Snapchat Image Size

The recommended image and video dimensions for Snapchat in 2026

Snapchat is built entirely around vertical, full-screen content. Every snap, story, and ad fills the entire phone screen from edge to edge. That means getting your dimensions right isn't optional - if your image or video doesn't match the 9:16 aspect ratio, it'll either get cropped or surrounded by ugly black bars. Here's what you need for every Snapchat format in 2026.

What size should a Snapchat snap be?

The standard Snapchat snap size is 1080 x 1920 pixels with a 9:16 aspect ratio. This applies to both photos and videos you send as snaps or post to your story. The minimum acceptable resolution is 720 x 1280 pixels, but 1080x1920 gives you the sharpest image quality.

For video snaps, use MP4 or MOV format with H.264 encoding. Audio should be AAC at 128 kbps or higher, in stereo. Aim for at least 30 fps and a video bitrate of 4-8 Mbps for the best quality. The maximum file size is 1 GB, though keeping it under 32 MB is recommended for faster uploads.

Snapchat safe zones

Snapchat overlays UI elements on top of your content - the username and timestamp at the top, action buttons on the right, and swipe-up areas at the bottom. Keep important text, faces, and visuals at least 175 pixels away from the top and bottom edges to avoid them getting covered by the interface.

This gives you a safe zone of roughly 1080 x 1570 pixels in the center of the screen. It's the same principle as TikTok and Instagram Stories - the edges of your content are real estate that the app's UI claims for itself.

For ads with a CTA button, the safe zone is tighter: keep key content at least 175 pixels from the top and 269 pixels from the bottom to avoid overlapping with the call-to-action overlay and other UI elements.

Snapchat Profile Picture Size

Your Snapchat profile picture (Bitmoji or custom photo) should be uploaded at 720 x 720 pixels for a clear, sharp image. The minimum accepted size is 320 x 320 pixels, but going higher lets Snapchat downscale for the best quality. Snapchat shows the profile picture as a circle, so keep everything centered and away from the corners. The platform accepts JPG and PNG formats with a maximum file size of 2 MB.

If you use a Bitmoji, Snapchat handles the sizing automatically. For business accounts, upload a square logo with clean edges that reads well at small sizes since it appears as a tiny circle next to your snaps and in search results.

Snapchat Story Size

Snapchat Stories use the same 1080 x 1920 pixel dimensions as regular snaps. Each story segment can be a photo (which displays for up to 10 seconds) or a video clip (up to 60 seconds per segment). Stories disappear after 24 hours. The same safe zone rules apply - avoid placing important content within 150 pixels of the top or bottom edges.

Snapchat Spotlight Size

Spotlight is Snapchat's TikTok-style short video feed. Videos should be 1080 x 1920 pixels (9:16) and between 5 and 60 seconds long for the best reach. Spotlight is a sound-on environment, so make sure your audio is clear and engaging. The same video specs apply - MP4 or MOV with H.264 encoding.

Shorter videos tend to perform better on Spotlight. Keep them punchy and front-load the hook in the first 2 seconds. The algorithm favors content that gets watched all the way through, so shorter is usually better than longer.

Snapchat Geofilter Size

Custom geofilters (the overlays people can add to their snaps at specific locations) use a canvas size of 1080 x 2340 pixels, though the safe viewing area is 1080 x 1920 pixels in the center. The file must be a PNG with a transparent background and no larger than 300 KB. Your design can't cover more than 25% of the screen - it's meant to be an overlay, not a full-screen graphic.

Most geofilters place elements along the bottom or top edges of the frame with transparent space in the middle where the snap photo shows through. Keep text readable at small sizes and use bold, simple graphics.

Snapchat Ad Sizes

All Snapchat ads use the standard 1080 x 1920 pixel (9:16) format. Here are the specifics for each ad type:

Single Image/Video Ads are the most common format. They appear between stories and in the Discover feed. Images should be JPG or PNG (max 5 MB). Videos can be 3-180 seconds long, though under 10 seconds is recommended. Hook viewers in the first 2 seconds.

Story Ads appear as a branded tile in the Discover section. The tile image should be 360 x 600 pixels (max 2 MB, PNG format), and the logo should be 993 x 284 pixels (PNG with transparent background). Each story can contain 3-20 snap-sized cards at 1080x1920.

Collection Ads combine a hero image or video (1080x1920) with 2, 3, or 4 product thumbnail tiles at the bottom. Product tiles should be at least 160 x 160 pixels (max 2 MB each, JPG or PNG), though 500 x 500 pixels or higher is recommended for sharp display. Tiles use a 1:1 square format.

Standard Commercials are non-skippable video ads lasting 3-6 seconds. They use the standard 1080x1920 resolution with a maximum file size of 1 GB. Audio is required. Extended Play Commercials can run 7-180 seconds, but only the first 6 seconds are non-skippable.

Snapchat AR Lens Specs

AR Lenses are created in Lens Studio. 2D assets should be PNG files with transparency, using power-of-2 dimensions for best performance. 3D models can be FBX, OBJ, or glTF format, optimized for mobile rendering. The final exported .lns file should be under 8 MB compressed. Texture resolution should not exceed 2048 x 2048 pixels per texture, and polygon counts should stay under 10,000 for smooth performance.

Static AR Filters (Geofilters, Sponsored Filters) should be 945 x 2048 pixels in transparent PNG format, with file sizes under 300 KB. Animated Filters use 720 x 1560 pixels in GIF format, looping seamlessly at 2-15 fps with fewer than 20 total frames and a duration of 1-3 seconds.