Facebook Stories have become a popular way for people and businesses to share photos and short videos. But with so many different devices and screen sizes, it can be tricky to know the right resolution to use for Facebook Stories.
The Basics of Resolution
Resolution refers to the number of pixels that make up a digital image. Resolution is typically expressed as a set of numbers, such as 1080×1920 pixels or 720×1280 pixels. The first number refers to the width (in pixels) and the second number refers to the height.
Higher resolution images contain more pixels, resulting in more image detail and clarity. Lower resolution images have fewer pixels and appear more pixelated or blurred when enlarged.
Recommended Resolution for Facebook Stories
The recommended resolution for Facebook Stories is 1080×1920 pixels.
This is considered high definition (HD) vertical video resolution. 1080×1920 is a 9:16 vertical aspect ratio, which is optimized for mobile devices in portrait orientation.
Why 1080×1920 is the Ideal Resolution
There are a few key reasons why 1080×1920 is the ideal resolution for Facebook Stories:
- It matches the native display resolution of most modern smartphones when held vertically. This results in crisp, clear rendering.
- The 9:16 vertical aspect ratio is designed for mobile viewing in portrait mode.
- 1080p resolution provides ample image detail while keeping file sizes manageable for mobile data streaming.
- Facebook designed its Stories product for mobile, so 1080×1920 is optimized for mobile screens.
Resolution Requirements for Facebook Stories
While 1080×1920 is recommended, Facebook does allow some flexibility in resolution:
- Minimum resolution allowed is 600×1067 pixels.
- Maximum resolution is 1920×1080 pixels.
- Aspect ratio must be 9:16 (1.77:1).
Any image or video uploaded with resolutions within these bounds will work. However, for best quality you’ll want to aim for 1080×1920.
How Image Resolution Affects Quality
Using the recommended 1080×1920 resolution ensures your Facebook Stories appear crisp and clear on most mobile devices. But how does resolution actually affect visual quality?
Higher resolution translates to more pixels in the image. More pixels provide more fine details and precision when the image is rendered. It also allows the image to be enlarged or zoomed without becoming pixelated.
Lower resolution results in fewer pixels in the image. This can make the image look blurred or fuzzy, especially when enlarged. Fine details are lost with fewer pixels.
Here is a table comparing different resolutions:
| Resolution | Quality | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1080×1920 (HD) | Excellent | Optimized for Facebook Stories. Crisp and clear on mobile. |
| 720×1280 | Good | Provides adequate details for mobile screens. |
| 480×480 | Moderate | Blurry details when enlarged. Pixelation may occur. |
| 300×300 | Poor | Very blurry and pixelated. Fine details lost. |
Tools to Help Create Properly Sized Stories
To ensure you are creating Facebook Stories with the right 1080×1920 resolution, here are some helpful tools:
Built-in Camera App
Most modern smartphone cameras can capture 1080p HD video at the proper 9:16 aspect ratio natively within the camera app. Just be sure the resolution is set to 1080p HD before recording.
Adobe Photoshop
Photoshop makes it easy to resize images and set custom resolutions. You can resize to exactly 1080×1920 and export JPEGs at that resolution for Facebook Stories.
Adobe Premiere Pro
Premiere Pro provides full control over video projects. You can custom set sequence settings to 1080×1920 9:16 aspect ratio. Export vertical videos from Premiere at 1080p.
Instagram Story Templates
Since Instagram Stories also use 1080×1920 resolution, templates created for Instagram can work for Facebook too. Apps like InShot have vertical story templates.
Facebook Story Templates
Some apps like Canva offer templates specifically made for Facebook Stories at 1080×1920 resolution. This takes any guessing work out of sizing.
Uploading vs. Creating Stories
There are two ways to add Stories on Facebook:
- Upload pre-made Stories from your device.
- Create Stories directly within the Facebook app using creative tools.
If you upload Stories, be sure they conform to the 1080×1920 resolution beforehand. Tools like Photoshop or Premiere Pro can help create properly sized Stories.
If creating Stories directly in the Facebook app, the creative tools will automatically size them properly. You don’t have to worry about resolution settings.
Uploading Tips
When uploading Stories from your device, keep these tips in mind:
- Resize photos to 1080×1920 resolution.
- Export video at 1080p HD, 9:16 aspect ratio.
- JPG photos will be lower file size than PNGs.
- Use MP4 or MOV video formats.
- Limit video lengths to 15 seconds or shorter.
Creating Tips
If creating Stories directly within Facebook, follow these tips for best results:
- Use the pre-sized templates and layouts.
- Add text using the integrated text tools.
- Stickers and AR effects will be sized automatically.
- Draw or doodle using the creative tools.
- Trim any videos to 15 seconds or less.
Resolution Size for Facebook Feed Photos
For comparison, here are the recommended photo resolutions for the Facebook news feed:
- Square cropped images: 1080×1080 pixels
- Horizontal landscape images: 1080×566 pixels
- Vertical portrait images: 1080×1350 pixels
As you can see, Facebook feed photos tend to be lower resolution than Facebook Stories, since they are viewed on desktop as well as mobile.
Best Practices for Facebook Story Resolution
To recap, here are some best practices for getting optimal resolution on your Facebook Stories:
- Create or resize to 1080×1920 pixels.
- Use a 9:16 vertical aspect ratio.
- Export video at 1080p (HD).
- Use built-in camera apps at 1080p settings.
- Leverage editing tools like Photoshop and Premiere.
- Take advantage of templates and creative tools.
- Confirm resolution before uploading from device.
Conclusion
The ideal resolution for Facebook Stories is 1080×1920 pixels. This provides an optimized mobile viewing experience. Using the proper resolution ensures your Facebook Stories appear sharp and clear when viewed on smartphones and tablets.
Following Facebook’s recommended 1080×1920 resolution for Stories is key. Uploading media that doesn’t conform to these dimensions can result in poor visual quality. Fortunately, there are many camera tools, editing apps, and Story creation tools that make it simple to produce properly sized Stories.
Understanding resolution requirements gives you full control over your Facebook Story content. Crisp HD Stories at 1080×1920 resolution will represent your brand beautifully and engage your audience when viewed in-feed and in Stories on mobile.