Facebook video ad specs in 2026 are placement-specific, and using the wrong dimensions is not just a visual problem. It is an auction penalty. Meta’s Andromeda delivery system reads creative quality as a ranking signal. A 1:1 square video letterboxed into a 9:16 Reels slot renders poorly, earns lower completion rates, and Andromeda treats that weaker engagement as a creative-quality signal that deprioritizes delivery. Getting Facebook video ad specs right is load-bearing, not cosmetic.
This is a reference post covering the exact Facebook video ad specs for every major placement in 2026, the vertical-first Facebook video ad specs production hierarchy, length by format, and safe zone rules for Reels and Stories.
| Placement | Dimensions and aspect ratio |
|---|---|
| Reels (Facebook and Instagram) | 1080×1920 px. 9:16 vertical. Required. Any other ratio gets cropped or letterboxed. |
| Stories (Facebook and Instagram) | 1080×1920 px. 9:16 vertical. Same spec as Reels. One asset covers both. |
| Feed (Facebook and Instagram) | 1080×1350 px. 4:5 portrait. Takes the most vertical space in Feed without triggering truncation. |
| Carousel (Feed) | 1080×1080 px. 1:1 square. All cards must match the same aspect ratio. |
| In-stream video (Facebook) | 1920×1080 px. 16:9 horizontal. Pre-roll and mid-roll within longer Facebook video content. Lower priority for most ecommerce brands. |
The Takeaway: Most Facebook video ad specs ecommerce campaigns need are just two: 9:16 for Reels and Stories, and 4:5 for Feed. Those two cover over 90% of effective Meta inventory in 2026.
💡 Pro Tip: A product shown in 9:16, 4:5, and 1:1 registers as three distinct entities in Andromeda’s retrieval system, tripling retrieval opportunities versus a single resized asset. The same product, three ratios, three shots at the auction. This is why multi-format production matters beyond aesthetics.
Table of Contents
→ The Vertical-First Production Hierarchy
→ File Type, Size, and Technical Requirements
→ Reels and Stories Safe Zones
→ Video Length by Format
→ Sound-Off Compliance: Captions and Text Overlay
→ The Pre-Launch Spec Checklist
→ FAQ: Common Questions About Facebook Video Ad Specs
The Vertical-First Production Hierarchy
Build at 9:16 first, then resize down. This is the single most important Facebook video ad specs decision you make in production. Resizing down from vertical preserves the composition. You start with the full frame and reduce it. Resizing up from square does not work: you are stretching or padding a narrower frame into a taller slot, and the result either crops the subject or adds black bars.
The practical workflow for any ecommerce product video: shoot at 9:16, or shoot wider and frame with 9:16 in mind. From the 9:16 master, crop to 4:5 for Feed by trimming the top and bottom while keeping the product centered. From 4:5, crop to 1:1 for carousel if needed. Never start with 1:1 and try to fill a 9:16 frame.
One additional reason vertical-first matters: Reels is now the dominant inventory on both Facebook and Instagram. Reels rose from 19% of Instagram impressions in Q1 2025 to 33% in Q1 2026, per the Tinuiti Q1 2026 Digital Ads Benchmark Report. Meta’s official video ad specs documentation lists all current technical requirements. If your creative library is built around square or horizontal video, you are under-served on the placement with the most growth and the lowest CPM. For the full Facebook Ads creative strategy that uses these Facebook video ad specs, see the Facebook ad creative guide for ecommerce.
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File Type, Size, and Technical Requirements
Meta accepts MP4 and MOV as the primary video file formats for Facebook video ad specs. H.264 video codec with AAC audio is the standard that delivers reliable playback across all placements. Higher bitrates produce better quality but larger file sizes. Target 5 to 10 Mbps for video bitrate, which balances quality against upload speed and delivery performance.
| Technical requirement | Specification |
|---|---|
| File format | MP4 or MOV |
| Video codec | H.264 |
| Audio codec | AAC stereo at 128 kbps or higher |
| Maximum file size | 4 GB. Target under 100 MB for faster upload and delivery. |
| Resolution | 1080p minimum (1920×1080 or equivalent per aspect ratio). 720p is the floor. Below this Meta may compress delivery. |
| Frame rate | 24 fps minimum. 30 fps recommended for most product content. |
One practical note on file size: larger files are not a problem for quality, but they slow upload and can cause delivery issues on lower-bandwidth mobile connections where Meta’s CDN re-compresses the video. Export at target spec rather than uploading a raw edit file and letting Meta compress. You get better control of the final quality that way.
Reels and Stories Safe Zones
Reels and Stories ads have UI overlays that cover parts of the frame. The TikTok username, the ad label, and the CTA button all sit inside the video frame. Any text or product shot placed in those areas gets covered in delivery. Meta’s safe zone guidelines define which parts of the 1080×1920 frame stay visible:
| Safe zone area | Pixels to keep clear |
|---|---|
| Top of frame | Keep top 250px clear of text, logos, and key product elements. The account name and “Sponsored” label sit here. |
| Bottom of frame | Keep bottom 672px clear. The primary text, CTA button, and ad controls occupy this area. |
| Safe content area | Pixels 250 to 1248 from the top: approximately the middle 51% of the frame. All key copy, product, and CTA visual content belongs here. |
The practical test: drop a safe zone template into your video editor or design tool, place your key content inside the center band, and preview the video on an actual mobile phone in portrait orientation before upload. Safe zone violations that look fine on a desktop preview are obvious on a phone screen and damage both CTR and the impression of production quality.
💡 Pro Tip: The safe zone rule applies to Facebook Reels and Stories identically. One 9:16 video asset produced within the safe zone specifications serves both placements without modification. Design once, serve two placements. This is the production efficiency argument for building Reels-first even if your primary objective is Stories delivery.
