Instagram Story
Full-screen and vertical. The area above and below the middle band is covered by Instagram’s own interface, so important content is kept out of it.
1080 × 1920 · 9:16
Checked 6 October 2026
Instagram Story Maker
Full-screen 9:16 designs with the safe area already respected.
- Free — every template
- No signup required
- Posts, stories & carousels
- Images never leave your device
- Runs in your browser
- Free, no signup
The size, and where it comes from
Instagram covers the top and the bottom of a 9:16 canvas with its own interface — the progress bar, the profile row and the reply field. The usable band is roughly 14% down to 84% of the canvas, and every template here keeps its headline and its call to action inside it.
Templates for this format
See allHow to use it
- 1 Start from a template or a blank canvas 17 templates suit this format. The editor opens with one already applied if you pick it from the library.
- 2 Edit the wording Click any text on the canvas and type over it. The type shrinks to stay inside its box, and the editor tells you if a headline is too long rather than clipping it.
- 3 Add your image Drag a photograph onto the canvas or use the background panel. It is fitted without stretching, and it is not uploaded.
- 4 Download PNG or JPEG at 1080 × 1920 · 9:16, at exactly those dimensions, with no watermark.
What you can change
- Every piece of text, including the kicker and the call to action
- Typeface, weight, size and colour
- Background — solid, gradient, or your own image
- Your own image, moved and zoomed inside its frame
- Layer order, so anything can go in front of anything
- A different size at any point without losing your work
Nothing is locked
There is no PRO tier in this tool. Every template that exists is available, at full resolution, with no watermark and no export limit. Where a template suits several formats — a square post and a portrait post, or a portrait post and a story — all of them are offered rather than one being held back for a paid plan.
Your images are read, composed and exported inside your browser. They are never uploaded to our server, and your designs are saved on your own device.
A story is 1080 × 1920 — a 9:16 canvas shown full screen. The thing that catches people out is not the size but the interface on top of it: Instagram covers the top of the canvas with the progress bar and the profile row, and the bottom with the reply field. Type placed in those bands is hidden behind them, which is why a design that looks right in an editor can look wrong once it is posted.
Every template on this page keeps its headline, its body and its call to action inside the middle band the configuration marks as usable, so the design reads correctly once Instagram has drawn over it.
How to use this tool
- Start from one of the story templates above, or open the editor and choose the 1080 × 1920 size. The canvas becomes the full story proportion.
- Edit the text. The safe band is drawn on the canvas while you work, so you can see where the platform’s interface will sit.
- Add a photograph if you want one. It is fitted into the frame without stretching and is never uploaded.
- Download the PNG. It is exactly 1080 × 1920, which is what the platform expects — not a scaled screenshot of the editor.
Frequently asked questions
What size is an Instagram story?
1080 × 1920 pixels, a 9:16 ratio. That is the size this tool exports directly.
Why is the middle of the canvas marked as the safe area?
Because Instagram draws its own interface over the top and bottom of a story — the progress bar and profile row at the top, the reply field at the bottom. Anything in those bands is covered once the story is posted, so templates keep their important content in the middle.
Can I add a link or a sticker?
The link sticker is added in Instagram rather than in the image, so leave room and add it there. This tool designs the background image, not the interactive stickers.
Can I make a story from one of the square post templates?
Yes. Every composition declares which format families it suits, and switching a supported template to 1080 × 1920 re-fits it at the story proportions rather than stretching it.