Short answer: Facebook video ads use a video to show your product, service or brand, and they run across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and Meta Audience Network. Keep them short, show the main message early and add captions so the ad works with the sound off. In Facebook Feed, Meta recommends a 4:5 video.
What Facebook video ads are
A video ad shows your product, service or brand in motion, inside the feeds and stories people already scroll.
Video ads work with several objectives and appear in placements across Facebook, Messenger, Instagram and Meta Audience Network. Each placement supports its own aspect ratios and video lengths.
Meta recommends video to show your product or brand in new ways and to capture attention quickly, with the product or message early. It also works to deliver a single, clear message that makes people take action.
How long a video ad should be
Different placements allow different lengths, although shorter videos are usually more engaging on mobile devices, Meta says. Length also decides whether the video loops:
| Platform | Video of 30 seconds or less | Video longer than 30 seconds |
|---|---|---|
| Loops for up to 90 seconds, sometimes up to 180 | Doesn’t loop; people click play to watch it again | |
| Loops while it is visible | Loops while it is visible |
Meta’s looping rules for video, read November 5, 2026.
A 16-second video on Facebook, for example, loops 6 times, because 96 seconds is closer to the standard 90 than 80 seconds would be.
Specs for Facebook Feed
For video ads in Facebook Feed, Meta’s Ads Guide recommends a 4:5 ratio at 1,440 by 1,800 pixels, in MP4, MOV or GIF.
The video can last from 1 second to 241 minutes, with a file of up to 4 GB. Captions and sound are optional but recommended.
The primary text and headline above and below the video follow the same rules as in other ads, covered in our Facebook ad copy guide. For Stories, Reels and the other placements, see our guide to Facebook and Instagram ad sizes.
Make it work with the sound off
Captions make it easier for people to watch with the sound off, Meta says. When you create the ad in Ads Manager, you can upload your own captions or generate automated ones.
To upload your own, use a SubRip (.srt) file whose name ends with the language and country code, as in Meta’s example ice_cream_ad.en_US.srt. Captions belong to the video, not the ad, so every ad that uses that video shows them.
Export settings for good quality
Meta suggests exporting H.264 video with AAC audio in MOV or MP4, at 30 frames per second or less, with stereo sound at 44,100 Hz, and uploading HD video.
Older phones and slow connections may not show video well. For those viewers, Meta suggests detailed targeting by device and network connection, with a slideshow or single image ad instead.
How to create a video ad
Start a campaign in Ads Manager with + Create and pick an objective. In the Ad setup, pick Manual upload and Single image or video, then click Set up creative and choose Video ad. You can also boost a Page post that includes a video.
How to make a Facebook video ad
- Decide the one message the video must deliver and the action you want.
- Show the product or the message in the first seconds.
- Edit the video for its placement, such as 4:5 for Facebook Feed.
- Keep it short: on Facebook, 30 seconds or less loops.
- Add captions, from your own SRT file or generated in Ads Manager.
- Export it in MP4 or MOV with the settings above, in HD.
- Create the ad in Ads Manager with Video ad as the creative. Our guide to running Facebook ads covers the campaign settings.
Before you publish
- The main message appears in the first seconds.
- The video makes sense without sound and has captions.
- The ratio fits the placement, such as 4:5 in Facebook Feed.
- The file is MP4 or MOV, exported with Meta’s recommended settings.
- The primary text and headline fit Meta’s recommended lengths.
- The ad has one clear action.
RememberShow the product early, say one thing and add captions, so the ad works even with the sound off.
Our Meta Ads service runs campaigns on Facebook and Instagram for local businesses, in English and Spanish. Write to us through the form or on WhatsApp.
Quick answers about Facebook video ads
How long should a Facebook video ad be?
Meta doesn’t set one length: each placement allows its own, and shorter videos are usually more engaging on mobile devices. On Facebook, videos of 30 seconds or less loop for up to 90 seconds, and longer ones don’t loop.
What size should a Facebook Feed video ad be?
Meta’s Ads Guide recommends a 4:5 ratio at 1,440 by 1,800 pixels, in MP4, MOV or GIF. The video can last from 1 second to 241 minutes, with a file of up to 4 GB.
Do I need captions on a video ad?
Meta calls them optional but recommended. Captions make it easier for people to watch with the sound off, and you can upload your own SRT file or generate automated captions in Ads Manager.
Can I use the same video in several placements?
Yes. The asset customization feature in Ads Manager lets you use the same video with several placements and aspect ratios. Captions belong to the video, so every ad that uses it shows the same captions.
Do video ads loop on Instagram?
Yes. On Instagram, videos of any length loop as long as they are visible on the screen. On Facebook, only videos of 30 seconds or less loop; longer ones end and wait for a click on play.
Sources
All read on November 5, 2026, in Meta’s help for businesses. About video ads on Facebook and Instagram. About video length and looping on Facebook and Instagram. Add Captions to Your Video Ad on Facebook and Instagram. Best Practices to Optimize Video Ad Quality. How to Make a Video Ad in Meta Ads Manager. From the Facebook Ads Guide: Awareness Video Ad Specs on Facebook Feed.