X publishes no safe zone for the timeline; the only one it ever published covers the full-screen Media Viewer. Every promoted image and video figure it does publish, plus a free mockup of the timeline card. Canonical: https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/x Free tool · X # X safe zone: the only one X published is not the feed There is no X timeline safe zone. The phrase does not appear on X's current creative specs page at all, and the one safe zone X did publish covers the full-screen Media Viewer, not the feed. So the timeline check is visual: put your creative in the card below and look. - No timeline safe zone - The one X published is not the feed - Checked 16 Aug 2026 [Skip the mockup tool](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/x#safe-zone) X Feed placement around a 16:9 sample recruitment ad. Interface overlay on. Sample: a recruitment ad made with [RecruitmentAds.com](https://recruitmentads.com/) Your creative Drop your MP4 or JPEG here or choose a file 100% private. The file is read in your browser. Nothing is saved or uploaded. Use your own file Choose a file 100% private. The file is read in your browser. Nothing is saved or uploaded. Sample creative ![]()Nurse9:16![]()Warehouse9:16![]()Developer9:16![]()Driver1:1![]()Barista4:5![]()Chef16:9 Formatdetected 16:9 9:164:51:116:9 Placement4 of 11 placements take 16:9 FB FeedLI FeedYouTubeX FeedIG Reelsneeds 9:16Needs 9:16. Your file is 16:9.IG Storyneeds 9:16Needs 9:16. Your file is 16:9.IG Feedneeds 4:5 / 1:1Needs 4:5 / 1:1. Your file is 16:9.FB Storyneeds 9:16Needs 9:16. Your file is 16:9.FB Reelsneeds 9:16Needs 9:16. Your file is 16:9.TikTokneeds 9:16Needs 9:16. Your file is 16:9.Snapneeds 9:16Needs 9:16. Your file is 16:9. Overlay OffUI chromePublished safe zone⊘ none published X publishes no safe zone for the timeline. [Why ▸](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/x#safe-zone) Your logo Add your logo 100% private. Your logo never leaves this device. Or click the logo inside the mockup. Call-to-action buttonX Feed Apply Now X publishes no button list for website link ads. Its only published list, seven labels, covers app-button ads instead. Download PNG No email. No signup. No watermark. Or click any text inside the mockup to edit it in place. Edit text Company name Headline Primary text Description Caption - 100% private - No data saved - No account - No watermark Your file is read in the browser and never sent anywhere. The export is a full-resolution PNG with no signup and no watermark. There is no paid tier of this tool. Mocking up a hiring ad? [RecruitmentAds.com builds the whole ad set from a vacancy URL →](https://recruitmentads.com/) Safe zone ## The X safe zone, and the placement it actually covers X has published exactly one safe zone, and it is for the full-screen Media Viewer rather than the timeline. It is given as interface sizes in device pixels rather than as a share of your creative, which limits what you can do with it. Here is all of it, and what each figure does and does not cover. ### For the timeline: nothing, and the word is gone too No X-owned page gives a safe zone covering promoted image or video in the Home Timeline, in pixels or percentages. The phrase “safe zone” occurs zero times on the current creative specs page, zero times on the Vertical Video Ads page and zero times on creative best practices, where every instance of the word “safe” refers to brand safety. ### The one safe zone X published is for the Media Viewer X used the phrase exactly once, in the Immersive Takeovers section of the superseded specs page, under a line stating that Immersive Takeovers can only run in the Media Viewer. It points at the 9x16 vertical video geometry: > “See Vertical Video Ads for safe zones” X Ads creative specs, superseded page, recorded not linked · accessed 16 Aug 2026 That cross-reference is what makes the tables below X's own definition of a safe zone rather than an interpretation of them. Two things follow. X's safe zone is for the full-screen Media Viewer, not the timeline. And the current specs page deleted the section that pointed at it, so on X's live documentation the concept now has no name and no numbers. #### 9x16 Media Viewer, iOS | Element | Size | What sits there | | ---------------------------- | --------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | Top Bar | 1125 x 110 px | Phone device icons and camera | | Back Arrow / Profile Picture | 100 x 100 px at X:45, Y:180 | Profile picture, otherwise the back button | | Blurb Bar | 1125 x 250 px | Profile picture, name, handle, then 2 lines of caption max. “Ad” appears in the top right corner | | CTA / Link Bar | 1125 x 160 px | External link button, which appears after 1 second and stays | | Video Metrics / Side Bar | 1125 x 70 px | Replies, shares, likes, views, save and share | | Main Menu / Bottom Bar | 1125 x 250 px | Home, search, Grok, watch, notifications and messages | #### 9x16 Media Viewer, Android | Element | Size | What sits there | | ---------------------------- | ----------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Top Bar | 1080 x 72 px | Phone device icons and camera | | Back Arrow / Profile Picture | 100 