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Meta Ads video requirements: Facebook and Instagram
Meta’s Ads Guide sets one file ceiling for video ads, 4 GB, and different lengths by placement: 1 s–241 min in Facebook Feed, 1 s–3 min in Facebook Stories and up to 15 min in Instagram Reels. For Stories and Reels it recommends 9:16 at 1440 px or more on the short side, and for Facebook Feed 4:5 or 1:1. Most of the rest is a recommendation, not a limit, so the checker marks it as a warning rather than a failure.
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Meta Ads video requirements
One column per placement. Under “Technical Requirements” Meta lists length, file size and minimum width; ratio, resolution, codecs and sound sit under “Design Recommendations”.
| Requirement | Facebook Feed | Facebook Stories | Facebook Reels | Instagram Feed | Instagram Stories | Instagram Reels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| File format | MP4 or MOV (recommended)[1] Listed as a recommendation, so another container gets a warning. GIF is listed too; the checker reads video files only. | MP4 or MOV (recommended)[2] | MP4 or MOV (recommended)[3] | MP4 or MOV (recommended)[4] | MP4 or MOV (recommended)[5] | MP4 or MOV (recommended)[6] |
| Video codec | H.264 (recommended)[1] | H.264 (recommended)[2] | H.264 (recommended)[3] | Not published | H.264 (recommended)[5] | H.264 (recommended)[6] |
| Length | 1 s–241 min[1] | 1 s–3 min[2] | no maximum[3] | 1 s–60 min[4] | 1 s–60 min[5] | up to 15 min[6] Meta’s range starts at zero, so only the upper bound is checked. |
| Resolution | at least 120 × 120; 1440 px or more on the short side recommended[1] | at least 250 px wide; 1440 px or more on the short side recommended[2] | 1440 px or more on the short side recommended (recommended)[3] Meta states no minimum for this placement, so only the recommendation is checked. | at least 250 px wide; 1080 px or more on the short side recommended[4] | at least 250 px wide; 1440 px or more on the short side recommended[5] | at least 250 px wide; at least 500 px wide from 30 s; 1440 px or more on the short side recommended[6] The minimum width is 250 px for ads shorter than 30 s and 500 px from 30 s on. |
| Aspect ratio | 4:5 or 1:1 recommended[7] The Ads Guide page for this placement names only the first ratio; the Help Center says both are supported for video in Feed placements. | 9:16 recommended[2] Meta also lists an aspect ratio tolerance for this placement without saying what happens outside it. | 9:16 recommended[3] | 9:16, 4:5 or 1:1 recommended[7] The Ads Guide page for this placement names the first ratio; the Help Center says the other two are supported for video in Feed placements. | 9:16 recommended[5] Meta also lists an aspect ratio tolerance for this placement without saying what happens outside it. | 9:16 recommended[6] |
| File size | up to 4 GB[1] | up to 4 GB[2] | up to 4 GB[3] | up to 4 GB[4] | up to 4 GB[5] | up to 4 GB[6] |
| Frame rate | constant (recommended)[1] | constant (recommended)[2] | constant (recommended)[3] | Not published | constant (recommended)[5] | constant (recommended)[6] |
| Sound | Optional[1] | Optional[2] | Optional[3] | Optional[4] | Optional[5] | Optional[6] |
| Audio codec | AAC (recommended)[1] | AAC (recommended)[2] | AAC (recommended)[3] | Not published | AAC (recommended)[5] | AAC (recommended)[6] |
| Video bitrate | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Audio bitrate | at least 128 kbit/s (recommended)[1] | at least 128 kbit/s (recommended)[2] | at least 128 kbit/s (recommended)[3] | Not published | at least 128 kbit/s (recommended)[5] | at least 128 kbit/s (recommended)[6] |
Numbers come from the platform’s own help pages (sources below). Where the platform says nothing publicly, the cell says “Not published” and the checker skips that rule.
