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Instagram Story Maker
Make polished Instagram stories at exactly 1080 × 1920. Pick a template, add your photos, text and stickers, check the safe zones so nothing hides behind the app's buttons, and download in one click.
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Drag to move · green corners resize · orange dot rotates · double-click a photo slot to fill it · drop or paste images
1080 × 1920 px
Templates
Pick a layout, edit the text and drop your photos into the photo slots. Photos you already added are kept.
Type
Quick gradients
No image yet
Text
Photos
Stickers
Shapes
Emoji
Layers (top first)
Align
Click an element on the canvas (or a layer above) to edit it.
Style
Outline
Quick colors
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How to use the Instagram Story Maker
- Choose a template, or start from any of them and delete what you do not need.
- Add your photos: double-click a photo slot, drop an image onto the canvas or paste with Ctrl+V. Zoom and pan on the Edit tab to frame it.
- Edit the text: click a text element and type. Use the per-line background box for the classic story highlight look.
- Add stickers, emoji and shapes from the Add tab, then drag them into place. Keep text inside the safe zone between the red dashed lines.
- Download PNG or JPG and post it from your phone, or schedule it with your planner.
Instagram story dimensions and safe zones
| Item | Value | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Canvas size | 1080 × 1920 px | Native resolution of a full-screen story |
| Aspect ratio | 9:16 | Other ratios get zoomed or shown with a blurred background |
| Top safe margin | about 250 px (14%) | Progress bar, profile picture, name and close button |
| Bottom safe margin | about 250 px (14%) | "Send message" reply bar, like and share buttons |
| Usable area | 1080 × 1420 px | Where headlines, faces and logos should go |
Design tips for stories people tap through slowly
- One message per frame. Viewers spend a couple of seconds on a story. A short headline and one photo beat a paragraph.
- Large, high-contrast text. At phone size, anything under about 40 px on the 1080 px canvas becomes hard to read. The per-line highlight box keeps text readable on busy photos.
- Use the middle. Faces and products belong in the center band; corners are covered by UI or thumbs.
- Leave room for interactive stickers. If you will add a poll, question or link sticker in the app, keep an empty area for it.
- Keep a series consistent. Reuse the same template and colors across a multi-frame story so it feels like one piece.
Frequently asked questions
What size is an Instagram story?
Instagram stories are 1080 × 1920 pixels, a 9:16 aspect ratio. This tool always exports exactly that size, so Instagram does not crop or zoom your design.
What is the story safe zone?
Instagram covers the top of a story with the progress bar and your profile name, and the bottom with the reply bar and buttons. Meta recommends keeping about 14% (roughly 250 px) at the top and bottom free of text and logos. The red bands show those areas; they are never exported.
Can I add links or polls to the image?
Interactive stickers such as links, polls and questions are added in the Instagram app after you upload. The LINK IN BIO and Q&A designs here are visual only, so leave room for the real sticker if you plan to use one.
PNG or JPG for stories?
Both work. JPG files are smaller and upload faster on mobile data; PNG keeps text perfectly sharp. Instagram recompresses every story, so the visual difference is small.
Are my photos uploaded?
No. Everything is drawn on a canvas inside your browser and exported locally. Nothing is sent to a server, and there is no watermark.
How do I get the image to my phone?
Open this page on your phone and download there, or download on your computer and send the file to your phone with AirDrop, Nearby Share, email or a cloud drive, then add it to your story from the gallery.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.
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