Instagram Reels ad specs: size, length, sound and captions
An Instagram Reels ad is a 9:16 vertical video. Meta's Ads Guide lists 1440 x 2560 pixels, MP4 or MOV, up to 4GB and up to 15 minutes. Sound and captions are optional but recommended. Licensed music is not allowed, and Meta asks you to keep text and logos out of the top 14% and bottom 35% of the frame.
By Emma Hollis. Writes our guides to Meta video ads, from what we see making ads with RhythmAds.
A pen name for the RhythmAds team. The photo is AI-generated.
Updated
Our Reels file is 1080 x 1920. Every ad has music and word-by-word captions burned into the video, so it works with sound on or off, and our automatic checks confirm the captions are there and the music is licensed before the ad is finished.
Reels ad specs
| Spec | What Meta lists |
|---|---|
| Ratio | 9:16 |
| Resolution | 1440 x 2560 pixels |
| File type | MP4 or MOV (no GIF) |
| Length | 0 seconds to 15 minutes |
| File size | Up to 4GB |
| Minimum width | 250 px under 30 seconds, 500 px at 30 seconds or longer |
| Encoding | H.264, square pixels, fixed frame rate, progressive scan, stereo AAC at 128kbps or more |
| Primary text | 44 characters |
| Sound | Optional, recommended |
| Captions | Optional, recommended |
Sources: [1]
What Reels won't accept
- Licensed music. Meta asks for original audio or royalty-free tracks from its own sound collection.
- Media with face or camera effects.
- GIF files.
- Media with product tags.
- Reels published before October 15, 2021, if you're promoting an existing post.
Sources: [1]
Sound: plan for it, don't depend on it
Reels play with sound on by default, Meta says, and its developer blog put the share of Instagram Reels views with sound on at over 75%. That's a good reason to have a voiceover or music that carries the ad.
It still leaves a quarter of views silent. Meta's long-standing advice is to build for sound off and delight with sound on, and it reported an internal test where captions raised average view duration by 12%. Burned-in captions cover both cases.
How a Reels ad looks on the phone
The video fills the screen and Meta's interface sits on top of it, including the profile icon and the call-to-action button. Meta asks you to keep text, logos and key visuals out of the top 14%, the bottom 35% and 6% on each side, because those areas can be cropped or covered.
Meta's Reels ads page reports that 9:16 videos with sound and the key message inside the safe zone had a 34.5% lower cost per result than image ads, from a meta-analysis of 15 split tests on Reels-only campaigns. That's Meta's number, on Meta's tests, not a promise for your account.
Where this stops being true
These specs are for Instagram Reels. We could not open a current Facebook Reels spec page on the Ads Guide, so we don't list its numbers here. Our 9:16 export is 1080 x 1920, accepted by Meta but smaller than the 1440 x 2560 it lists. Our bottom margin is 20%, not Meta's 35% (see the safe zones page).
Questions
- What size is an Instagram Reels ad?
- 9:16 vertical. Meta's Ads Guide lists 1440 x 2560 pixels. We export 1080 x 1920, which is well above the 250 pixel minimum width Meta lists.
- How long can an Instagram Reels ad be?
- Meta lists 0 seconds to 15 minutes. Past 30 seconds the minimum width rises from 250 to 500 pixels. Most Reels ads we make are 13 to 19 seconds.
- Can I use popular music in a Reels ad?
- No. Meta's Reels ad specs say licensed music isn't allowed. Use original audio or royalty-free music from Meta's sound collection. Every RhythmAds ad uses music we're licensed to use in ads.
- Do Reels ads need captions?
- Meta calls them optional but recommended. Reels start with sound on, but not every viewer has it on, and captions inside the safe zone keep the message readable either way.
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Sources
- 1.Meta Ads Guide: Instagram Reels video ad specs, checked October 30, 2026
- 2.Meta for Business: Instagram and Facebook Reels ads, checked October 30, 2026
- 3.Meta for Developers blog: Reels ads (Nov 7, 2024), checked October 30, 2026
- 4.Meta for Business news: better video ads for mobile, checked October 30, 2026