Meta catalogue ads specs: image sizes, ratios and feed fields
The image sizes, file types, aspect ratios and feed field limits for Meta catalogue ads, from Meta's own documentation, with what each one means in practice.
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Catalogue ads don’t have one spec sheet. The image rules live in Meta’s catalogue documentation, the placement sizes live in the Ads Guide, and the cropping behaviour lives in the documentation for Advantage+ creative. This post pulls them together. Every requirement here comes from the pages linked under Sources. If Meta’s pages and this post ever disagree, Meta’s pages win.
Product images
From Meta’s catalogue field reference, for image_link:
| Spec | Requirement |
|---|---|
| File type | JPEG or PNG |
| Minimum size | 500 x 500 pixels |
| Maximum file size | 8 MB |
| Additional images | Up to 50 more, in additional_image_link, to the same spec |
500 x 500 is the floor, not the target. Images that small look soft on modern phones. A square image of 1080 x 1080 or larger is a sensible default.
Use the real product. A placeholder such as “image coming soon” makes for a broken ad. If a product has no proper photo yet, leave it out of your ad product sets until it does.
Aspect ratios and placements
Catalogue ads appear in many placements, and they aren’t all square.
- Feeds on Facebook and Instagram show square and portrait well. 1:1 is the safe default, 4:5 takes more of the screen.
- Stories and Reels are full-screen 9:16. Meta’s Ads Guide recommends 1440 x 2560 pixels for Stories image ads, and suggests leaving roughly 14% at the top, 35% at the bottom and 6% at each side free of text and logos, because the interface covers those areas.
- Carousels show several products side by side. Keep every card the same ratio.
What happens when your catalogue image doesn’t match the placement? Meta’s documentation for Advantage+ creative for catalog explains it. With the “image touch-ups” setting on (it’s on by default), Meta fits images to placements. If there’s no native image for the ratio, it may crop, pad, or both. When you opt in, 4:5 and 9:16 images in your catalogue can be used to show full-screen images in supported placements.
In plain terms: if you only provide square images, Meta will crop or pad them for portrait and full-screen placements. Sometimes that’s fine. Sometimes the product’s top gets cut off. We cover how to design for 9:16 properly in our post on catalogue ads for Stories and Reels.
Text fields
The catalogue fields that show up in, or shape, your ads:
| Field | Limit or rule (from Meta’s field reference) |
|---|---|
title | Up to 200 characters. Meta recommends 65 or fewer so titles aren’t cut off. |
description | Up to 9,999 characters. Plain text, no HTML, no links, not all capitals. |
brand | Up to 100 characters. |
price | A number, a space, then the three-letter currency code, for example 49.00 GBP. Use a full stop as the decimal point. |
sale_price | Must be lower than price. |
sale_price_effective_date | When the sale starts and ends, with time zone. |
custom_label_0 to custom_label_4 | Up to 100 characters each. Meta describes them as text you can use in your ad creative. |
id | Up to 100 characters, unique. Duplicate IDs are ignored. |
item_group_id | Up to 100 characters. Groups variants such as sizes and colours. |
The title limit matters more than it looks. In most placements only the first part of the title shows, so the words that sell the product need to come first. “Cloud Donut Dog Bed, Medium, Grey” works. “Medium Grey Plush Round Calming Pet Bed for Dogs and Cats by Fernhound” doesn’t.
Branded catalogue images
Meta’s specs above are about format and size. Many advertisers send branded images to their catalogue: the product photo set into a layout with the brand, the price and sale details. If you do this:
- Keep to the same image rules. Size, file type and file size all still apply.
- Keep the price right. A price drawn into an image must match the catalogue price. Render images from the same feed that sets the catalogue price, and re-render when prices change.
- Make one per ratio if you can. A layout designed for 4:5 or 9:16 avoids Meta cropping a square one.
- Keep Google separate. Google Merchant Center’s rules for the main product image ask for a clean, unobstructed view of the product, with no marketing text, graphics, watermarks, calls to action or borders. Send Google the original product photos.
Our posts on Meta’s built-in frames and overlays and DPA templates go further into the design side.
Quick reference
- Images: JPEG or PNG, at least 500 x 500, up to 8 MB. Aim for 1080 x 1080 or larger.
- Up to 50 additional images per product.
- Feeds: 1:1 or 4:5. Stories and Reels: 9:16, with the top 14% and bottom 35% kept clear.
- Titles: 65 characters or fewer recommended, 200 maximum.
sale_pricelower thanprice; schedule withsale_price_effective_date.- Five custom labels of up to 100 characters each.
In the DPA Creative Editor, every template comes in square 1080 x 1080, portrait 1080 x 1350 and story 1080 x 1920, each laid out for its format. Meta catalogue sync and feed URLs carry the rendered images, while our Google Merchant sync always sends the original photos.
Frequently asked questions
What size should catalogue images be for Meta?
Meta's catalogue documentation says images must be JPEG or PNG, at least 500 x 500 pixels and up to 8 MB. A square image of 1080 x 1080 pixels or larger is a sensible default, with 4:5 and 9:16 versions if you want full-screen placements without cropping.
How long can a product title be in a Meta catalogue?
Meta allows up to 200 characters but recommends no more than 65, so longer titles aren't cut off.
Can catalogue images have text on them?
Meta's catalogue specs focus on format and size. Branded images with prices and badges are widely used in catalogue ads, but if the same images also go to Google Shopping, check Google's rules, which don't allow promotional overlays on main product images.