Meta ad sizes for 2026: 4:5 vs 1:1 vs 9:16
If you only design one size, you're letting Meta crop your ad for every other placement — and it usually crops off the headline. Here are the sizes I design every static ad in, and why.
The short answer
For static Facebook and Instagram ads, design two sizes: 4:5 for the feed and 9:16 for Stories and Reels. Add 1:1 only when you need it for a specific placement or an older template.
Sizes at a glance
| Ratio | Pixels | Where it runs |
|---|---|---|
| 4:5 | 1080 × 1350 (or 1440 × 1800 for extra sharpness) | Facebook & Instagram feed |
| 9:16 | 1080 × 1920 (or 1440 × 2560) | Stories, Reels, full-screen placements |
| 1:1 | 1080 × 1080 | Feed, right column, some marketplace slots |
Why 4:5 beats 1:1 in the feed
A 4:5 ad is taller, so it takes up more of the phone screen while someone scrolls. More screen means more time in view and a better chance the hook gets read. 1:1 still works — it just gives that space away for free.
Why you need a separate 9:16
Stories and Reels are full-screen. If you only upload a 4:5 or 1:1, Meta places it on a blurred or coloured background, and it looks like a feed ad that wandered into the wrong place. A proper 9:16 version — same angle, re-laid out for a tall screen — looks native and usually performs better.
Safe zones: where not to put text
In Stories and Reels, Meta draws its own interface over your ad: the profile name at the top, and the caption, buttons and CTA at the bottom. Anything you put there gets covered.
- Top: keep roughly the top 14% clear of text and logos.
- Bottom: keep roughly the bottom 35% clear on Reels (a bit less on Stories) — this is where the caption and CTA sit.
- Sides: leave a small margin, around 6% each side.
The dashed box in the 9:16 frame above shows the area I treat as safe. Put the hook, the product and the offer inside it. Use Ads Manager's placement preview to check before you publish — the exact overlays change from time to time.
My checklist for every static ad
- Design the 4:5 first — it's where most of the budget usually goes.
- Rebuild it as a 9:16, keeping the hook and product inside the safe zone. Don't just stretch it.
- Export at 1080 px wide or larger, as JPG or PNG.
- Upload both into the same ad and use placement asset customisation, so Meta shows the right size in each placement.
- Check every placement preview before launching.
The short version
4:5 for feed, 9:16 for Stories and Reels, text inside the safe zone. Two sizes per idea is all most DTC brands need — and it stops Meta from cropping your best line out of the ad.