Ad Creative

Media Requirements

If you use images or videos that do not meet requirements below, your ad fails validation during ad creative creation.

Instagram Stream And Explore Ads

Captions

We have a 2200 character limit on captions for ads targeting Instagram only, and return an error if you try to create this ad. If an ad targets both Instagram and Facebook and is over this limit, your request to create an ad succeeds, but we do not deliver it on Instagram.

Image and Video Requirements

Aspect Ratio

Instagram's recommended aspect ratio for both image and video in Instagram stream is 1:1. We recommend square images and videos to utilize the maximum area on mobile devices. Instagram stream also supports images and videos with:

  • 1.91:1 aspect ratio
  • 4:5 aspect ratio
  • any aspect ratios in between 1.91:1 and 4:5

Size

We require all images and videos to have at least a 600px width, independent of the ad's placement. However, our recommended numbers for images can change by placement:

PlacementImage Size Recommendation

Instagram

640px width or larger

Facebook

1080px by 1080px or larger

If you run Advantage+ catalog ads, product images specified in product feeds must be at least 600px or more in both width and height.

Video Length

Videos need to have between 3 and 60 seconds. A video plays in an endless loop on Instagram but only once on Facebook.

Video Thumbnail

video_data requires a thumbnail image. That image must have the same aspect ratio as the video, with a width of at least 600px.

Video File Size

The video file size cannot be over 2.3GB. After uploaded to Facebook and compressed, it cannot be larger than an internal limit. To see whether video file works as an Instagram ad, you should upload it first, and to use this API call to check the is_instagram_eligible boolean value:

curl -G \
-d "access_token=<ACCESS_TOKEN>"\
-d "fields=is_instagram_eligible"\
"https://graph.facebook.com/<API_VERSION>/<VIDEO_ID>"

The response looks like this if your video is not eligible:

{
  "is_instagram_eligible": false,
  "id": "<VIDEO_ID>"
}

Cropping

Videos cannot be cropped, but images can. The following information is only valid for images.

The cropping behavior depends on whether you send us a cropping spec. For Facebook placements, you can also use use_flexible_image_aspect_ratio.

If you provide a 100x100 cropping spec in link_data:

  • We use that for cropping for both Instagram and Facebook placements.
  • If an image is wider than 1.91:1, Instagram crops an ad to 1.91:1.

If you do not provide a cropping spec:

  • If an image is taller than 4:5 without a cropping spec, Instagram crops it to 4:5.

Cropping And Size

More details about cropping and size recommendations according to your chosen placement.

For Instagram:

MediaWith 100x100 Cropping SpecNo 100x100 Cropping Spec

1:1 Image

After crop, at least 600x600px

At least 600x600px

4:5 Image

After crop, at least 600x600px

At least 600x750px

1.91:1 Image

After crop, at least 600x600px

At least 600x315px

Image ratio between 4:5 and 1.91:1

After crop, at least 600x600px

At least 600px width

Image ratio between 1:1 and 1.91:1

After crop, at least 600x600px

At least 600px width

Image ratio not between 4:5 and 1.91:1

After crop, at least 600x600px

With object_story_spec, center crop to 1.91:1 if wider than this, or 4:5 if taller than this. After crop, the width must be at least 600px. With object_story_id for an existing post, not valid.

For Facebook:

Media No cropping spec, and use_flexible_image_aspect_ratio set to false No cropping spec, and use_flexible_image_aspect_ratio set to true, or not set

(Default behavior) 		With 100x100 Cropping Spec

1:1 Image

Center crop of 1.91:1 automatically performed. After crop, at least 600x315px

At least 600x600px

After crop, at least 600x600px

4:5 Image

Center crop of 1.91:1 automatically performed. After crop, at least 600x315px

Center crop of 1:1 automatically performed. After crop, at least 600x600px

After crop, at least 600x600px

1.91:1 Image

At least 600x315px

At least 600x315px

After crop, at least 600x600px

Image ratio between 4:5 and 1.91:1

Center crop of 1.91:1 automatically performed. After crop, at least 600x315px

Center crop of 1:1 automatically performed. After crop, at least 600x60px

After crop, at least 600x600px

Image ratio between 1:1 and 1.91:1

Center crop of 1.91:1 automatically performed. After crop, at least 600x315px

At least 600px width

After crop, at least 600x600px

Image ratio not between 4:5 and 1.91:1

Center crop of 1.91:1 automatically performed. After crop, at least 600x315px

Center crop of 1.91:1 if wider than this or 1:1 if taller than this. After crop, width must be at least 600px

After crop, at least 600x600px

Additional Images

We usually deliver the default image specified by image_url, but you can delivery additonal_image_urls if you set additional_image_index in the ad template creative. To preview Advantage+ catalog ads using additional_image_index, you must pass the entire object_story_spec to the /generatepreviews endpoint. You cannot only pass object_story_id.

If a product has an image that is too small for Instagram, you do not see any errors when you create ads, but this ad is not delivered by Instagram Advantage+ catalog ads.

Instagram Story Ads

Image and Video Requirements

Aspect Ratio

For Instagram Stories, we recommend an aspect ratio for both image and video of 9:16. Instagram Stories also supports images and videos with:

  • 1.91:1 landscape
  • 4:5 portrait
  • Any aspect ratios in 1.91:1 and 4:5

For Carousel ads on Instagram Stories, check our Carousel Ads section.

Size

The minimum image or video width is 600px.

Cropping

Videos cannot be cropped, so you should provide videos between 1.91:1 and 4:5 or 9: 16 and taller.

Images can be cropped. You can use image cropping specs for image ads on Instagram Stories using 90x160, 100x100 and 191x100 crop keys:

  • If an image is wider than 1.91:1 and you provide no crop spec, we crop your image to 1.91:1.
  • If an image ratio is between 4:5 to 9:16 and you do not provide a cropping spec, we crop it to 4:5.

Resources