Facebook Ad Sizes and Specifications Cheat Sheet (2021)
When it comes to Facebook advertising, we tend to get excited about choosing the right words and images but pay far less attention to Facebook ad specs.
We gloss over these details in part because there are so many variables for each Facebook ad type. Trying to keep up with each design specification—not to mention technical requirements and text guidelines—can seem like a daunting task. It’s why so many people don’t bother, only to end up with ads that are denied, or worse, blurry, underperforming ads.
If the very mention of specifications and requirements makes your head spin, don’t lose heart.
You’ll find all the information you’ll ever need for dimensions, file sizes, character limits, and more in this Facebook ad sizes guide. Bookmark it in your browser and come back to it whenever you need to create a new ad.
Facebook Feed Ads
Facebook Feed image ads
The Facebook News Feed is a busy place. It’s the Main Street of Facebook—people are constantly sharing photos, videos, statuses, and more. It also displays posts from friends and family, other business Pages, your groups, and advertisers.
A Facebook single image ad can help showcase your products or brand in the News Feed. Using a compelling image of your product will intrigue people, while clear, concise ad copy will show off your brand personality and encourage people to buy.
Feed image ad specs
- File Type: JPG or PNG
- Ratio: 1.91:1 to 1:1
- Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
- Maximum File Size: 30MB
- Minimum Width: 600 pixels
- Minimum Height: 600 pixels
- Text: 125 characters
- Headline: 40 characters
- Link description: 30 characters
Facebook Feed video ads
Video marketing has exploded in popularity over the last few years. Cisco reports that videos are expected to become the leading traffic source for businesses in 2021, hoovering up 82% of IP traffic.
Facebook video ads in the News Feed are an easy way to capitalize on the video craze. You can add movement and sound to capture attention and highlight your brand or products in a way that’s impossible to achieve with a static image.
Facebook video ad specs
- Recommended File Type: MP4, MOV or GIF
- Ratio: 4:5
- Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
- Video sound and captions: Optional, but recommended
- Duration: 1 second to 241 minutes
- Maximum File Size: 4GB
- Minimum Width: 120 pixels
- Minimum Height: 120 pixels
- Text: 125 characters
- Headline: 40 characters
- Link description: 30 characters
Facebook Carousel Ads
Facebook Carousel ads allow businesses to combine multiple images and videos in one ad. Shoppers can swipe through each carousel card and explore the individual items.
You can also use Carousel ads in multiple placements:
- Facebook News Feed
- Facebook Right Column
- Facebook Instant Articles
- Facebook Marketplace
- Facebook Stories
- Facebook search results
- Instagram Feed
- Instagram Stories
- Audience Network Native, Banner, and Interstitial
Facebook Carousel image ad specs
- Minimum image size: 600 x 600 pixels
- Recommended image size: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
- Recommended image ratio: 1:1
- Image file types: JPG or PNG
- Minimum two cards and max of 10 cards per Carousel Ad
- Text: 125 characters
- Headline: 40 characters
- Link Description: 20 characters
Facebook Carousel video ad specs
- Recommended resolution: 1080 x 1080 pixels
- Video formats: .MP4 or .MOV
- Max video size: 4GB per video
- Max video length: 240 minutes
- Minimum 2 cards and max of 10 cards per Carousel Ad
- Text: 125 characters
- Headline: 40 characters
- Link Description: 20 characters
Facebook Right Column Ads
The Facebook right column ad is a classic Facebook ad. According to data from AdSpresso, it’s less expensive to run and only shows on desktop.
Facebook Right Column ads guidelines:
- File Type: JPG or PNG
- Ratio: 1:1
- Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
- Minimum Width: 254 pixels
- Minimum Height: 133 pixels
- Headline: 40 characters
Facebook Marketplace Ads
The Facebook Marketplace is where people can buy and sell items, similar to eBay or Craigslist. It’s an excellent place for brick-and-mortar advertisers to reach high-intent shoppers nearby.
You can’t just advertise any ol’ product here. The Facebook Marketplace attracts local buyers and sellers, so make sure you sell a local good or service if you run these ads.
Facebook Marketplace image ads specs
- Minimum image size: 600 x 600 pixels
- Recommended image size: 1200 x 628 pixels
- Image ratio: 9:16 to 16:9
- Image file types: JPG or PNG
- Text: 125 characters
- Headline: 25 characters
- Link Description: 30 characters
Facebook Marketplace video ads specs
- Recommended resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels. Upload the highest resolution possible; there is no maximum.
- Recommended aspect ratio: Between 9:16 and 16:9
- Formats: MP4 or .MOV recommended
- Max video file size: 4GB
- Max video length: 240 minutes
- Text: 125 characters
- Headline: 25 characters
- Link Description: 30 characters
Facebook Stories Ads
Facebook and Instagram Story ads can bring your business to life through a captivating experience. You can show full-screen, vertical Stories to people who have shown an interest in your product. Users can take action right from the Story with a “swipe up” option that directs them to a specific destination, like a landing page or app.
These ads appear in-between Stories. Images show for five seconds, and videos show for up to 15 seconds unless someone swipes out of the Story. You can use a mix of video and static images to create the ad.
Consider leaving 250 pixels of space at the top and bottom for both video and image formats to avoid accidentally covering important text or logos with the Facebook call-to-action.
Facebook Stories Ads image specs
- Recommended image size: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
- Image ratio: 9:16
- Image file types: JPG or PNG
Facebook Stories Ads videos specs:
- Recommended resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels. Upload the highest resolution possible; there is no maximum.
- Recommended ratio: Between 1.91 to 9:16
- File types: MP4, MOV or GIF
- Video caption and sound: Option but recommended
- Max video length: 15 seconds
- Maximum size: 4GB
Facebook Collection Ads
The collection ad format includes a main video or cover photo with four smaller product images underneath it. Upload your product catalog, and when someone taps on your ad, they can view more products from your store.
Facebook collection ads also let you add an Instant Experience, which takes viewers to a full-screen showcase for a particular product. They can learn more about it or make a purchase.
Facebook Collection Ads image specs
- Image ratio: 1:1 for square, 9:16 for landscape
- Maximum image file size: 30MB
- Image file types: JPG or PNG
- Text: 90 characters
- Headline: 25 characters
Facebook Collections Ads video specs
- Recommended resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels. Upload the highest resolution possible; there is no maximum.
- Video file type: MP4, MOV, or GIF
- Ratio: 1:1
- Max video file size: 4GB
Sponsored Message Ads
Facebook sponsored messages are targeted, contextual ads that show up in a user’s Messenger inbox. They are used to re-engage people who’ve already had a conversation with your business through live chat or a Messenger bot.
Sponsored message ad specs
- Recommended resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels. Upload the highest resolution possible that meets ratio requirements.
- Recommended ratio: between 9:16 to 16:9
- Recommended image formats: JPG and PNG
- Text: 125 characters
- Headline: 25 characters
- Link description: 30 characters
Final thoughts
You’ll want to use Facebook if you’re spending your hard-earned money on social media advertising. That’s why keeping these Facebook ad specs handy is essential for making sure your content looks perfect and results in the highest ROI for your ad spend.