9:16 format
Story 9:16: an ad that fills the screen
Updated
The short answer
The story format in CamelShot is 9:16 at 1080x1920 pixels, the full-screen vertical size used in Instagram and Facebook Stories, Snapchat ads and vertical placements on TikTok. The app interface covers the top and bottom of the screen, so designs are built with safe margins for text. Each image costs one credit and a pack is four designs. Check each platform's current specs before uploading.
Key takeaways
- Dimensions: 1080x1920 pixels, ratio 9:16.
- For stories and full-screen vertical ads on Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and TikTok.
- Keep key text out of roughly the top and bottom 250 pixels.
- Our designs aim for about a 15% margin at the top and bottom, but check every one.
- A story version of an existing design is a new image for one credit.
Where to use the story format
Story is the natural size for full-screen vertical placements:
- Instagram and Facebook Stories, as organic posts or ads.
- Snapchat ads between stories and in content.
- TikTok vertical placements that accept images; which ones are available depends on the ad type and your account.
Every platform updates its specs from time to time, so check the current specs in each platform's ads help centre before uploading.
Safe areas for text in stories
In stories the app interface covers parts of the image: the account name and progress bar at the top, and the call-to-action button and reply box at the bottom.
| Area of a 1080x1920 image | What usually covers it | What to put there |
|---|---|---|
| About 250 px at the top | Account name and progress bar | Background only |
| The middle | Nothing | Product, headline and price |
| About 250 px at the bottom | Call-to-action button and reply box | Background only |
That is roughly 14% at the top and bottom, as general guidance. Snapchat and TikTok place more buttons and text at the bottom and side, so leave a wider margin and check each platform's current safe-zone guide. CamelShot designs are built with about a 15% margin at the top and bottom and 8% at the sides.
The three formats compared
| Format | Ratio | Pixels | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Story | 9:16 | 1080x1920 | Stories and full-screen vertical placements |
| Portrait | 3:4 | 1080x1440 | Feed posts and feed ads |
| Square | 1:1 | 1080x1080 | Feed and carousel ads |
Do not upload a square design to stories if you have a story version; a square appears small with empty space around it.
What to check in a story design
- The headline and price sit in the middle of the image, away from the top and bottom.
- The product is complete and clear on a phone screen.
- No text clashes with where the platform puts its call-to-action button.
- The name, price and currency are correct, and the product matches the original photo.
- Preview the ad as a story in your ad tool before publishing.
If you like a design in 3:4 or 1:1, request a 9:16 version of it. It is created as a new image for one credit, and the original stays saved.
Frequently asked questions
- What size is the story format in CamelShot?
- 1080x1920 pixels, at a 9:16 ratio.
- Where should text go in a story?
- In the middle of the image. Leave roughly 250 pixels at the top and bottom free of key text, and a wider bottom margin for Snapchat and TikTok.
- Does the story format work for Snapchat and TikTok?
- Yes, their full-screen placements are vertical at 9:16. Check each platform's current specs for your ad type before uploading.
- Should I crop a feed post into a story?
- No. Request a 9:16 version of the same design and it is recomposed for the new format, for one credit.
