Reference page · last verified 2026-05-15
Instagram Stories — Video Specs
Instagram Stories accepts 1080 × 1920 recommended at 9:16 (vertical), up to 60 seconds per segment (longer uploads auto-split into consecutive 60 s segments) per upload. Use this page as a quick reference before exporting from your editor — every value is sourced from the official platform documentation.
Specs at a glance
- Resolution
- 1080 × 1920 recommended
- Aspect ratio
- 9:16 (vertical)
- Max duration
- 60 seconds per segment (longer uploads auto-split into consecutive 60 s segments)
- Max file size
- 4 GB
- Framerate
- 23–60 fps (30 recommended)
- Video bitrate
- 3.5 Mbps recommended for 1080p
- Video codec
- H.264 in MP4 (MOV also accepted)
- Audio codec
- AAC stereo
- Audio bitrate
- 128 kbps, 44.1 kHz sample rate
- Max title chars
- N/A
- Max description chars
- Stickers and text overlays only (no caption field)
How it compares
Instagram Stories side-by-side with the platforms creators most often weigh against it.
| Platform | Resolution | Aspect ratio | Frame rate | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Instagram Stories | 1080 × 1920 recommended | 9:16 (vertical) | 23–60 fps (30 recommended) | Vertical ephemeral |
| Instagram Reels | 1080 × 1920 recommended (1080p is the maximum Reels resolution) | 9:16 (vertical) | 23–60 fps (30 recommended) | Vertical short-form |
| Instagram Feed videos | 1080 × 1350 (4:5) recommended; 1080 × 1080 (1:1); min 600 × 750 | 4:5 (preferred), 1:1 (square), 16:9 (landscape) | 23–60 fps (30 recommended) | Square / vertical mid-form |
| Snapchat Spotlight & Stories | 1080 × 1920 recommended (minimum 640 px wide) | 9:16 (vertical full-screen) | Up to 60 fps | Vertical ephemeral |
How to choose for Instagram Stories
1080 × 1920 at 9:16 is the only correct combination; Stories will scale anything else awkwardly. 30 fps is the right call — Stories are watched on mobile in passing, and 60 fps just inflates file size without perceived gain.
Best practices
- 01Respect the safe zone: keep all critical content within the central 1080 × 1420 area to avoid being covered by the profile bubble (top) or reply bar (bottom).
- 02Stories longer than 60 seconds split into segments automatically — design the cuts intentionally rather than letting them land mid-sentence.
- 03Use interactive stickers (poll, quiz, slider, question) — they compound reach and pull viewers out of swipe-through mode.
- 04Add a Link sticker for any traffic-driving Story — it's the only native off-platform link surface for most accounts.
- 05Save high-performing Stories to Highlights with a custom cover for evergreen profile-page conversion.
Related platforms
Vertical short-form
Instagram Reels
9:16 (vertical) · 3 minutes in-app; up to 20 minutes for uploaded clips (feed still favours ≤ 90 s)
Square / vertical mid-form
Instagram Feed videos
4:5 (preferred), 1:1 (square), 16:9 (landscape) · New video posts publish as Reels (3 min in-app, up to ~20 min uploaded)
Vertical ephemeral
Snapchat Spotlight & Stories
9:16 (vertical full-screen) · 5–60 seconds (Spotlight; 15–30 s performs best); 60 s per Story segment
FAQ
Instagram Stories supports up to 60 seconds per segment (longer uploads auto-split into consecutive 60 s segments). Anything longer must be split or uploaded to a long-form surface.
Use 9:16 (vertical). The first listed ratio is the recommended one — others are supported but get cropped or letterboxed in feed.
H.264 in MP4 (MOV also accepted). Audio should be AAC stereo at 128 kbps, 44.1 kHz sample rate.
Last verified 2026-05-15 against Instagram Help — Stories ad specs. Platform specs change frequently — check the source link in the page footer for the latest values before a high-stakes upload.