# Instagram Stories ad specs, and how they differ from Reels

Source: https://rhythmads.com/learn/instagram-stories-ad-specs

By Emma Hollis (A pen name for the RhythmAds team. The photo is AI-generated.) Updated October 30, 2026.

Instagram Stories ads use the same 9:16 frame and the same safe zones as Reels: 1440 x 2560 pixels, top 14%, bottom 35% and 6% each side kept clear. The differences are length and splitting. Ads under 16 seconds play as one Story; longer ones are cut into cards, and Instagram decides how many each person sees.

## From RhythmAds

Three of our formats come in under 16 seconds and play as a single Instagram Story: offer/sale at 13 seconds, and unboxing and comment reply at 15.5. The others run 16 to 19 seconds, so on Stories Instagram may split them into cards; if Stories is your main placement, start with one of the short three.

## Stories next to Reels

Instagram Stories and Reels video ads, from Meta's Ads Guide (checked October 30, 2026):

| Spec | Instagram Stories | Instagram Reels |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ratio | 9:16, 1% tolerance | 9:16 |
| Resolution | 1440 x 2560 | 1440 x 2560 |
| File type | MP4, MOV or GIF | MP4 or MOV |
| Length | 1 second to 60 minutes | 0 seconds to 15 minutes |
| Long videos | 16 seconds or more can be split into 1, 2 or 3 cards | No splitting rule listed |
| Minimum width | 250 px | 250 px, or 500 px at 30 seconds or more |
| Primary text | 125 characters | 44 characters |
| Safe zone | Top 14%, bottom about 35%, 6% each side | Top 14%, bottom 35%, 6% each side |
| Music | No rule listed on the page | No licensed music |

Sources: [1] [2]

## The 16-second line

This is the one Stories rule that changes how you cut an ad. Under 16 seconds, your ad runs as a normal Story. At 16 seconds or more, Instagram can split it into cards and show one, two or three of them, chosen per viewer. For ThruPlay, 2-second view or reach objectives, a 'continue watching' option may appear on those longer videos.

So someone may never see your last card. If your offer and call to action sit at the end of a 30-second video, they're the part most at risk. Either keep it under 16 seconds or put the offer early.

Sources: [1]

## Facebook Stories is shorter again

If the same ad also runs on Facebook Stories, the limits tighten. Meta's Ads Guide caps Facebook Stories video at 3 minutes and plays ads of 15 seconds or less as a single card; longer ones are split, with 1, 2 or 3 cards shown before a 'play full' option. Facebook Stories also lists a 40-character headline.

Sources: [3]

## What to change when you reuse a Reels ad

1. Check the length. Over 15 seconds and Facebook Stories splits it; at 16 or more Instagram Stories can too.
2. If it splits, move the offer or the product name into the first card.
3. Keep the text you rely on out of the bottom 35%. The Stories button sits there just as it does on Reels.
4. Write the primary text for 125 characters on Stories, but keep the main point in the first 44 so the same text works on Reels.

Sources: [1] [3] [2]

## Limits

Meta changes how Stories split long ads and which objectives get a 'continue watching' option; we checked the Ads Guide on the date shown. Meta's undated mobile video tips article says Instagram Stories ads are capped at 15 seconds, which no longer matches the Ads Guide. We don't know how many cards Instagram will show a given viewer; Meta doesn't publish that.

## Questions

### How long can an Instagram Stories ad be?

Meta's Ads Guide lists 1 second to 60 minutes. Under 16 seconds it plays as one Story; 16 seconds or longer can be split into up to three cards.

### Is the Stories ad size the same as Reels?

Yes, both are 9:16 and Meta lists 1440 x 2560 for each, with the same safe zones. A 1080 x 1920 file works on both.

### Can I run a GIF as a Stories ad?

Instagram Stories lists GIF as an accepted file type. Instagram Reels does not, so if one file has to cover both, export MP4.

### Why did my Stories ad get cut into pieces?

Ads of 16 seconds or more on Instagram Stories, and over 15 seconds on Facebook Stories, can be split into cards. Instagram picks how many cards each person sees.

## Sources

1. Meta Ads Guide: Instagram Stories video ad specs: https://www.facebook.com/business/ads-guide/update/video/instagram-story (checked October 30, 2026)
2. Meta Ads Guide: Instagram Reels video ad specs: https://www.facebook.com/business/ads-guide/update/video/instagram-reels (checked October 30, 2026)
3. Meta Ads Guide: Facebook Stories video ad specs: https://www.facebook.com/business/ads-guide/update/video/facebook-story (checked October 30, 2026)