Free · 6 min read
How to design Instagram stories: size, safe zones, series
Stories design from scratch: the 9:16 format and size from Meta's help pages, safe zones for the interface, large text, multi-story series and a phone check.
- Which stories size Meta recommends
- Where not to put text so the interface doesn't cover it
- How to build a series of stories people watch to the end
- Free
- 1,504 members
- Join in 1 click
Five steps to stories people watch to the end
- 1
Step 1
Format and size
- 2
Step 2
Safe zones: what the interface covers
- 3
Step 3
Large text and one idea
- 4
Step 4
A series from one template
- 5
Step 5
Check it on a phone and collect feedback
- 1,504
- community members
- 8,915
- messages with questions since July 2024
- 9
- design games since September 2024
- 759
- people wrote in the chat
This guide is for you if you are
Making stories for a project
Announcements, round-ups, event recaps, and you want them to look like design, not a screenshot.
Learning design
You want a short practical task with a vertical format, large typography and interface constraints.
Already making posts
You've figured out square posts, but the vertical format isn't coming together yet.
In short
- Stories are a vertical fullscreen 9:16 format. For stories ads, Meta recommends 1080×1920 pixels.
- Regular stories disappear after 24 hours unless you save them to highlights.
- Put the main content in the center: Instagram's interface covers part of the frame at the top and bottom.
- One story, one idea, large text: people see it for a few seconds.
- Build a series from one template and check it on a phone, not a monitor.
Five steps to stories people watch to the end
- 1
Step 1
Format and size
Stories fill a phone screen vertically, so work at a 9:16 ratio. For stories ads, Meta's business help recommends a resolution of 1080×1920 pixels (minimum 600×1067), as JPG or PNG files. It's convenient to make regular, non-ad stories at the same size: that way the layout also works for ads without changes.
- create a 1080×1920-pixel canvas in your editor;
- compose the frame vertically from the start instead of dropping in a landscape photo as is: that way you decide what ends up on screen;
- regular stories disappear after 24 hours unless saved to highlights, so for important topics plan how they'll live on.
💡 If a story also needs to be a post, don't stretch one layout across both formats. Make two separate files with shared elements: a 9:16 vertical and a post that meets Instagram's requirements.
- 2
Step 2
Safe zones: what the interface covers
Instagram shows parts of its interface on top of stories: the progress bar and account name at the top, the reply field at the bottom, and in ads an action button too. For stories promoted as ads, Instagram advises keeping about 14% of the height at the top and 20% at the bottom free of text, logos and other key elements, so the action button doesn't cover them.
- on a 1080×1920 canvas that's roughly 270 pixels at the top and 385 pixels at the bottom;
- add guides at these distances in your editor and keep headlines, prices and dates between them;
- backgrounds and photos can extend into these zones; just keep anything people need to read out of them;
- the same logic applies to regular stories: the screen edges are the worst place for text.
💡 Save an empty template with the guides and start every new story from it. That way you don't have to remember the safe zones each time.
Show your stories before you publish
A fresh pair of eyes quickly spots where the main point gets lost. Post your series in the community and ask people to retell it after one viewing. It's free.
Get feedback on my storiesFree. 1,504 designers are already in the community.
- 3
Step 3
Large text and one idea
Stories are watched quickly: by default, an image in a Meta stories ad shows for 5 seconds, and viewers can tap past it even sooner. So each story carries one idea, and the text should be readable without pausing.
- the headline is large and short, a few words rather than a paragraph;
- one or two fonts with Cyrillic; separate the levels by size and weight;
- put text over a photo on a calm area or on a solid panel;
- check contrast: WCAG requires at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.
💡 If there's more than two or three lines of text, split it across several stories. A series of three short ones reads better than one crowded one.
- 4
Step 4
A series from one template
Stories are usually not a single picture but a sequence: an announcement, a few content frames and a wrap-up. Think of the series as a small story and make a shared template for it: the headline in the same place, the same margins, a shared palette.