x 100 px at X:75, Y:75 | Profile picture or back button | | Blurb Bar | 1030 x 285 px | Profile picture, name, handle, then 3 lines of caption max. “Promoted” appears in the handle | | CTA / Link Bar | 315 x 105 px at X:190, Y:1385 | External link button | | Video Metrics / Side Bar | 1080 x 45 px | Replies, shares, likes, views, save, share | | Main Menu / Bottom Bar | 1080 x 80 px | Home, search, Grok, watch, notifications, messages. Solid black | Interface elements X published for the 9x16 Media Viewer, in device pixels. Superseded specs page, read 16 August 2026. This is a full-screen placement, not the timeline. #### Three things to know before you reuse those numbers 1. The two platforms disagree on the label. iOS puts “Ad” in the top right of the blurb bar. Android puts “Promoted” in the handle. Same product, two strings, two positions, both stated by X on one page. 2. The two platforms disagree on caption lines: 2 on iOS, 3 on Android, against the same page's own prose rule of a maximum of 3 lines, which does not distinguish platform. 3. The widths are device-native, not creative-native. 1125 px is an iPhone X class screen width and 1080 px a common Android one. These are screen coordinates, and X never states the frame height, so the reserved share of the picture cannot be worked out from X's own figures. #### X does say the overlay is temporary > “Please be mindful of the various overlays in the Vertical Video viewer (outlined in yellow to the right). This overlay disappears after two seconds of your video is watched.” [X Business, Vertical Video Ads](https://business.x.com/en/products/vertical-video-ads) · accessed 16 Aug 2026 > “You can also include a call-to-action button to drive users to your website or app. This button appears after the viewer has watched one second of your ad.” [X Business, Vertical Video Ads](https://business.x.com/en/products/vertical-video-ads) · accessed 16 Aug 2026 X distributes that boundary as a picture with a yellow outline rather than as a number, which is the same thing TikTok does with its downloadable overlay files. Neither publishes a percentage. ### Everything X publishes about cropping, in one place This is thin, and two of the four statements were deleted from the page X currently links. None of them describes a standalone promoted image or video in the timeline. | Statement | Placement it applies to | Page | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------- | --------------------- | | “However, 1:1 will crop to 1.91:1 in mobile timeline.” | Image ads with polls | Superseded specs page | | “However, 1:1 will crop to 16:9 in mobile timeline.” | Video ads with polls | Superseded specs page | | “Any height is acceptable, but if the height exceeds the width, the video will be cropped to 1:1 in the feed.” | Amplify Sponsorships | Current specs page | | “1:1 is recommended as it will always render as square on desktop and mobile, timeline and profile. This and 9:16 (vertical) will take up the same amount of real estate, which is more than 16:9.” | Amplify Pre-roll | Current specs page | The last sentence is the closest X comes to stating relative footprint in the timeline: 1:1 and 9:16 take the same room, and both take more than 16:9. It is written for Amplify Pre-roll, so it cannot be quoted as a general timeline rule. The gap that matters for a mockup is plain: X lists 9:16 as a supported size for standalone image and video ads and says nothing at all about how the timeline renders it. ### There is no character cut-off figure, and X says why X publishes no truncation rule for timeline post copy: not a character count, not a line count, not the label on the expand control. For the analogous full-screen surface it explains why, and the sentence is worth reading in full: > “There is a max of 3 lines of captions allowed before it is cut off with the ‘Read More’ option. We recommend 90 characters or less to have all of the captions appear on screen. We cannot provide the exact number of characters allotted before cut off as it can vary across phones & settings (eg user screen size, accessibility settings, etc.).” X Ads creative specs, superseded page, recorded not linked · accessed 16 Aug 2026 That is X saying a fixed figure is not something it can give. The same shape shows up on long-form posts: X confirms they exist through the note\_tweet object in its data dictionary, described as the full text of a post over 280 characters, and publishes nothing about where the timeline cuts one. Any page giving you a number for X feed truncation did not get it from X. ### What this mockup draws, and where it differs The mockup above draws the X timeline card at 375 logical pixels wide: profile picture, account name and handle, two lines of post copy, then your creative, then a link strip carrying the display URL, the headline and a call-to-action button, then the action row and the “Promoted” label. Three differences worth stating outright. 1. It takes horizontal files. This placement draws the 16:9 card, while X's current specs page lists six ratios. Upload a square or vertical file and the tool says so instead of quietly moving you to another platform. 2. The headline sits below the creative here. The only positional figure X publishes for a card headline is “Between 8 - 12 pixels from left and bottom of the image” (current specs page, 16 August 2026), so treat the headline position here as illustrative and check your own layout against that figure. 3. The post copy clamps at two lines. X publishes no timeline truncation rule at all, so that clamp is a drawing choice rather than an X specification. The card headline is the only field X gives a rendering rule for: 70 characters maximum, two lines rendered, an ellipsis after that, and 50 characters to be safe. Everything else on this page is X's own, quoted with the address it came from and the date it was read. Documentation ## Two live specs pages, and X links only one Worth knowing if you have ever found two different X spec sheets. X runs two creative ad specs pages. Both returned HTTP 200 on 16 August 2026, both carry the same page title, and they are different documents. The one X links publishes less about rendering behaviour than the one it replaced. | Page | Address | Status | | ---------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | Current | | Canonical. The only specs page linked from X's campaign setup index, and the source of every figure on this page credited to X creative specs. | | Superseded | business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications-old | Live and publicly reachable, and not linked from the index. The address is recorded here rather than linked: an orphaned page can be removed at any time, and it would take every crop and overlay figure X publishes with it. | | Legacy | business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/advertiser-card-specifications | 302 redirects to the superseded page. This is the address most third-party guides still cite, so anyone re-verifying against it is reading the superseded document without being told. | ### What the current page added The expanded aspect ratios, 4:5 at 1440 x 1800 and 2:3 at 1080 x 1620, repeated under all eleven media sections. ### What it dropped, with nothing put in their place - Both mobile timeline crop statements. - The 9x16 iOS and Android overlay pixel tables, which are the only numeric interface geometry X has ever published. - The Media Viewer post copy truncation rule. - The Amplify Marketplace overlay geometry, and the Collection Ads specs. - The Immersive Takeovers section, and with it the only occurrence of the phrase “safe zones” anywhere in X's ad documentation. Neither page carries a publish or updated date. Both embed an empty pagePublishDate, so the relationship between them cannot be established from X's own pages at all. That is why every figure here is dated by the day it was read rather than by the day X wrote it. Published specs ## X promoted image and video ad specs All from X's own properties, read on 16 August 2026. X does not separate requirements from recommendations with headings the way Meta does; it marks strength word by word. So the Type column uses this site's vocabulary and X's own verb stays in the value, where you can check it. ### Promoted image ads in the timeline | Field | Value | Type | Source | Accessed | | -------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------- | | Post copy | 280 characters | Technical requirement | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Post copy, with a link | 257 characters (“each link used reduces character count by 23 characters”) | Technical requirement | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | File types, recommended | “PNG and JPEG are recommended” | Design recommendation | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | File types, refused | “We do not accept BMP or TIFF files” [The API says otherwise](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/x#conflicts) | Technical requirement | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | GIF handling | “GIFs uploaded will render as a static image” | Design guideline | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Max file size | 5 MB | Technical requirement | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Recommended size, 1:1 | 1200 x 1200 pixels | Design recommendation | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Recommended size, 1.91:1 | 1200 x 628 pixels | Design recommendation | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Supported ratios and their sizes | 4:5 at 1440 x 1800 · 2:3 at 1080 x 1620 · 1:1 at 1080 x 1080 · 1.91:1 at 2064 x 1080 · 16:9 at 1920 x 1080 · 9:16 at 1080 x 1920 [The API lists two](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/x#conflicts) | Design recommendation | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Expand behaviour | “Larger images will be better optimized for when users click to expand images” | Design guideline | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Minimum dimensions | No minimum published on this page | Not classified | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Safe zone | No safe zone published for the timeline [Why](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/x#safe-zone) | Not classified | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | One quiet trap in