Facebook Stories offer a full-screen, immersive format that disappears after 24 hours. Getting the image dimensions right is critical — the wrong size results in black bars, stretched images, or content cut off at the edges. This guide covers everything you need to know about Facebook Story image sizes in 2026.
Facebook Story Image Size Requirements
The correct size for a Facebook Story image is 1080×1920 pixels with a 9:16 aspect ratio. This is a vertical (portrait) orientation that fills the entire phone screen.
Key specifications:
- Recommended size: 1080×1920 px
- Aspect ratio: 9:16 (vertical)
- Maximum file size: 4 GB (videos), 30 MB (images)
- Supported formats: JPG, PNG, MP4 (for video stories)
- Minimum resolution: 500 pixels on the shortest side
Safe Zone: Keep Important Content Centered
Facebook overlays UI elements on top of your story image. These include the profile name and icon at the top and the reply and reaction controls at the bottom. To prevent your key content from being covered:
- Keep important text and logos in the central 75% of the frame
- Avoid placing critical content in the top 250 px — this is where the profile info appears
- Avoid placing critical content in the bottom 250 px — this is where the reply bar appears
- On some devices, the image may be cropped slightly on the sides as well, so maintain a small margin on the left and right edges
Differences Between Photo and Video Stories
Facebook Stories can be photos or videos. The same 1080×1920 px size applies to both. Key differences:
- Photo stories display for 5 seconds by default
- Video stories can be up to 15 seconds long (longer videos are split automatically)
- For video stories, Facebook recommends an H.264 video codec with AAC audio
What Happens If Your Image Is the Wrong Size
If you upload an image with a different aspect ratio, Facebook will automatically adjust it:
- Images that are too wide (landscape orientation) will be letterboxed with black or blurred bars on the top and bottom
- Images that are too narrow will be pillarboxed with bars on the sides
- Facebook may also crop the image automatically, potentially cutting off important content
Always resize and crop your image to exactly 1080×1920 px before uploading to avoid these issues.
How to Resize an Image to 1080×1920 px
Use the free Image Resizer to set your image dimensions to 1080×1920 pixels. If your source image has a different aspect ratio, first use the Image Cropper to crop to a 9:16 ratio, then resize to the exact pixel dimensions.
After resizing, check your file size. If the PNG or JPG file is very large, use the Image Compressor to reduce the file size while maintaining visual quality.
Design Tips for Effective Facebook Stories
A well-designed Story captures attention and drives engagement:
- Use bold visuals — Stories are viewed quickly; your image needs to grab attention in under a second
- Keep text short and large — small text is hard to read on mobile; use 40pt or larger fonts
- Use brand colors and fonts — consistency makes your Stories recognizable even when swiped past quickly
- Add a clear call to action — tell viewers what to do: visit your link, swipe up, or reply
- Avoid clutter — Stories with too many elements feel overwhelming; focus on one message per story
Facebook Story vs Instagram Story: Key Differences
Both Facebook and Instagram Stories use the same 1080×1920 px (9:16) format, so an image that works for Instagram Stories will also work for Facebook Stories. The main differences are in the UI overlay positions — test on both platforms to make sure critical content is visible. You can create once and use the same image on both platforms.
Quick Reference: Facebook Story Image Specs 2026
- Size: 1080×1920 px
- Aspect ratio: 9:16
- Orientation: Vertical (portrait)
- Max file size: 30 MB for images
- Formats: JPG, PNG
- Safe zone: Central 75% of the frame (avoid top and bottom 250 px)