Instagram Story Dimensions
The standard Instagram Story size is 1080 × 1920 pixels at a 9:16 aspect ratio. This fills the entire phone screen edge-to-edge. Anything else gets either padded with auto-color bars (smaller ratios) or cropped (wider ratios), and Instagram's compression hits non-native sizes harder.
Story Safe Zones
Instagram overlays UI on every Story. Anything in these zones gets covered or hidden by the interactive elements:
- Top ~250 px: username, profile picture, story progress bar, close button
- Bottom ~250 px: reply bar, "Send message" prompt, action buttons
- Right edge ~60 px: heart and share icons (when viewers tap)
Keep all important text, stickers, polls, and product tags inside the 1080 × 1420 safe zone — the vertical center of the canvas. Roughly 250 px clear at the top and 250 px at the bottom.
Image Story Specs
- Resolution: 1080 × 1920 px (export at this size, no larger)
- Aspect ratio: 9:16
- File format: JPG or PNG
- Max file size: 30 MB
- Color mode: sRGB (Adobe RGB gets crushed in conversion)
- Use PNG for: graphics with text, logos, transparent overlays
- Use JPG for: photos and gradients
Video Story Specs
- Resolution: 1080 × 1920 px
- Aspect ratio: 9:16
- Duration: up to 60 sec per segment (longer videos auto-split)
- Format: MP4 or MOV
- Video codec: H.264 (or H.265)
- Audio codec: AAC, 48 kHz
- Frame rate: 30 fps recommended (24/60 also work)
- Max file size: 4 GB (target under 250 MB for fast upload)
Sticker & Link Placement
Story stickers (polls, questions, link stickers, product tags, music) all need to live inside the safe zone to be tappable. The highest-tap placements:
- Link stickers: lower-center, ~200 px above the reply bar
- Polls and questions: vertical center, where the eye lands first
- Music sticker: top-third or bottom-third, never overlapping a face
- Product tags: directly on or beside the product, not on the edge
Stories vs Reels — Same Size, Different Use
| Stories | Reels | |
|---|---|---|
| Canvas | 1080 × 1920 | 1080 × 1920 |
| Aspect ratio | 9:16 | 9:16 |
| Duration | 60 sec / segment | up to 90 sec |
| Lifespan | 24 hours | Permanent |
| Discoverability | Followers only (mostly) | Algorithmic — non-followers see it |
| UI overlay | Reply bar, profile, progress | Like / comment / share / audio |
Tips for High-Quality Stories
- Export at exactly 1080 × 1920 — Instagram downscales larger files and adds compression
- Use sRGB color mode — Adobe RGB shifts colors on most phones
- Keep critical content in the 1080 × 1420 safe zone
- For text, use a stroke or shadow so it's readable on both bright and dark backgrounds
- Upload over Wi-Fi to avoid extra mobile data compression
- Resize existing photos with our Instagram Photo Resizer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Instagram Story size?
The Instagram Story size is 1080 × 1920 pixels at a 9:16 aspect ratio. This is the same vertical full-screen format as Reels and TikTok videos.
What is the Instagram Story aspect ratio?
Instagram Stories use a 9:16 aspect ratio. Other ratios get padded with auto-generated solid color bars or cropped, hurting visual impact.
How long can an Instagram Story be?
Each Story segment can be up to 60 seconds long. Longer videos automatically split into multiple 60-second segments. Stories disappear after 24 hours unless saved as Highlights.
What is the safe zone for Instagram Stories?
The safe zone is roughly 1080 × 1420 pixels in the vertical center. Avoid the top 250 px (username, profile pic, close button) and bottom 250 px (reply bar, action buttons). Place all important text and stickers inside the safe zone.
What is the maximum file size for an Instagram Story?
Photos are limited to 30 MB. Videos are limited to 4 GB but in practice should be kept under 250 MB for fast upload. Use H.264 video codec at 30 fps for the best results.
Where should I place the link sticker on a Story?
Link stickers can be placed anywhere in the safe zone, but the most-tapped placement is the lower-center area roughly 200 px above the bottom UI bar. Keep them away from the top edge where the username sits.
Why does my Story image look low quality?
Low-quality Story images are usually caused by uploading below 1080 × 1920, using an aggressive JPG compression preset, or exporting in a non-sRGB color profile. Export PNG or high-quality JPG at 1080 × 1920 in sRGB.
What's the difference between Instagram Story and Reel size?
They share the exact same canvas — 1080 × 1920 px at 9:16. The differences are duration (Stories: 60 sec/segment, disappear in 24h; Reels: up to 90 sec, permanent) and UI overlay (Stories have a reply bar; Reels have like/comment/share buttons).