that table: X publishes three different pixel pairs for 1.91:1. The standalone recommended size is 1200 x 628, the card size is 800 x 418, and the expanded ratio block says 2064 x 1080. All three are roughly 1.91:1, and a tool keyed to “the 1.91:1 spec” has three X-published answers to choose from. ### Promoted video ads in the timeline | Field | Value | Type | Source | Accessed | | -------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | --------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------- | | Post copy | 280 characters, or 257 with a link | Technical requirement | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | File types | MP4 or MOV | Technical requirement | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Max file size | 1 GB on this page. X's two developer pages say 500 MB and 512 MB [See the conflict](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/x#conflicts) | Technical requirement | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | File size, for performance | “strongly recommend to keep files under 30 MB” | Design recommendation | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Length, recommended | 15 seconds or less | Design recommendation | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Length, supported | Up to 2:20 | Technical requirement | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Length, by exception | Up to 10 minutes for select advertisers, and X advises 9:55 | Technical requirement | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Looping | “Videos will loop if the video length is under 60 seconds” | Design guideline | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Branding placement | Logo “should be persistent in the upper left hand corner” | Design recommendation | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Captions | “Closed captioning or text overlays are strongly recommended” | Design recommendation | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Bitrate, 1080p | 6,000 to 10,000k, 6,000k recommended | Design recommendation | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Bitrate, 720p | 5,000k to 8,000k, 5,000k recommended | Design recommendation | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Frame rate | 29.97FPS or 30FPS, higher acceptable, up to 60FPS supported | Design recommendation | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Video codec | H264, Baseline, Main, or High Profile with a 4:2:0 color space | Design recommendation | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Audio codec | AAC LC (low complexity) | Design recommendation | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Thumbnail | PNG or JPEG, 5 MB max, sizing recommended to match the video | Technical requirement | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Recommended size, 1:1 | 1200 x 1200 pixels | Design recommendation | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Recommended size, 16:9 | 1920 x 1080 pixels [Above the API ceiling](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/x#conflicts) | Design recommendation | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Safe zone | No safe zone published for the timeline [Why](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/x#safe-zone) | Not classified | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | X's length line is routinely mis-summarised, so here it is whole: 15 seconds or less is recommended, up to 2:20 is supported, and select advertisers can request an increase up to 10 minutes, for which X advises 9:55 to allow for a range of video files. ### Website card fields, which is what the mockup draws | Field | Value | Type | Source | Accessed | | --------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------- | | Card image, 1.91:1 | 800 x 418 pixels | Design recommendation | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Card image, 1:1 | 800 x 800 pixels | Design recommendation | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Card video, 16:9 | 800 x 450 pixels | Design recommendation | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Card video, 1:1 | 800 x 800 pixels | Design recommendation | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Media headline length | Max 70 characters | Technical requirement | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Headline truncation | “Up to two lines of text are rendered on the card title; any text beyond that is truncated with an ellipsis” | Design guideline | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Headline safe length | 50 characters: “limiting the description to 50 characters should ensure that truncation won't occur across most devices” | Design recommendation | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Headline position | “Between 8 - 12 pixels from left and bottom of the image” [How this recreation differs](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/x#recreation) | Design guideline | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Destination URL | “must begin with http\:// or https\://” | Technical requirement | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | App title, on app button ads | “Truncated at 200 