- the cover: what the series is about and why to keep watching;
- the content: one idea per frame, with the same structure;
- the ending: what to do next: come, message, go to the post;
- if you plan to promote stories as ads, note that a multi-card series can't be boosted, only a single story.
💡 A study task: make a series of 5 stories for an event in your city or for an imaginary festival. If the event is made up, say so in your portfolio: a concept, not a real client.
Your stories look overloaded? Show them to the community → - 5
Step 5
Check it on a phone and collect feedback
A monitor misleads: small text looks fine and safe zones seem unnecessary. Before publishing, send yourself the files and watch the series on a phone in a row, at the speed you usually tap through stories.
- the main point is visible even after a one-second look;
- text and logo don't sit under the bar at the top or the reply field at the bottom;
- the frames look like one story, not a set of different templates;
- no mistakes in dates, addresses or names.
💡 Post the series in the community and ask people to retell it after one viewing. If they miss the main point, cut the text or reorder the frames.
You're not alone with these questions
We counted what people ask about most in our community. Learning and portfolios lead. A series of stories is a short project that's easy to show for feedback and add to your study work.
Messages by topic in Spaceberry Community, July 2024 — November 2026. Keyword search.
Practice with a deadline and live feedback
The best teacher is a task with a deadline that other people see. That's why the community regularly runs design games: the same brief for everyone, a deadline and a vote.
Design game · January 2026
NAOMA website redesign
The academy's home page through the eyes of an applicant, a student and a teacher. Three finalists; the community chose the winner.
AI challenge · May 2025
A landing page made by AI
Logo, copy and visuals made only with AI tools. Four entries, an anonymous vote, and participants shared their prompts.
Workshop · April 2026
Figmosha: AI in Figma
The tool's author showed how to generate interfaces in Figma and analyze a design system.
Free. 1,504 designers are already in the community.
How to join: 1 minute
- 1
Tap the button
Telegram opens with the Spaceberry community.
- 2
Join
It's free: all you need is a Telegram account.
- 3
Introduce yourself
Say where you're starting from and ask your first question.
Questions and answers
Didn't find your answer? Ask it in the community.
What size are Instagram stories?
Stories are a vertical fullscreen 9:16 format. For stories ads, Meta recommends 1080×1920 pixels, minimum 600×1067. The same size works well for regular stories. Requirements can change, so check Meta's help pages before each project. Use JPG or PNG, and keep the key content near the center, because the interface covers the edges of the frame.
Where shouldn't I put text on a story?
Close to the top and bottom edges, where Instagram's interface covers the frame. For stories promoted as ads, Instagram advises keeping about 14% at the top and 20% at the bottom free. The safest place for the main content is the center of the screen. On a 1080×1920 canvas that's roughly 270 pixels at the top and 385 at the bottom: add guides there and keep headlines, prices and dates between them.
How is designing stories different from designing a post?
Stories are vertical, fill the screen and usually disappear after 24 hours, while a post stays on the profile and lives in the feed next to others. Stories have more interface constraints and less attention time, so the text is shorter and larger. For sizes on different platforms, see [How to make a banner](/en/guides/banner-design).
Which app should I use for stories?
Any editor where you can set a 1080×1920-pixel size and add guides: Canva for a quick start, Figma if you want to practice grids and components for series. Whatever you use, save a template with the safe zones and check every series on a phone, not a monitor. See [Canva for beginners](/en/guides/canva-for-beginners).
Is the Spaceberry community paid?
No. Spaceberry Community is free: it's supported by Spaceberry Foundation, a non-profit public organization. All you need to join is a Telegram account. The community has 1,504 designers who share work for feedback before publishing, ask about fonts and composition and take part in design games with the same brief and a deadline. You can show your stories before your followers see them. Most conversations are in Ukrainian.
Get feedback on your first stories
Join 1,504 designers who learn, share their work and play design games. Show your stories and find out what to improve. The community talks in Ukrainian.
- Free
- 1,504 members
- Join in 1 click
Updated · Spaceberry Foundation
Sources: