Shape, Not Pixels: The Instagram Story Size Meta Actually Publishes

What size is an Instagram Story?

The Instagram story size Meta recommends is a 9:16 vertical frame, and that ratio is the only shape rule Meta publishes for organic Stories. Meta's developer reference for the Instagram API, the IG User Media page, says it twice. Under Story Image Specifications: "We recommended 9:16 to avoid cropping or blank space." Under Story Video Specifications: "we recommend 9:16 to avoid cropping or blank space."

Neither line gives a pixel size. We found no Instagram Help Centre article that prints pixel dimensions for a Story either. The one Meta page that does put pixels on a Story is the Meta Ads Guide, and it covers Story ads, not the Stories you post from your account.

Spec	Story image (API)	Story video (API)	Story image ad (Ads Guide)
Aspect ratio	9:16 recommended	0.1:1 to 10:1, 9:16 recommended	9:16, 1% tolerance
Pixel size	Not published	1920 horizontal pixels maximum	1440 x 2560 recommended, 500 wide minimum
File type	JPEG	MOV or MP4	JPG or PNG
File size	8 MB maximum	100MB maximum	30MB maximum
Length	Not applicable	3 to 60 seconds	Not applicable
Frame rate	Not applicable	23 to 60 FPS	Not applicable

The first two columns apply to any Story published through Meta's API, which is the route every scheduling tool uses. The third column is advertising guidance. It is useful for its safe-zone percentages and nothing more.

Is 1080 x 1920 the right Instagram Story size?

1080 x 1920 pixels is the right Instagram Story size for a standard export, because it is a 9:16 frame and it stays inside the 1920 pixel width cap Meta sets for story video. Meta does not print 1080 x 1920 for Instagram Stories. The number follows from the 9:16 recommendation and from the width Instagram works to for photos: the Help Centre article on image resolution says Instagram uploads photos "up to a width of 1080 pixels." That article does not mention Stories by name, so treat it as a pointer, not a Story rule.

The Ads Guide figure, 1440 x 2560, is also 9:16. It is a valid size for an organic Story image, and the file has more pixels to work with. For story video, 1080 x 1920 is the safer pick, because 1080 wide is well inside the API's "Maximum columns (horizontal pixels): 1920" and keeps the file small.

A 4K vertical export at 2160 x 3840 breaks that width cap. Scale it to 1080 x 1920 before it goes through any tool that publishes with the API. Our guide to vertical video dimensions shows how the same 9:16 frame carries over to Reels, TikTok and Shorts.

What happens to a Story that is not 9:16?

A Story that is not 9:16 gets cropped or padded, which is what Meta means by "cropping or blank space." A 4:5 feed photo shared as a Story fills the width and leaves empty space above and below. A landscape image leaves even more.

The API's accepted range for story video is wide: "Required aspect ratio is between 0.1:1 and 10:1." That range tells you what the upload check accepts, not what looks good on a phone. A 16:9 clip passes it and plays as a thin strip in the middle of a tall screen.

Story images have no accepted range in the reference at all, only the 9:16 recommendation. Build the canvas at 9:16 in your editor and you never have to find out what Instagram does to anything else.

Same Story, two canvases

Not 9:16

• A 4:5 feed photo fills the width and leaves empty space above and below
• A landscape image leaves even more
• A 16:9 video passes the API check and plays as a thin strip

9:16

• Fills the frame with no cropping or blank space
• Meta recommends it for both Story images and videos
• Set it in your editor before you design anything

Which file formats and limits apply to Story images and videos?

Story images must be JPEG files of 8 MB or less, and story videos must be MOV or MP4 files of 100MB or less, according to Meta's IG User Media reference. The full lists:

• Story image. "Format: JPEG", "File size: 8 MB maximum", sRGB color space. Meta converts other color spaces to sRGB.
• Story video container. MOV or MP4, "no edit lists, moov atom at the front of the file."
• Story video codecs. HEVC or H264, progressive scan, closed GOP, 4:2:0 chroma subsampling. AAC audio, 48khz sample rate maximum, mono or stereo, 128kbps.
• Story video bitrate. "VBR, 25Mbps maximum."
• Story video length. "60 seconds maximum, 3 seconds minimum."
• Story video file size. "100MB maximum."

The 100MB cap is a third of the 300MB Meta allows for a reel, and the 60 second cap is the reason long clips have to be cut into segments. Feed images follow different rules, a 4:5 to 1.91:1 range and a 1440 pixel width cap, which our Instagram image size guide covers.

Where is the safe zone in an Instagram Story?

The safe zone in an Instagram Story is the area left after you keep 14% of the top, 35% of the bottom and 6% of each side clear, which is the margin Meta's Ads Guide gives for Instagram Stories. The Ads Guide's wording is "Consider leaving roughly 14% of the top, 35% of the bottom, and 6% on each side of your asset free from text, logos, or other key creative elements."

Those percentages are written for ads, where a call-to-action sits at the bottom. Organic Stories also draw Instagram's interface over the top and bottom of the frame. The same margins keep text clear of it.