characters. Included from app store; not customizable” | Design guideline | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | App button call to action options | Install, Open, Play, Shop, Book, Connect, Order | Design guideline | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Carousel slides | 2 to 6 images or videos | Technical requirement | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Carousel ratio consistency | One aspect ratio per carousel, and mixed media must match (a 1:1 image with a 1:1 video) | Technical requirement | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Carousel website title | 70 characters, two lines rendered, then an ellipsis, 50 characters safe | Technical requirement | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Carousel destinations | One for single-destination, up to six unique for multi-destination | Technical requirement | [X creative specs](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 16 Aug 2026 | X explains the truncation mechanism in the image card section and withholds it in the video card section on the same page: the video section gives the 70-character limit and a note that the description may truncate depending on device and app settings, without saying what actually happens. Website carousels get the full version back. There is no stated reason for the difference and no basis for assuming video cards behave differently. ### How X counts the 280 characters | Field | Value | Type | Source | Accessed | | ------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------ | --------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------- | | Post limit | 280 characters | Technical requirement | [Counting characters](https://docs.x.com/fundamentals/counting-characters) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Latin letters, punctuation, common symbols | Weight 1, so 280 of them | Technical requirement | [Counting characters](https://docs.x.com/fundamentals/counting-characters) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Emoji | Weight 2, so a maximum of 140 emojis | Technical requirement | [Counting characters](https://docs.x.com/fundamentals/counting-characters) | 16 Aug 2026 | | CJK characters | Weight 2, so a maximum of 140 characters | Technical requirement | [Counting characters](https://docs.x.com/fundamentals/counting-characters) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Other Unicode | Weight 2 by default | Technical requirement | [Counting characters](https://docs.x.com/fundamentals/counting-characters) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Links | 23 characters regardless of original length, all wrapped with t.co | Technical requirement | [Counting characters](https://docs.x.com/fundamentals/counting-characters) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Attached media | Counts as 0 characters | Technical requirement | [Counting characters](https://docs.x.com/fundamentals/counting-characters) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Auto-populated @mentions in replies | Do not count | Technical requirement | [Counting characters](https://docs.x.com/fundamentals/counting-characters) | 16 Aug 2026 | | @mentions and hashtags you type | Count normally | Technical requirement | [Counting characters](https://docs.x.com/fundamentals/counting-characters) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Normalisation | UTF-8, Unicode Normalization Form C (NFC) | Technical requirement | [Counting characters](https://docs.x.com/fundamentals/counting-characters) | 16 Aug 2026 | The link rule reconciles exactly with the ads page: 280 minus 23 is 257. X's separate advice on length is a performance recommendation, not a rendering limit. > “The best performing ads are only 50-100 characters. Make sure your ad is simple, gets straight to the point, and focuses on one clear message.” [X Business, Creative best practices](https://business.x.com/en/advertising/creative-best-practices) · accessed 16 Aug 2026 > “Avoid using @mentions in your ad whenever possible, as they can distract viewers and lead them away from your content. Hashtags and multiple emojis are also prohibited in ads for the same reason.” [X Business, Creative best practices](https://business.x.com/en/advertising/creative-best-practices) · accessed 16 Aug 2026 ### What the API enforces, which is not the same list | Field | Value | Type | Source | Accessed | | ------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------- | | Media per post | “up to 4 photos, 1 animated GIF or 1 video” | Technical requirement | [Media best practices](https://docs.x.com/x-api/media/quickstart/best-practices) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Image formats | JPG, PNG, GIF, WEBP | Technical requirement | [Media best practices](https://docs.x.com/x-api/media/quickstart/best-practices) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Image file size | 5 MB or less | Technical requirement | [Media best practices](https://docs.x.com/x-api/media/quickstart/best-practices) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Animated GIF file size | 15 MB or less | Technical requirement | [Media best