Formats / OMNI Journal
What ad sizes do I need for TikTok, Reels and Meta?
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Short answer: Make every concept in 9:16 vertical (1080×1920 px) first. That one shape covers TikTok, Instagram Reels, Facebook Reels and Stories. Then add a 4:5 version (1080×1350 px) for Facebook and Instagram feeds. 1:1 (1080×1080 px) is now optional: Meta still accepts it, but taller formats take up more of the screen.
The dimensions are the easy part. Most ads that underperform on placement do so because a headline sits under the caption, a product gets cropped, or the call to action is hidden behind the platform's buttons. This guide covers the sizes, the safe zones and how to plan one idea across every format without it looking like a lazy resize.
Written by Charles D'Souza (co-founder)
Ad sizes at a glance
| Placement | Aspect ratio | Recommended size (px) | Keep clear (safe zone) | Video length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TikTok In-Feed | 9:16 | 1080×1920 (min 540×960) | Varies with caption length; use TikTok's safe zone overlay | Up to 10 min; short is usual |
| Instagram and Facebook Reels | 9:16 | 1080×1920 | Top 14%, bottom 35%, sides 6% | Up to 90 s; 15 to 30 s common |
| Instagram and Facebook Stories | 9:16 | 1080×1920 | Top 14%, bottom 20% | Short clips; check Ads Manager |
| Facebook and Instagram Feed | 4:5 | 1080×1350 | Keep text off the edges | Short is usual |
| Feed (square, optional) | 1:1 | 1080×1080 | Keep text off the edges | Short is usual |
| TikTok (other, optional) | 16:9 or 1:1 | 1920×1080 or 1080×1080 (min 960×540, 640×640) | Use TikTok's overlay | As above |
File basics: MP4 or MOV, H.264, high quality export. TikTok allows up to 500 MB per video; Meta allows up to 4 GB. Specs change without much notice, so check the official guides below before you export a final batch.
TikTok ad sizes
TikTok is a vertical, full-screen feed, so 9:16 is the format to build for. TikTok's own minimum is 540×960 px, but that's a floor, not a target. Export at 1080×1920 so text and product details stay sharp on modern phones.
TikTok also accepts 16:9 and 1:1, but they play with empty space around them and look out of place next to native content. Use them only if you're reusing existing assets and have no time to recut.
Two TikTok details catch people out
- The caption is fixed. Non-Spark ad captions use TikTok's own white font. You can't style them, and they can't contain clickable links, @ mentions or hashtags. Put anything that must be read in the video itself.
- The safe zone moves. TikTok says the safe area depends on the video's dimensions and the caption length. A longer caption pushes the text overlay further up the frame. Download TikTok's safe zone file and lay it over every edit before export.
If you run Spark Ads, which boost an existing organic post, the video already exists. The captions are pulled from the original post and limited to four lines.
Instagram and Facebook Reels ad sizes
Reels ads use 9:16 at 1080×1920 px. Since March 2026, Facebook and Instagram Reels and Stories share one unified safe zone, so one vertical asset can run across all four placements.
The Reels interface is heavy at the bottom. The account name, caption, audio label and call-to-action button all stack there. Treat the bottom 35% of the frame as off-limits for anything important, plus the top 14% and about 6% on each side. That leaves a central area roughly the shape of a 4:5 frame where your headline, product and offer should live.
Reels ads can run up to 90 seconds, but most performance creative is far shorter. Get the product or the problem on screen in the first two seconds.
Stories ad sizes
Stories also use 9:16 at 1080×1920 px. The interface is lighter than Reels: keep the top 14% clear for the profile bar and the bottom 20% clear for the reply bar and call to action. If one asset will run in both Stories and Reels, design to the stricter Reels zone and it will work in both.
Facebook and Instagram feed ad sizes
For feeds, use 4:5 at 1080×1350 px. It takes up more of a phone screen than a square and works for both images and video. Meta still accepts 1:1 at 1080×1080 px, but it is now steering advertisers towards taller formats. For carousels, 4:5 or 3:4 suits the current Instagram grid.
