Facebook Stories is a feature on Facebook that allows users to share photos and short videos that disappear after 24 hours. When creating a Facebook Story, you need to use the correct template size for the images or videos to display properly.
The Size Requirements for Facebook Stories
The size requirement for images and videos in Facebook Stories is:
- 1080 x 1920 pixels (9:16 aspect ratio) for vertical images/videos
- 1920 x 1080 pixels (16:9 aspect ratio) for horizontal images/videos
This size is optimized for mobile devices since most people view Facebook Stories on their smartphones. If you upload an image or video that is not the right size, Facebook will automatically crop it to fit the Story template.
Creating Vertical Stories
When making a vertical Facebook Story, your image or video should be 1080 pixels wide by 1920 pixels tall. This 9:16 vertical aspect ratio perfectly fits the Story template that users see.
Some tips for creating vertical Facebook Stories:
- Use your smartphone’s camera in portrait mode to capture 1080 x 1920 images.
- Design vertical graphics and assets at 1080 x 1920 pixels.
- Crop any horizontal images or videos to a 9:16 vertical aspect ratio.
- Add text overlays, stickers, and effects to engage viewers.
Example Vertical Image Size
Here is an example of a properly sized 1080 x 1920 pixel vertical image for Facebook Stories:
Creating Horizontal Stories
For horizontal Facebook Stories, your image or video should be 1920 pixels wide by 1080 pixels tall. This 16:9 horizontal aspect ratio is optimized for landscape Stories.
Tips for making horizontal Facebook Stories include:
- Use your smartphone’s rear camera to record landscape video at 1920 x 1080 pixels.
- Design widescreen graphics and images at 1920 x 1080 pixels.
- Crop any vertical shots to a 16:9 horizontal aspect ratio.
- Add rotating text, stickers, and drawing effects to engage viewers.
Example Horizontal Image Size
Here is an example 1920 x 1080 pixel horizontal image correctly sized for Facebook Stories:
Image Quality Considerations
In addition to using the proper template size, you also need to ensure your Facebook Story images and videos are high quality:
- Use images that are at least 72 PPI resolution.
- Choose images with vibrant, high-contrast colors.
- Pick videos with a high bitrate and frame rate.
- Avoid excessive compression or artifacts.
Higher quality assets will look better on mobile screens and lead to higher engagement with your Stories.
Tools To Create Properly Sized Facebook Stories
Here are some helpful tools for creating Facebook Stories with the right 1080 x 1920 or 1920 x 1080 size:
- Canva – Design program with templates sized for Facebook Stories.
- Adobe Photoshop – Edit images and add overlays at the proper dimensions.
- Adobe Premiere Pro – Crop and export 1080p or 720p videos for Stories.
- Kapwing – Online media editor with Facebook Story presets.
- Buffer – Social media management platform that resizes images automatically.
- Facebook Creative Hub – Create, manage, and analyze Facebook Story campaigns.
Using the right tools will take the guesswork out of making Facebook Stories correctly sized for mobile screens.
Optimizing Your Facebook Stories
In addition to following the 1920 x 1080 or 1080 x 1920 pixel size requirement, make sure to optimize your Facebook Stories for maximum engagement:
- Post at optimal times when your audience is most active.
- Use intriguing text overlays and captions to draw viewers in.
- Add interactive stickers, polls, quizzes and location tags.
- Use vibrant imagery and videos that capture attention.
- Keep Stories short, concise and entertaining.
- Encourage users to tap for more with swipe up links.
Crafting compelling stories based on audience insights is just as important as the technical size requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I use the wrong Facebook Story dimensions?
If you upload an image or video that isn’t 1080 x 1920 or 1920 x 1080 pixels, Facebook will automatically crop and resize it to fit the Story template. However, this could result in poor image quality, unwanted cropping, or a bad viewing experience.
Can I create Facebook Stories on a desktop computer?
Yes, you can create Facebook Stories on a desktop using Story templates in programs like Canva or Adobe Photoshop. Just make sure to design your images, text overlays, and videos at either 1080 x 1920 pixels or 1920 x 1080 pixels.
Do Facebook Stories have to be perfectly square?
No, Facebook Stories do not have to be perfect squares. The vertical format should be 1080 pixels wide by 1920 pixels tall. The horizontal format is 1920 pixels wide by 1080 pixels tall. Avoid making square 1080 x 1080 images, as they will not fully fill the Story template.
Can I upload Stories created for Instagram to Facebook?
Unfortunately Instagram and Facebook have slightly different size requirements. Instagram Stories are 1080 x 1920 pixels, while horizontal Facebook Stories are 1920 x 1080 pixels. Your Instagram Stories may get cropped when uploading them to Facebook.
Conclusion
To recap, the ideal size for vertical Facebook Stories is 1080 x 1920 pixels and for horizontal Stories is 1920 x 1080 pixels. Use mobile-friendly dimensions, high quality assets, compelling content and interactive elements to make the most of Facebook Stories. Analyze metrics like reach, engagement and clicks to refine your future Stories.