On a 1080 x 1920 canvas, the margins work out to 269 pixels at the top, 672 at the bottom and 65 on each side. That arithmetic is ours, rounded to whole pixels. Meta gives only the percentages. Our guide to social media safe zones maps the covered areas for every network.

How do you export an Instagram Story at the right size?

Export an Instagram Story at the right size by setting a 9:16 canvas first, then the file format, then the length. This order works in any editor:

1. Set the canvas to 1080 x 1920. It is 9:16 and well inside the 1920 pixel width cap for story video.
2. Keep text inside the safe zone. Leave 269 pixels clear at the top, 672 at the bottom and 65 on each side.
3. Save images as JPEG under 8 MB in sRGB. Meta's story image spec lists JPEG as the only format.
4. Export video as MP4 with H264 video and AAC audio. Put the moov atom at the front of the file. Some editors label this option Fast Start.
5. Set the frame rate between 23 and 60 FPS. 30 FPS is a safe default.
6. Keep each video between 3 and 60 seconds and under 100MB. Split longer footage into separate Stories.

For the scheduling side of the same workflow, see how to schedule Instagram Stories.

What can a Story published through the API include?

A Story published through Meta's API includes the image or video and user mentions, and it cannot include stickers. The IG User Media reference lists this under Story Limitations: "Publishing stickers (i.e., link, poll, location) is not supported; however mentioning users without a sticker is supported." The same list notes "Stories expire after 24 hours."

That limit shapes the design, not only the workflow. If a Story needs a link sticker or a poll, add it in the Instagram app. If it goes out through a scheduler, put the call to action into the image itself, inside the safe zone. For text and design rules beyond size, our Instagram Story guidelines cover the rest.

How does AdaptlyPost handle Instagram Story size?

AdaptlyPost publishes Instagram Stories through Meta's API, so the API specs above are the ones that apply, and AdaptlyPost does not resize uploaded media. Each Story has to be uploaded at the size and format Instagram requires. In the Instagram scheduling tool, Story is one of three post types next to Feed Post and Reel.

Through the Instagram Posting API, a Story is instagramConfigs.postType set to STORY with contentType IMAGE or VIDEO. A Story holds a single file, so a CAROUSEL sent as a STORY comes back as a 400. Images go up as jpeg, png or webp within Instagram's 8MB per-file ceiling, and video as mp4 or quicktime. No stickers, polls, link stickers or mentions are exposed. A 1080 x 1920 JPEG under 8MB, or a 1080 x 1920 MP4 of 60 seconds or less under 100MB, goes through without changes.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best Instagram Story size?

1080 x 1920 pixels in a 9:16 frame. Meta recommends 9:16 for Story images and videos "to avoid cropping or blank space." Meta prints no pixel size for organic Stories, and 1080 x 1920 stays inside its 1920 pixel width cap for story video.

What aspect ratio does an Instagram Story use?

9:16. Meta's IG User Media reference recommends it for both Story images and Story videos. The API accepts story video between 0.1:1 and 10:1, but anything other than 9:16 is cropped or padded on a phone screen.

What is the maximum file size for an Instagram Story?

8 MB for a Story image and 100MB for a Story video, according to Meta's IG User Media reference. Story images must be JPEG. Story videos must be MOV or MP4.

Is 1440 x 2560 a valid Instagram Story size?

Yes. 1440 x 2560 is 9:16, and it is the resolution Meta's Ads Guide recommends for Instagram Story image ads. It works for an organic Story image too. For video, 1080 x 1920 keeps the file smaller and inside the 1920 pixel width cap.

How long can an Instagram Story video be through the API?

Between 3 and 60 seconds. Meta's Story Video Specifications list "60 seconds maximum, 3 seconds minimum." Cut longer footage into separate Stories before you schedule them.

Can I add a link sticker to a scheduled Instagram Story?

Not through Meta's API. The IG User Media reference says publishing stickers such as link, poll and location "is not supported." Put the call to action in the image, or post that Story from the Instagram app with the sticker on it.

What is the Instagram Story safe zone?

It is the area left after you keep 14% of the top, 35% of the bottom and 6% of each side clear of text and logos. Those percentages come from Meta's Ads Guide. On a 1080 x 1920 canvas that works out to 269 pixels at the top, 672 at the bottom and 65 on each side, which is our arithmetic, not Meta's.

Can I upload a 4K video as an Instagram Story?

Not through Meta's API. Story video is capped at 1920 horizontal pixels, and a 2160 x 3840 export is wider than that. Scale it to 1080 x 1920 before you upload.

Does AdaptlyPost resize Instagram Stories?

No. AdaptlyPost publishes Stories through Meta's API and does not resize uploaded media. A 1080 x 1920 JPEG under 8MB, or a 1080 x 1920 MP4 of 60 seconds or less under 100MB, goes through without changes.

How long does an Instagram Story last?

Stories expire after 24 hours, according to Meta's IG User Media reference. A Story video published through the API can run 3 to 60 seconds. Longer footage has to be split into separate Stories.