served. |
| Export formats | MP4 for anything animated, since social placements are video-native, or static PNG and JPG. |
Designing for this shape
Keep clear of the top and bottom
Platform interface elements sit over roughly the top and bottom 250 pixels: profile details above, the reply bar and call to action below. Keep the message in the middle band.
Centre the message
With the full screen yours, the middle third is where the eye lands. Fight the urge to fill all 1920 pixels.
It is vertical video, not a tall banner
The register is closer to a short film than a display ad. Motion and pacing matter more than they do in a banner.
Frames and timing
Three frames with unhurried holds. A story is watched rather than glanced at, so each frame gets a moment before the next one arrives.
File weight
Social platforms are far more generous on file weight than display networks, but they compress what you upload. Export at the full pixel dimensions and let the platform do the resizing rather than uploading something already reduced.
Every network and placement enforces its own specification, and those change. Confirm the current maximum file size, animation length and format support for the platform you are running on before you publish.
Sizes that pair with it
A campaign is rarely one size. These are the units most often bought alongside 1080×1920, and one design can be fitted across the whole set with shared margins and synced headlines.
See the full banner size guide for every standard dimension, or read about how frame animation works and GIF weight limits.
Questions
What is the safe zone for a 1080x1920 story ad?
Roughly the top and bottom 250 pixels are covered by platform interface. Keeping the message inside the middle band is the reliable approach, though the exact area varies by platform and changes over time.
What format should a story ad be?
MP4 for anything animated, since stories and reels are video placements. A static story can be exported as PNG or JPG.
Can I reuse a square post as a story?
Not well. A 1:1 crop leaves large empty bands top and bottom. Building the story at 9:16 and fitting the design to it gives a much stronger result.
Open the editor to build a 1080×1920 ad now, or return to the home page.