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Instagram Story size
1080 × 1920 px (9:16, the size guides recommend) for a Story, or 1440 × 2560 px (9:16) for a Story ad
Instagram does not publish a Story size, but Meta lists the file limits and the guides agree on 1080 × 1920. Drop in a photo or video to check its shape, size, file and length, and download a photo at exactly the right size. It all runs in your browser.
| Format | Pixels | Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Story 9:16 | 1080 × 1920 guide | 9:16 |
| Story ad 9:16 | 1440 × 2560 | 9:16 |
Official: Meta Business Help, Instagram Help Center, Meta Ads Guide. Guides (not the platform’s own figures): Buffer.
Creators upload. Brands review. One thread.
Every video, note and revision stays in one place inside Myah.Instagram Story sizes, with sources
Instagram’s own help pages do not give a pixel size for a Story. Two 2026 guides, Buffer (17 March) and Hootsuite (4 September), both give 1080 × 1920 pixels at 9:16, so the table marks that as a guide. For Story ads, Meta publishes the size itself: the Ads Guide gives 9:16 at 1440 × 2560. The file limits come from Meta’s technical specifications for Stories: a photo as a JPG or PNG up to 30 MB, and a video as an MP4 or MOV up to 4 GB.
| Format | Pixels | Photo | Video | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Story9:16 | 1080 × 1920 | JPG or PNG, up to 30 MB | MP4 or MOV, up to 4 GB, at least 500 px wide. Up to 60 seconds plays as one clip. | Size: Buffer (guide). Limits: Meta and Instagram Help Center (official) |
| Story ad9:16 | 1440 × 2560 | JPG or PNG, up to 30 MB, at least 500 px wide | MP4 or MOV, up to 4 GB, at least 250 px wide, 1 second to 60 minutes | Image ads and video ads (official) |
Meta’s own pages disagree in two places, and the checker follows each page for what it covers. Video length: Instagram’s Help Center says up to 60 seconds plays as one clip; the Ads Guide says an ad can run from 1 second to 60 minutes, split into cards from 16 seconds; and Meta’s Stories specifications table lists 1 to 15 seconds. Minimum video width: 500 pixels in the Stories specifications, 250 pixels in the Ads Guide for video ads.
How the checker works
- Your file’s width, height and file size are read in your browser, and for a video its length too. Nothing is sent anywhere.
- Its shape is compared with 9:16. A match within 1% counts as the same shape, which is the tolerance the Ads Guide states for Stories. Any other shape is cropped or padded by the download.
- Its width is compared with the minimum and its size with the recommended one. A photo and a video get their own limits, because Meta gives them different ones.
- A video that is longer than 60 seconds, or an ad that is 16 seconds or longer, is marked “Fits with changes”, because Instagram splits it. A video past 60 minutes is marked “Won’t work” for an ad.
- For a photo, the download crops to fill (the biggest 9:16 slice, which you can move) or fits the whole photo on white or black bars, at 1080 × 1920 or 1440 × 2560.
What sits over a Story
A correctly sized Story still has the profile bar over the top and the reply bar over the bottom. For Story ads, Meta’s Ads Guide suggests leaving roughly 14% of the top, 35% of the bottom and 6% on each side free of text, logos and other key elements. Instagram publishes no numbers for ordinary Stories, and Hootsuite gives a safe area of 1080 × 1610 pixels as a guide. This page checks the file; to see what the interface covers, drop the same file into the Instagram safe zone checker.
Top 14%
The profile icon, which Meta names as covering the top of an ad. Meta’s figure for ads.
Bottom 35%
The call-to-action on an ad, and the reply bar. Meta’s figure for ads, and a cautious guide for ordinary Stories.
Each side 6%
Meta suggests this so key elements are not cropped. Meta’s figure for ads.
Who it’s for
UGC creators
Check a Story video or photo before you send it to a brand, and see whether it is the size and length they asked for.
Brands and media buyers
Check that a creator’s file meets the Story ad size and limits before it goes into an ad account, and see where a long video will be split.
Social managers and editors
Export a photo at the exact Story size once, instead of letting the app crop it.
Common mistakes
Expecting a 4:5 photo to fill the screen
Meta accepts shapes from 4:5 to 1.91:1 in a Story, but the screen is 9:16, so those photos do not fill it. Crop or pad to 9:16 yourself and you choose what shows.
Putting text under the reply bar
The reply bar and the buttons sit over the bottom of a Story, and for ads Meta suggests keeping roughly the bottom 35% clear. Check where your words land with the safe zone checker.
Sending an ad at 1080 × 1920
That is the guide size for an ordinary Story. For a Story ad, Meta’s Ads Guide gives 1440 × 2560, so a brand will usually expect that one.
Cutting every video to 15 seconds
Instagram’s Help Center says a video up to 60 seconds long appears as one clip. Only ads of 16 seconds or longer may be split into separate cards, so a short ad is kept whole.
A photo over 30 MB
Meta’s Stories specifications give a 30 MB limit for a photo. A large PNG can pass it, so export a JPG, or use the download here, which is sized to the format.
Relying on automatic subtitles
Meta’s Stories specifications say subtitles are not available and must be part of the video file. Burn them in before you export.
Common questions
What size is an Instagram Story?
Instagram does not publish a pixel size for Stories. Buffer (March 2026) and Hootsuite (September 2026) both give 1080 × 1920 pixels at 9:16, so that is the size to design for. For Story ads, Meta’s Ads Guide gives 9:16 at 1440 × 2560 pixels.
How long can an Instagram Story video be?
Instagram’s Help Center says a video up to 60 seconds long appears as one clip, and longer videos are broken up into several clips. For ads, Meta’s Ads Guide gives a length of 1 second to 60 minutes, and says ads of 16 seconds or longer may be split into separate Stories cards.
Which aspect ratios does Instagram accept for Stories?
Meta’s Stories specifications list 9:16 and everything from 4:5 to 1.91:1 for both photos and videos. A square or 4:5 photo is accepted, but it is not the 9:16 shape of the screen, so crop or pad it yourself if you want to choose what shows.
What are the file size limits for Stories?
Meta’s Stories specifications give a photo as a JPG or PNG up to 30 MB, and a video as an MP4 or MOV up to 4 GB. They also list a minimum video width of 500 pixels, while the Ads Guide lists 250 pixels for video ads and 500 pixels for image ads.
Where should I keep text on a Story?
For Story ads, Meta suggests leaving roughly 14% of the top, 35% of the bottom and 6% of each side free of text, logos and key elements, so the profile icon and call-to-action do not cover them. Instagram publishes no numbers for ordinary Stories, so use the safe zone checker to see what the buttons and reply bar cover.
Is my photo or video uploaded when I use this checker?
No. The file opens in your browser and never leaves your device, and the resized copy of a photo is made there too. Close the tab and it is gone. Shared links only carry your settings, such as the format, never the file.