Rules for Meta video ads
Facebook Feed
- No edit lists or special boxes in the file container.[1]
Facebook Stories
Facebook Reels
Instagram Feed
Instagram Stories
Instagram Reels
- No edit lists or special boxes in the file container.[6]
- No licensed music in a Reels ad: use original audio or royalty-free music from Meta’s Sound Collection.[6]
- No media with a face or camera effect.[6]
- No media with a GIF.[6]
- No media with product tags.[6]
- Leave at least 14% of the top, 35% of the bottom and 6% on each side free of text, logos and other key elements.[6]
- If a Reels ad carries disclaimers, leave the bottom 40% of the frame free of text, logos and other key elements.[8]
How to upload a video to Meta Ads
Facebook Feed
- Ads Manager adjusts your media automatically to fit more placements. For control over the crop, upload assets in the specific aspect ratios you need.[7]
- Review the auto-generated crops before publishing, so nothing important is cut off.[7]
- To keep an asset out of some placements, use placement opt-outs: cropping alone doesn’t restrict delivery.[7]
- In Ads Manager, switch on the Safe zone guardrail to see where the safe zone is.[8]
Questions
What are the Meta Ads video specs?
Meta publishes them per placement. Every placement takes files up to 4 GB. Length runs from 1 s–241 min in Facebook Feed to 1 s–3 min in Facebook Stories and up to 15 min in Instagram Reels. The rest is mostly a recommendation: H.264 video with stereo AAC sound at 128 kbit/s or more and a constant frame rate.
What size and ratio should a Reels or Stories ad be?
Meta recommends 9:16 at 1440 px or more on the short side. The minimum width is 250 px, or 500 px for Reels ads of 30 s or longer. Keep roughly 14% of the top, 35% of the bottom and 6% on each side free of text and logos.
Why does the checker only warn on a different ratio or resolution?
Meta lists ratio, resolution, codecs and sound under design recommendations, and only length, file size and minimum width under technical requirements. A file that breaks the second group gets “Fix”; one that differs from the first gets “Check”.
Does Meta require sound in video ads?
No. Sound is optional on every placement, but Meta calls it recommended, and strongly recommended on Reels. Many people watch with sound off, so put the key message in on-screen text as well.
What can’t go into an Instagram Reels ad?
Meta lists licensed music, media with a face or camera effect, media with a GIF and media with product tags, and it asks for files without edit lists or special boxes in the container.
Requirements on other platforms
TikTok Ads video requirements
In-Feed, reservation and TopView ads: MP4, MOV, MPEG, 3GP or AVI, up to 500 MB, sound required, and the toggle for AI content.
YouTube Ads video requirements
Skippable, non-skippable, bumper and Shorts ads: files up to 256 GB, bumpers of 5–6 s, Shorts up to 3 min.
LinkedIn Ads video requirements
Video ads in the feed: MP4, 3 s–30 min, up to 500 MB; in-stream ads up to 90 s.
Pinterest Ads video requirements
Standard width, max. width and Showcase video ads: up to 2 GB, 4 s–15 min.
Safe zones for Instagram Reels
See where Instagram Reels buttons and captions cover your video, and keep text out of those areas.
Free ad check
A file can meet every spec and still not work as an ad. The free AI check reads a vertical video ad from a public link and tells you what to fix.
All platform requirements
Marketplaces and ad platforms in one table, with one file checked against all of them.
Sources
- Meta for Business: Video ad specs on Facebook Feed (Ads Guide) — checked October 29, 2026
- Meta for Business: Video ad specs on Facebook Stories (Ads Guide) — checked October 29, 2026
- Meta for Business: Video ad specs on Facebook Reels (Ads Guide) — checked October 29, 2026
- Meta for Business: Video ad specs on Instagram Feed (Ads Guide) — checked October 29, 2026
- Meta for Business: Video ad specs on Instagram Stories (Ads Guide) — checked October 29, 2026
- Meta for Business: Video ad specs on Instagram Reels (Ads Guide) — checked October 29, 2026
- Meta Business Help Center: Best practices for aspect ratios — checked October 29, 2026
- Meta Business Help Center: About text overlays and the safe zone for ads on Facebook and Instagram — checked October 29, 2026
This page is written by Quelta. We read each platform’s help pages, copy the numbers with a quote and the date, and recheck them when the pages change. If a page contradicts itself, we say so in the table.
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