Feed placements show copy around the creative rather than on top of it. Keep the primary text short (around 125 characters before "See more") and the headline to around 40 characters. Longer copy isn't rejected, but it gets cut off on mobile.
What is a safe zone, and why does it matter more than size?
A safe zone is the part of the frame the platform's interface won't cover. On vertical placements, the account name, caption, like and share buttons, and call-to-action button all sit on top of your video. Anything underneath them is effectively invisible.
On a 1080×1920 Reels canvas, the Meta guidance works out to roughly:
- Top: keep the first 270 px clear (14%)
- Bottom: keep the last 670 px clear (35%)
- Sides: keep about 65 px clear on each edge (6%)
On very tall phones (20:9 screens), Meta may crop the left and right edges or add black bars. Keeping key content in the middle 80% of the width protects against both.
In practice: headline and offer go in the upper-middle of the frame, the product sits centrally, and the bottom third carries only background or motion. Ads Manager now shows a safe zone overlay during setup, and TikTok provides downloadable templates. Use both before signing off.
Export checklist
- MP4 or MOV, H.264, at the recommended resolution, not the minimum
- Under 500 MB for TikTok (Meta's limit is much higher)
- Burned-in captions, since many people watch feeds with the sound off
- Clear audio where it matters: TikTok is a sound-on platform
- Preview each placement in Ads Manager on a real phone before launch
How to plan one ad concept across every size
Resizing is not the same as reformatting. A centre crop from 9:16 to 4:5 can cut off the product, a headline or a disclaimer. Plan for each shape from the start instead.
- Build vertical first. 9:16 covers the most placements, so make it the master edit.
- Compose for the safe area. Keep the essentials inside the central 4:5 region of the vertical frame. A 4:5 cut then needs little more than a crop.
- Reposition, don't just crop. For each extra format, move text and product so they sit naturally in the new frame.
- Rewrite on-screen text if needed. A line that fits across a 9:16 frame may need breaking differently at 4:5.
- List placements in the brief. Write down which placements the ad will run in, so nobody delivers a size you don't need or misses one you do.
- Preview before launch. Check every placement in the platform preview and on a real phone.
Common ad size mistakes
- Text in the bottom third of a Reel. It ends up under the caption and the button.
- Square video in a vertical feed. It runs with large empty bars and looks like a repost.
- Exporting at the minimum resolution. 540×960 is accepted on TikTok, but looks soft next to native content.
- One file for everything. Meta can auto-crop, but it doesn't know where your product is.
- Copying feed copy into Reels. Reels captions are short and partly hidden, so the video has to carry the message.
Need every size made for you?
OMNI delivers every concept in 9:16, 4:5 and 1:1 as standard, with safe zones built in. Tell us what you're selling, and we'll come back with ad concepts within 48 hours.
Ad size FAQs
What size is a TikTok ad?
- 9:16 vertical at 1080×1920 px. TikTok's minimum is 540×960 px, and it also accepts 16:9 and 1:1, but vertical fills the screen.
What size is an Instagram Reels ad?
- 9:16 at 1080×1920 px. Keep text and logos out of the top 14% and bottom 35% of the frame.
Can I use the same video for TikTok and Reels?
- Usually, yes, because both are 9:16. Check that the safe areas work on both platforms. It also helps to remove watermarks and adjust the opening so each version feels native.
Is 1:1 still worth making?
- It's optional. Meta still supports it, but 4:5 takes up more of the feed. Make 1:1 only if you already have a placement or partner that needs it.
What's the best size for Facebook feed ads?
- 4:5 at 1080×1350 px for both images and video.
How many versions of each ad do I need?
- For most paid social campaigns, two: a 9:16 master and a 4:5 feed version. Then make variations of the idea, not of the size. See how many ad variations to test.