Instagram Reels Image Ad Specs: 1440x2560, 500 px Minimum

What are the Instagram Reels image ad specs?

Meta's ads guide lists JPG or PNG, 9:16, 1440x2560, up to 30 MB, a minimum width of 500 px and a tolerance of 1%. Primary text is limited to 44 characters. The safe zone is about 14% top, 35% bottom and 6% each side. Meta describes these as fullscreen vertical ads that can appear between organic Reels, where users can comment, like, save, share or skip. I read the page on 2026-10-03.

Why is a still worth making when video is available?

A still is cheaper to produce, quick to test, and a good control. If your video wins against a still of the same product, you have evidence for the more expensive format. If it does not, you have saved a shoot. Run the still as a separate ad so the comparison is clean.

How do I make it with Sume?

Use POST /v1/images with aspect_ratio: "9:16" and an Idempotency-Key header. The 1% tolerance is tighter than Facebook's 3%, so check the delivered pixel size against 1440x2560 rather than assuming. Where the model supports a custom image_size (gpt-image-2.5 does, with edges in multiples of 16 up to 3840), request 1440x2560 directly; otherwise treat the model's output as a draft and check it.

• Generate in PNG for flat graphics, JPEG for photographic scenes; both are accepted.
• Keep the subject inside the middle of the frame.
• Write the 44-character primary text first and design to it.

How do I keep the text out of the unsafe areas?

Because the bottom 35% is covered by interface, keep any word on the image above that line, or leave the words to the text field. A short label near the upper-middle works; a footer does not. If you animate the still later, Sume's compose endpoint can overlay it on a clip with a ceiling of 300 seconds.