What is the universal story canvas size?

1080 × 1920 px (9:16 aspect ratio) is the standard for all four major platforms. Designing at this resolution ensures your story fits Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Snapchat without cropping.

What is a safe zone and why does it matter?

Platforms overlay UI elements (username bar, swipe-up link, progress dots) at the top and bottom of the story frame. The safe zone is the inner area guaranteed to be visible. Keep all important content — text, logos, faces — inside it to avoid being obscured.

Can I use the same video file for all platforms?

Yes, if you export at 1080 × 1920 at 30 fps as H.264 MP4 with AAC audio, the file will be accepted by all four platforms. Just check each platform's max file size and duration limit before uploading.

What happens if I upload a landscape (16:9) video as a story?

The platform will letterbox (add black bars) or crop the video to fit 9:16. Neither result looks professional. Reformat the video to 1080 × 1920 before uploading.

What resolution should I use for story images?

1080 × 1920 px at 72 dpi is sufficient for web delivery. Export as JPEG (quality 85–90%) or PNG. Avoid files over 8 MB to prevent upload rejection.

Do TikTok dimensions differ from Instagram?

Both use the same 1080 × 1920 px canvas. TikTok's safe zone insets are larger at the bottom and right due to the description text and action icon overlay area.

Story Dimension Reference

Name: Story Dimension Reference
Availability: InStock
Author: Nham Vu

Look up the exact pixel dimensions, safe zones, and export settings for Stories on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Snapchat.

Canvas Dimensions

Width

1080 px

Height

1920 px

Aspect Ratio

9:16

Max File Size

4 GB video / 8 MB image

Safe Zone Insets

Top (profile + progress) 250 px

Bottom (CTA / swipe) 320 px

Left / Right 50 px each

Safe canvas 980 × 1350 px

Export Settings — Video

Codec

H.264

Container

MP4

Frame Rate

23.976 – 60 fps

Max Duration

60 s (photo: 7 s)

Audio

AAC, 44.1 kHz

Color Space

sRGB

Canvas Dimensions

Width

1080 px

Height

1920 px

Aspect Ratio

9:16

Max File Size

287.6 MB

Safe Zone Insets

Top (progress + username) 130 px

Bottom (caption + buttons) 420 px

Right (action icons) 130 px

Left 50 px

Export Settings — Video

Codec

H.264 / H.265

Container

MP4 / MOV

Frame Rate

24 – 60 fps

Max Duration

60 s

Audio

AAC, 44.1 kHz

Min Resolution

540 × 960 px

Canvas Dimensions

Width

1080 px

Height

1920 px

Aspect Ratio

9:16

Max File Size

4 GB video / 8 MB image

Safe Zone Insets

Top (profile bar) 240 px

Bottom (CTA / reply) 280 px

Left / Right 50 px each

Safe canvas 980 × 1400 px

Export Settings — Video

Codec

H.264

Container

MP4 / MOV

Frame Rate

30 fps recommended

Max Duration

20 s

Audio

AAC, 44.1 kHz

Color Space

sRGB

Canvas Dimensions

Width

1080 px

Height

1920 px

Aspect Ratio

9:16

Max File Size

1 GB video / 5 MB image

Safe Zone Insets

Top (time + UI) 200 px

Bottom (reply / sticker bar) 340 px

Left / Right 50 px each

Safe canvas 980 × 1380 px

Export Settings — Video

Codec

H.264

Container

MP4

Frame Rate

30 fps recommended

Max Duration

60 s

Audio

AAC, 44.1 kHz

Min Resolution

600 × 1067 px

Safe Zone Visual Guide — All Platforms (1080 × 1920 px)

Numbers show pixel insets from each edge. Keep all critical content inside the dashed border.

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Summary

Look up the exact pixel dimensions, safe zones, and export settings for Stories on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Snapchat.

How it works

Select a platform tab (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, or Snapchat).
Read the canvas dimensions and aspect ratio for Stories on that platform.
Note the safe zone insets to keep text and buttons away from cropped edges.
Use the export settings section to configure your video encoder or design app correctly.
Click the copy icon next to any value to copy it to your clipboard.

Use cases

Set up a canvas in Figma, Photoshop, or Canva to the correct story size.
Verify video export settings before uploading a story clip.
Ensure call-to-action text stays inside the safe zone on all platforms.
Check max file size and duration limits before rendering a video.
Brief a designer or video editor with exact specs for each platform.
Confirm aspect ratio when repurposing a landscape video for a vertical story.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-06-10 · Reviewed by Nham Vu