Social Story/Reel Validator
Check if your image fits the Social Story/Reel format exactly.
With over 500 million daily users, Instagram Stories are arguably the most important placement in modern social media marketing. But there is nothing worse than spending hours designing a graphic, only to upload it and see it look blurry or get cropped.
To ensure your creative looks crisp and professional, you must stick to the strict 1080×1920 pixel standard. This guide covers everything you need to know about the Instagram Story format.
The Official Specs
- Dimensions: 1080 pixels (width) by 1920 pixels (height).
- Aspect Ratio: 9:16.
- File Size: Under 30MB for images, under 4GB for video.
- File Type: JPG or PNG for images; MP4 or MOV for video.
Watch Out for the “Safe Zones”
The biggest mistake creators make with Instagram Stories is ignoring the user interface (UI).
When a user views your story, Instagram overlays buttons on top of your content:
- The Top (Header): Your profile photo and username cover the top 250 pixels.
- The Bottom (Footer): The “Send Message” box and reaction heart cover the bottom 250 pixels.
Design Tip: Keep your logo, main text, and Call-to-Action (CTA) centered in the middle of the screen. If you put text at the very bottom, the message box will cover it, and users won’t be able to read it.
Why 1080×1920 Matters
While Instagram allows you to upload different sizes, anything other than 1080×1920 will result in black bars or awkward zooming. Sticking to the native resolution ensures your content fills the screen completely, creating a more immersive experience for your followers.