> Quick answer: Design at 1080x1920px (9:16). Keep all content in the 950x1270px center safe zone. Show your brand in 3 seconds. Caption everything for silent viewing.
Facebook Stories ads run full-screen between users' personal stories. That placement demands attention. Get the specs and creative right, and you have one of the strongest formats on Meta.
Why Facebook Stories Ads Matter
Stories ads are not a banner or a feed post. They take over the entire screen.
Full-screen, immersive format
No competing content. No sidebar. No feed scroll. The user sees only your creative. That focus is rare in digital advertising.
High engagement and completion rates
Users are already in a lean-forward swiping mindset. They move fast and engage quickly. A well-designed Story captures that momentum before they tap away.
Direct swipe-up call-to-action
Meta places a native CTA button at the bottom of every Stories ad. One tap sends users to your landing page, product, or app. The path to conversion is short.
Technical Specifications for Facebook Stories Ads
Per the Facebook Business Help Center, Stories ads have strict technical requirements. Match them to avoid rejection and ensure your creative displays correctly.
Image and video dimensions (1080x1920px / 9:16 aspect ratio)
Design at exactly 1080x1920 pixels. That is a 9:16 vertical ratio. Always start at full resolution. Do not scale up smaller images.
File types and size limits (JPG/PNG for images, MP4/MOV for video)
Images use JPG or PNG format with a maximum file size of 30MB. Videos use MP4 or MOV format with a maximum of 4GB. Use H.264 compression for video and 128kbps stereo AAC audio or higher.
Duration and resolution requirements
Keep video ads between 1 and 15 seconds. Longer videos are accepted but performance typically drops after that window. Maintain 1080x1920px resolution throughout the entire clip.
Understanding Safe Zones and Placement
Meta's UI covers parts of your canvas. Ignore safe zones and your content disappears behind buttons and profile icons.
Top margin (profile icon, close button, timestamp)
The top 270 pixels, roughly 14% of the canvas, display the brand name, close button, and timestamp. Keep all key visuals and text below this line.
Bottom margin (CTA button, swipe-up prompt)
The bottom 380 pixels, roughly 20% of the canvas, hold the CTA button and swipe-up prompt. Place your message above this zone, not inside it.
Side margins and content center area
Clear 65 pixels on each side. Your usable safe area is approximately 950x1270 pixels in the center of the canvas. Place every critical element there.
Step-by-Step Design Process
Build from correct dimensions outward. Fix specs after the fact and you will redesign twice.
Choose your format (single image, video, or carousel)
Stories ads support single image, single video, and carousel. Single image fits quick offers. Video works for storytelling. Carousel lets you show multiple products in sequence.
Create or source content at correct dimensions
Start your canvas at 1080x1920px from the beginning. Do not upscale. Upscaling creates blur and risks rejection.
Add text and visual elements within safe zones
Place all text and key visuals inside the 950x1270px center area. Use large, readable font sizes. Mobile screens show every detail, including bad spacing.
Optimize for sound-off viewing
Most users watch Stories with no audio. Caption any spoken content. Use bold on-screen text to carry the full message without sound.
Creative Best Practices
Good specs pass review. Good creative drives clicks.
Show brand/business identity in first 3 seconds
Per Meta's creative guidance, show your brand or business within 3 seconds. Early brand exposure drives recall even when users swipe away before the end.
Minimize text (no more than 20% of image)
Keep text to no more than 20% of the image area. One strong headline and one supporting line is enough. More text crowds the visual and reduces impact.
Design for silent viewing with captions and bold visuals
Add captions to any spoken words. Use high-contrast visuals. The creative must communicate clearly before audio ever plays.
Keep primary CTA visible in center zone
Put your offer message above the bottom 380px margin. Make it large. Make it obvious. Users decide in under two seconds.
Tools to Speed Up Your Workflow
Manual resizing and rebuilding slows every iteration. These tools cut the time significantly.
Use Coinis Revise for resizing and optimizing
Coinis Revise handles the repetitive work. Use Smart Resize to convert any existing creative to 1080x1920px in one click. Use Edit text on image to reposition or update copy without rebuilding from scratch. Use AI Upscale to fix low-resolution source files before upload.
Generate new Stories creatives with Image Ads
Coinis Image Ads generates full Stories creatives from a product URL. Drop in your URL, choose your format, and get on-brand vertical images ready to upload.
Test variations with Variate
Use Variate inside Revise to spin multiple versions of one creative. Test different headlines, backgrounds, and CTA placements without designing each one by hand.
Or skip the steps.
Coinis Revise edits any ad image with AI. Move text. Change text. Swap colors. Erase objects. Translate to any language. One click each.
No design skills. No Photoshop. One click.
15 AI tokens a month. No credit card.
Frequently Asked Questions
What dimensions do Facebook Stories ads use?
Facebook Stories ads use 1080x1920 pixels at a 9:16 aspect ratio. Images should be JPG or PNG with a maximum file size of 30MB. Videos should be MP4 or MOV with a maximum of 4GB.
What are the safe zones for Facebook Stories ads?
The top 270px (14%) and bottom 380px (20%) of the canvas are covered by Meta UI elements like the profile icon, close button, and CTA prompt. Clear 65px on each side as well. Your safe content area is approximately 950x1270px in the center of the canvas.