Instagram Story Size: Ratio, Image Format and Export Checks
The recommended Instagram Story size ratio is 9:16, which Meta recommends for Story images published through its API to avoid cropping or blank space. For that publishing route, use JPEG images with an 8 MB maximum file size; treat the shape, file format and file size as separate export checks.
Checked October 2026. Sources are listed at the end of the page.
Start with the Story placement, not a feed template. Meta's Story image guidance recommends a tall 9:16 shape. This guide separates that recommendation from API upload requirements so you can prepare an image without confusing an image's proportions with its file size. Use the Instagram Story Resizer when you already have a photo; use an image editor when the layout itself needs work.
| Asset or setting | Specification | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Story image aspect ratio | 9:16 recommended | Use this shape to avoid cropping or blank space. |
| Story image file format | JPEG | Check the exported file before sending it through the API. |
| Story image file size | 8 MB maximum | Check file size separately from image dimensions. |
| Story video duration | 3 to 60 seconds | This is an API video rule, not an image requirement. |
Instagram Story Size: Ratio, Image Format and Export Checks
Choose the Story layout before placing content
Select a vertical 9:16 canvas in your editor. Start with the product, portrait or scene you want people to notice, then place the supporting text around it. Treat this as a Story composition rather than assuming a finished feed graphic will work unchanged. Keep an editable original so you can revise the layout later.
Compare a crop with a fitted photo
Try cropping if the subject has enough surrounding space. Try fitting the whole photo if a crop would remove packaging, a face or another important detail. Use the free Instagram Story Resizer linked below to compare these approaches. Review the result yourself rather than choosing a crop only because it fills the canvas.
Review the message within the new frame
Check the headline, logo and product together. As a design check, ask whether the main message is readable without zooming and whether anything important sits awkwardly against an edge. If the layout feels crowded, shorten the copy or move supporting details to another design. These are editing suggestions, not official safe-zone measurements.
Export for your publishing route
For Story images published through the API, export a JPEG and check that it does not exceed 8 MB. Do not use the Story video duration range as an image rule, or copy Reel export settings without checking the Story requirements. Inspect the actual exported file, not just the editor's canvas settings.
Check the finished asset before publishing
Open the export and review the crop, text and product details again. If you need a new branded image, Infinall AI can make images using a confirmed brand pinned to your project. Its Resize tool offers Crop and Fit without credits; AI Extend uses credits. Download the finished work, then check the requirements of the publishing route you will use.
Instagram Story size in pixels versus ratio
The ratio describes the shape, while the pixel dimensions describe the image's width and height. Meta's Story image recommendation cited here specifies 9:16; it does not establish a fixed pixel canvas in this guide. Do not borrow a feed photo's width rule and present it as a Story requirement. When handing work to a designer, specify the Story ratio and ask them to record the final pixel dimensions alongside the export. That makes it easier to check which version you are about to publish.
What about Instagram Story size in inches?
Use the Story ratio as your starting point rather than treating an inch measurement as an Instagram requirement. The Story API guidance cited here does not provide an inch-based specification. If your editor starts with a print document, switch to an image workflow and inspect its pixel dimensions before exporting. Keep any print version separate from the Story version so that a print layout does not become your social export by mistake.
When a simple resizer is the better choice
If your photo and copy are already approved, start with the free Story resizer rather than generating a replacement. It lets you crop or fit a photo into the Story shape. Choose Infinall AI when you also need the image made or edited using your saved brand. Both Free and Pro can make images, and generation uses credits. Pinning a confirmed brand and downloading finished work do not use credits. Review generated product details and wording before using the result.
Keep upload limits separate from design decisions
A file can have the intended shape and still need a different export for its publishing route. Check the format and file size as well as the composition. The requirements in the table apply to API publishing; do not treat them as a complete specification for every Instagram app upload or paid Story ad. Likewise, a successful upload is not a reason to skip a visual review of the final asset.
Frequently asked questions
What is the recommended Instagram Story size ratio?
Meta recommends 9:16 for Story images published through its API to avoid cropping or blank space. Use it as the starting shape for your design, then review the crop and export separately.
What file format should an Instagram Story image use?
For the API publishing route covered here, use JPEG with an 8 MB maximum file size. These are Story image requirements, not a substitute for checking video requirements when your asset moves.
How long can a Story video be through the API?
Meta's Story video API specification lists a minimum duration of 3 seconds and a maximum of 60 seconds. Keep that rule separate from Reel video requirements.
Can I resize an image in Infinall AI without using credits?
Yes. Resize with Crop or Fit is free on both Free and Pro. AI Extend is a separate, credit-using option inside Resize, so choose Crop or Fit when you only need to reframe existing content.
Sources and checks
Every price, rating and number on this page comes from the source pages below, checked October 2026. Prices and plans change often, so confirm on the vendor's own page before you buy.
- Meta Instagram API media reference: Story image and video specifications, checked October 2026
- Infinall AI: Resize, grade, restyle and relight an image, checked October 2026
- Infinall AI: Create an image from a prompt, checked October 2026
- Infinall AI: Use your brand in images, checked October 2026
- Infinall AI: Download and export your work, checked October 2026
- Infinall AI: Instagram Story Resizer, checked October 2026