Instagram Reels ad specs
Instagram Reels ads use 9:16 at 1440 x 2560 pixels, MP4 or MOV up to 4 GB, from 0 seconds to 15 minutes. Meta recommends keeping the top 14%, the bottom 35% and 6% on each side free of text, logos and other key elements, because the Reels interface covers them.
Updated
The spec sheet
| Spec | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Aspect ratio | 9:16 |
| Resolution | 1440 x 2560 px |
| File types | MP4 or MOV |
| Maximum file size | 4 GB |
| Duration | 0 seconds to 15 minutes |
| Minimum width | 250 px under 30 seconds; 500 px at 30 seconds or longer |
| Primary text | 44 characters |
| Safe zone | Top 14%, bottom 35%, 6% each side kept clear |
The bottom 35% is the expensive part of the frame
Reels overlays the caption, the account name, the audio label and the call to action across the lower third of the screen and beyond. Meta's guidance to keep 35% of the bottom clear is the largest margin of any placement on this site, and it is where most repurposed ads fail: the product or the offer text sits exactly where the interface draws over it.
On a 2560 px tall frame, 35% is about 896 px. That leaves the upper-middle of the frame as the working area for faces, products and on-screen text.
Primary text is only 44 characters
The Reels primary text recommendation is far shorter than Feed's. Write a single line that adds to the video rather than repeating it, and put the real message inside the frame where viewers are looking.
Making Reels ads that look native
- Shoot or generate vertically; do not letterbox a horizontal master.
- Use sound deliberately. Meta lists sound as optional but strongly recommended for Reels.
- Burn in captions inside the safe zone for viewers watching muted.
- Open on motion or a face, not a logo card.
Questions
- What size are Instagram Reels ads?
- 9:16 at 1440 x 2560 px according to Meta's Ads Guide, up to 4 GB.
- How long can an Instagram Reels ad be?
- Meta's guide lists 0 seconds to 15 minutes.
- What is the Instagram Reels safe zone?
- Keep at least 14% of the top, 35% of the bottom and 6% of each side free of text, logos and other key elements.
Sources
Read on 13 October 2026. Platforms change specs and policies without notice; check the source before you build to a number.