You’ve designed a beautiful ad creative. The copy is perfect, the visuals are stunning, and you’re ready to launch. You upload it to the Facebook Ads Manager, and it looks great in the preview. But when you see the live ad on your phone, the headline is cut off, the image is awkwardly cropped, and the whole thing looks unprofessional. You’ve just wasted time and potential ad spend on a creative that isn’t optimized to perform.
This is a technical problem that plagues even experienced marketers. With dozens of ad placements across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and the Audience Network, it’s easy to get the creative requirements wrong. Understanding the correct Facebook ad specs isn’t just a recommendation; it’s a requirement for running professional, high-performing campaigns.
This guide is your definitive technical cheat sheet. We will break down the exact image and video ratios, dimensions, and file types you need to know. For strategic advice on running campaigns, see our Ultimate Guide to Facebook Ads.
The Golden Rule: Design for Mobile, Not Desktop
Before we dive into the numbers, remember this: the vast majority of users will see your ad on a mobile device. Always design your creative with a mobile-first mindset. This means using bold, clear visuals and minimal text that is legible on a small screen.
Understanding Aspect Ratios
An aspect ratio is simply the proportional relationship between an image’s width and its height. Facebook’s placements are optimized for three main ratios.
1. Landscape (1.91:1)
This is the traditional horizontal format, often used for in-stream video ads and some link post images in the Facebook feed.
- How to Calculate: To get the height, divide the width by 1.91.
- Example Dimensions: 1200 x 628 pixels.
2. Square (1:1)
The square format is one of the most versatile and highly recommended ratios. It takes up significant screen real estate in the Facebook and Instagram feeds and performs consistently well across most placements.
- How to Calculate: The width and height are identical.
- Example Dimensions: 1080 x 1080 pixels.
3. Portrait / Vertical (4:5)
This vertical format is a top performer for mobile feed placements. It fills more of the screen than a square image, grabbing more user attention. It is the tallest ratio allowed in the main Facebook feed.
- How to Calculate: To get the height, multiply the width by 1.25 (or divide the width by 4 and multiply by 5).
- Example Dimensions: 1080 x 1350 pixels.
(Note: For full-screen vertical placements like Stories and Reels, the ratio is 9:16, e.g., 1080 x 1920 pixels).
Official Facebook Ad Specs: The Cheat Sheet
Here are the key technical specifications to follow.
Image Ad Specs
- File Type: JPG or PNG.
- Recommended Resolution: Upload the highest resolution image available that meets the ratio requirements. A common standard is at least 1080 x 1080 pixels.
- Text on Image: Keep text minimal. While the old “20% text rule” is no longer strictly enforced, ads with less text generally perform better and cost less.
- Ratios:
- Feed Placements: 1:1 (recommended) or 4:5.
- Stories & Reels Placements: 9:16.
- Right Column & Search Results: 1.91:1.
Video Ad Specs
- File Type: MP4, MOV, or GIF.
- Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels.
- Ratios:
- Feed Placements: 4:5 (recommended for mobile) or 1:1.
- Stories, Reels, In-Stream: 9:16 (full-screen vertical).
- Video Sound: Recommended, but design your video to be understood with the sound off. Use captions.
- Video Length: Varies by placement. For feed ads, aim for 15-30 seconds. For Reels, under 60 seconds is ideal.
Essential Tools for Creating Ad Creatives
- Canva: The best tool for non-designers. You can create a design in any custom dimension (e.g., 1080×1350) and it has thousands of templates for ads and videos.
- Figma: A powerful, free design tool that gives you pixel-perfect control over your ad creative.
- CapCut: A free and incredibly powerful mobile video editor that makes it easy to edit videos in the correct 9:16 or 4:5 format.
- Meta’s Creative Hub: A tool within the Business Suite that allows you to mock up ads and see how they will look across all the different placements before you spend any money.
Conclusion: Putting It All Together
Mastering the technical Facebook ad specs is a fundamental step toward creating professional and effective campaigns. By designing your images and videos to the correct ratios and resolutions, you ensure that your message is delivered clearly and your brand looks its best, no matter where your audience sees your ad.
What Should You Do Now?
- Audit Your Existing Ads: Look at your current or past ad creatives. Were they designed for a mobile-first 1:1 or 4:5 ratio, or were you using a default landscape image?
- Create a Set of Templates: Use a tool like Canva to create reusable templates for your most-used ad formats (e.g., a 1080×1080 template and a 1080×1350 template).
- Use the Creative Hub: Before you launch your next campaign, upload your creative to the Meta Creative Hub to preview it and catch any potential cropping or formatting issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best image size for Facebook ads?
For most feed placements, the best performance comes from a 1:1 ratio (e.g., 1080 x 1080 pixels) or a 4:5 ratio (e.g., 1080 x 1350 pixels). These sizes take up the most screen space on mobile devices.
Why is my ad image blurry?
This is usually due to uploading a low-resolution image. Always start with the highest quality source file you have and ensure your dimensions are at least 1080 pixels on the shortest side.
Can I use the same creative for all placements?
While you can, it’s not recommended. A 1:1 square image works well in most places, but it will be automatically cropped for a 9:16 Stories placement. For the best results, you should create different creative versions for your most important placements (e.g., a 1:1 or 4:5 for the Feed and a 9:16 for Stories).
You can find the Facebook ad guide here: https://www.facebook.com/business/ads-guide/image/facebook-feed/post-engagement