Video Length by Format
Facebook video ad specs allow a wide range of lengths, but the optimal length depends on the format and the creative’s job. The spec allows up to 60 seconds for Reels and up to 15 seconds for in-stream bumper ads, but the “allowed” length is not the same as the “optimal” length.
| Format and objective | Optimal length |
|---|---|
| Direct response (hook, product, CTA) | 10 to 15 seconds. Long enough to hook, show the product working, and deliver a call to action. Short enough that a meaningful share of viewers reach the end. |
| Talking-head or problem-solution (UGC style) | 30 to 60 seconds. Narrative formats earn longer runtime when the hook holds. The rule is not “stay under 15 seconds.” It is “earn every second after the first.” |
| Stories | 6 to 10 seconds. Users swipe faster in Stories than they scroll in Reels. Hook in the first second, value in the next five, CTA at the end. |
| In-stream (bumper) | 6 to 15 seconds. Non-skippable in most placements. Keep to the point. Users cannot leave, so the message lands, but it also must not annoy. |
Completion rate is the length signal Meta reads as creative quality. A 30-second video that 60% of viewers watch to the end generates stronger positive signals than a 10-second video that 30% of viewers skip at second three. Length optimization is about completion rate, not duration preference.
Sound-Off Compliance: Captions and Text Overlay
85% of Facebook videos are watched without sound. This is not an edge case. It is the default viewing behavior on the platform. Facebook video ad specs do not require captions, but captions are functionally required for the ad to communicate its message to the majority of viewers.
Add captions as burned-in text (rendered into the video file itself) rather than as Meta’s auto-generated caption feature. Auto-captions have accuracy issues that can damage credibility and are sometimes toggled off by viewers. Burned-in captions are always visible and always accurate to your script.
For text overlay specifically: keep headline text large enough to read on a small phone screen, place it within the safe zone, and use high-contrast text against a semi-transparent background strip if your video background is variable. White text on a dark-gradient strip is the most readable treatment across diverse video backgrounds. For the full creative framework covering Facebook video ad specs in campaign context, see the Facebook Ads for Shopify guide.
The Pre-Launch Spec Checklist
Before uploading any video to Meta Ads Manager, run this Facebook video ad specs check. Correct Facebook video ad specs prevent delivery issues before they start:
| Check | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Aspect ratio | 9:16 for Reels/Stories, 4:5 for Feed, 1:1 for carousel |
| Resolution | 1080p minimum at target ratio |
| File format | MP4 or MOV, H.264, under 100 MB target |
| Safe zone | No key content in top 250px or bottom 672px (Reels/Stories only) |
| Captions | Burned-in captions present for sound-off viewing |
| Hook | Value or movement visible in the first 3 seconds. No blank openers or slow logo fades. |
| Mobile preview | Previewed on an actual phone in portrait orientation before upload |
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Most Shopify accounts are running at least one video format that is costing them delivery and CPM unnecessarily.
Frequently Asked Questions About Facebook Video Ad Specs
What are the Facebook video ad specs for Reels in 2026?
Facebook Reels video ad specs require 1080×1920 pixels at 9:16 vertical. File format should be MP4 or MOV with H.264 codec. Keep key content within the safe zone: top 250px and bottom 672px should be clear of text, logos, and product elements. Optimal length is 15 to 30 seconds for most ecommerce formats, though talking-head and problem-solution videos can run 30 to 60 seconds when the narrative holds.
What size should Facebook video ads be for Feed placements?
Facebook Feed video ads perform best at 1080×1350 pixels (4:5 portrait). This format takes the most vertical Feed space without triggering truncation. Square 1:1 at 1080×1080 is acceptable for carousel video cards. The 4:5 ratio consistently outperforms 1:1 and horizontal 16:9 formats in Feed placements for ecommerce campaigns.
What is the vertical-first production approach for Facebook video ads?
Shoot and edit at 9:16 first, then resize down to 4:5 for Feed and 1:1 for carousel. Resizing down from vertical preserves composition. Resizing up from square creates letterboxing or distortion. Never start with a square or horizontal video and try to make it work in a vertical slot.
How long should Facebook video ads be?
Direct response ads perform best at 10 to 15 seconds. Talking-head and UGC formats can run 30 to 60 seconds when the hook holds. Stories perform best at 6 to 10 seconds. The metric that matters is completion rate, not duration. A 30-second video with 60% completion generates stronger algorithm signals than a 10-second video most viewers skip.
What are the safe zones for Facebook Reels and Stories ads?
Keep the top 250 pixels and bottom 672 pixels clear of all text, logos, and key product elements. Meta’s UI overlays sit in these areas and cover any content placed there. The safe content zone covers pixels 250 to 1248 from the top. These are the Facebook video ad specs safe zone rules that most brands miss. Preview on a physical phone in portrait before upload.
Do Facebook video ads need captions?
Yes, effectively. 85% of Facebook videos are watched without sound. Use burned-in captions rendered into the video file rather than Meta’s auto-generated captions, which have accuracy issues. Burned-in captions are always visible and always accurate to your script regardless of viewer settings.
What file format should I use for Facebook video ads?
MP4 or MOV with H.264 video codec and AAC audio at 128 kbps or higher. Target under 100 MB for faster uploads and better delivery. Minimum 1080p resolution at the target aspect ratio. 30 fps is recommended for most product content.
Why do Facebook video ad specs affect CPM?
Meta’s Andromeda system reads creative quality as a ranking signal. Wrong aspect ratios cause letterboxing, lower completion rates, and Andromeda treats that weaker engagement as a low-quality signal, raising effective CPM. A product in three correctly-formatted ratios registers as three distinct entities, tripling retrieval opportunities versus a single resized asset.