# What are ad aspect ratios?

> An ad's aspect ratio is its width to height. Meta suggests 4:5 or 1:1 for Feed and 9:16 for Stories and Reels. See the table and how to check your file.
- **Author**: Marxx
- **Published**: 2026-11-11
- **Category**: Creative
- **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-glossary/aspect-ratio-for-ads

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An ad's aspect ratio is its width compared with its height. For Meta ads, Meta supports 1:1 and 4:5 in Feed, and recommends 9:16 for Stories, Status and Reels ([Meta Help Center](https://www.facebook.com/business/help/103816146375741), checked 2026-10-20).

## The ratios Meta lists

| Ratio | Shape | What Meta says |
|---|---|---|
| 1:1 | Square | Supported in Feed. Recommended for Instagram Feed single-image ads and for videos in a carousel |
| 4:5 | Vertical | Supported in Feed. Recommended for single-image ads on Facebook Feed |
| 9:16 | Vertical | Recommended for Stories, Status and Reels, and for Audience Network |
| 16:9 | Horizontal | Recommended for in-stream video |
| 1.91:1 | Horizontal | Listed as a horizontal shape |

Meta says most people hold their phones upright, so vertical media covers more of the screen.

## How to work out a ratio

Divide width by height, then match the result.

- 1080 x 1080 gives 1.0, so it is **1:1**.
- 1080 x 1350 gives 0.8, so it is **4:5**.
- 1080 x 1920 gives 0.5625, so it is **9:16**.

## A worked example

Say you made one 9:16 video at 1080 x 1920 pixels. A Feed placement that uses 4:5 shows 1080 x 1350.

**Height lost = (1920 − 1350) / 1920 x 100**

570 / 1920 x 100 = about **30%**. Meta crops or pads that 30%. If your product or text sits near the top or bottom, it can be cut off.

Meta says it adjusts your media to fit more placements, and tells you to review the automatic crops. It also says that if Stories matters, you should upload a 9:16 asset. Cropping alone does not stop delivery to a placement. Use placement opt-outs for that (checked 2026-10-20). See [Advantage+ placements](/glossary/advantage-plus-placements) for how Meta picks places.

## Tips

1. Export a 9:16 and a 4:5 version of your best ad, not one file for all.
2. Keep text and faces in the middle of the frame.
3. Look at each preview in Ads Manager before you publish.
4. For videos, check your [hook rate](/glossary/hook-rate) by placement.

Marxx's video editor reframes a video for another placement in one request. It also has safe-zone overlays for Reels, Stories, Shorts and TikTok. We make Marxx. See [the video editor](/features/ai-video-editor).

For an image or video choice, see [static ads vs video ads](/compare/static-ads-vs-video-ads). For image tools, see [AI product photography](/glossary/ai-product-photography).

## FAQ

### What is the best aspect ratio for Reels?

Meta recommends 9:16 for Reels, Stories and Status.

### Can one video run in every placement?

Meta will adjust it, but check the crops. A file made for one shape can lose parts of the frame in another.

### Which is better for Feed, 1:1 or 4:5?

Meta supports both. It recommends 4:5 for single-image Facebook Feed ads and 1:1 for Instagram Feed single-image ads.

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