practices](https://docs.x.com/x-api/media/quickstart/best-practices) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Card image file size | “Images must be 3MB or less” [The specs page says 5 MB](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/x#specs) | Technical requirement | [Ads API creatives](https://docs.x.com/x-ads-api/creatives) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Card image minimum width | At least 800px | Technical requirement | [Ads API creatives](https://docs.x.com/x-ads-api/creatives) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Card image formats | .bmp, .jpeg, .png [See the conflict](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/x#conflicts) | Technical requirement | [Ads API creatives](https://docs.x.com/x-ads-api/creatives) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Card ratios, image | 1:1 and 1.91:1 for website and app download cards, 1.91:1 for poll and conversation | Technical requirement | [Ads API creatives](https://docs.x.com/x-ads-api/creatives) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Card ratios, video | 16:9 and 1:1 for website and app download cards, 16:9 for poll and conversation | Technical requirement | [Ads API creatives](https://docs.x.com/x-ads-api/creatives) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Video dimensions | “must be between 32x32 and 1280x1024” [See the conflict](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/x#conflicts) | Technical requirement | [Media best practices](https://docs.x.com/x-api/media/quickstart/best-practices) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Video file size | “must not exceed 512 mb” | Technical requirement | [Media best practices](https://docs.x.com/x-api/media/quickstart/best-practices) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Promoted video file size | “500MB or less” | Technical requirement | [Ads API creatives](https://docs.x.com/x-ads-api/creatives) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Video duration | “must be between 0.5 seconds and 140 seconds” | Technical requirement | [Media best practices](https://docs.x.com/x-api/media/quickstart/best-practices) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Promoted video length | “maximum promoted video length currently allowed is 10 mins” | Technical requirement | [Ads API creatives](https://docs.x.com/x-ads-api/creatives) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Aspect ratio bounds | “must be between 1:3 and 3:1” | Technical requirement | [Media best practices](https://docs.x.com/x-api/media/quickstart/best-practices) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Pixel format | “Only YUV 4:2:0 supported” | Technical requirement | [Media best practices](https://docs.x.com/x-api/media/quickstart/best-practices) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Audio | AAC Low Complexity only, High-Efficiency AAC not supported, mono or stereo, not 5.1 or greater | Technical requirement | [Media best practices](https://docs.x.com/x-api/media/quickstart/best-practices) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Scan and GOP | Must use progressive scan, and must not have open GOP | Technical requirement | [Media best practices](https://docs.x.com/x-api/media/quickstart/best-practices) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Playback tier | Subscribed users upload and get 1080p, unsubscribed users upload and get 720p | Design guideline | [Media best practices](https://docs.x.com/x-api/media/quickstart/best-practices) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Poster image | png or jpg. “There are no aspect ratio or size requirements, but the poster image will be adjusted to fit the video player” | Design guideline | [Ads API creatives](https://docs.x.com/x-ads-api/creatives) | 16 Aug 2026 | | Destination URL length | Must not exceed 255 characters, even behind a shortener | Technical requirement | [X Ads FAQ](https://business.x.com/en/help/troubleshooting/ads_tweets_faq) | 16 Aug 2026 | These are the figures that actually reject a file, and several do not match the marketing page. X's own caveat is on the media page: the media category parameter “can affect file size limits or other constraints enforced for media uploads”. It never publishes what the promoted-media category's limits are, so it says they vary and stops. ### What X does not publish X gives no figure for any of these. If a spec sheet hands you one, it did not come from X. | Not published | Pages checked | Accessed | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------- | | Any safe zone for a promoted image or video in the timeline, in pixels or percentages | Both creative specs pages, best practices, Vertical Video Ads, and both sets of developer docs | 16 Aug 2026 | | How much post copy renders in the timeline before the expand control, and what that control is called | Both creative specs pages, counting characters, the data dictionary, best practices | 16 Aug 2026 | | How a post longer than 280 characters is displayed in the timeline | Data dictionary, counting characters, business.x.com | 16 Aug 2026 | | What the timeline does to a 9:16 promoted image or video: full height, crop or letterbox | Both creative specs pages | 16 Aug 2026 | | Any canonical timeline width, height or container ratio to compute a crop against | Every X-owned page in the source list | 16 Aug 2026 | | Character limits for a headline or description on a standalone ad, as opposed to a card | Both creative specs pages | 16 Aug 2026 | | A minimum image size for feed ads on X's business site. Only the Ads API gives one, and only for cards | Both creative specs pages | 16 Aug 2026 | | The timeline ad label's string, position or size | Both creative specs pages and the ad formats page | 16 Aug 2026 | | The file size, duration and dimension limits of the amplify\_video media category, which X says differ from the defaults | Media best practices, Ads API creatives | 16 Aug 2026 | | Any publish or updated date on either creative specs page. Both embed an empty pagePublishDate | Both creative specs pages | 16 Aug 2026 | | The date the expanded ratios shipped. The X blog post announcing them is indexed by search engines and returns a 404 | business.x.com/en/blog | 16 Aug 2026 | | X's consumer-side media specs, because help.x.com sits behind a bot challenge that returned 403 on every request | help.x.com, help.twitter.com | 16 Aug 2026 | Which number to use ## Five X figures that depend on the page you read Each of these sits between two pages X publishes itself. Here is the number to build to, with the sources under it. - X recommends video dimensions that exceed its own published API ceiling. X publishes no reconciliation. The only thing it offers is a note that the media category “can affect file size limits or other constraints enforced for media uploads”, and it never states what the promoted-media category's constraints are. [The sources, side by side](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/x#x-c5-dimensions-vs-api-ceiling) - X publishes three different maximum file sizes for a promoted video. 500 MB satisfies all three. The API layer is the one that rejects an upload, and it is the layer publishing the two lower figures. [The sources, side by side](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/x#x-c3-video-file-size) - X's current specs page lists six aspect ratios and its Ads API publishes two. 1:1 and 1.91:1 for images, and 16:9 and 1:1 for video, are the pairs every X page agrees on. [The sources, side by side](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/x#x-c1-aspect-ratios) - BMP is refused on X's ads page and supported in its Ads API. Use PNG or JPEG. They are the only two formats all three X lists agree on. [The sources, side by side](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/x#x-c2-bmp) - Meta's dedicated safe-zone page carries no numbers, and adds a 40% rule found nowhere else. Use the placement pages' figures. Treat 40% as the operative bottom reserve only for Reels ads that carry disclaimers; that rule appears on this one page. [The sources, side by side](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/x#c5-safe-zone-page-empty) ### The sources behind each one Source conflict ### X recommends video dimensions that exceed its own published API ceiling A tool validating uploads against the developer documentation would reject the sizes X's ads page recommends. | Source | Value | Type | Accessed | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------- | --------------------- | ----------- | | [X Business · Creative ad specifications](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 1920 x 1080 (16:9) · 1080 x 1920 (9:16) | Design recommendation | 16 Aug 2026 | | [X developer docs · Media best practices](https://docs.x.com/x-api/media/quickstart/best-practices) | 32x32 to 1280x1024 | Technical requirement | 16 Aug 2026 | ### Verbatim wording from the pages What to use X publishes no reconciliation. The only thing it offers is a note that the media category “can affect file size limits or other constraints enforced for media uploads”, and it never states what the promoted-media category's constraints are. If you upload through Ads Manager, the ads page figures are the ones to build to; if you upload through the API, expect the API ceiling to be the one enforced. Last checked 16 Aug 2026 Source conflict ### X publishes three different maximum file sizes for a promoted video Three X-owned pages, three ceilings, and the two API figures do not agree either. | Source | Value | Type | Accessed | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------- | --------------------- | ----------- | | [X Business · Creative ad specifications](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 1 GB max | Technical requirement | 16 Aug 2026 | | [X developer docs · Ads API creatives](https://docs.x.com/x-ads-api/creatives) | 500MB or less | Technical requirement | 16 Aug 2026 | | [X developer docs · Media best practices](https://docs.x.com/x-api/media/quickstart/best-practices) | 512 mb | Technical requirement | 16 Aug 2026 | ### Verbatim wording from the pages What to use 500 MB satisfies all three. The API layer is the one that rejects an upload, and it is the layer publishing the two lower figures. X's own separate advice, “strongly recommend to keep files under 30 MB”, sits well below all of them. Last checked 16 Aug 2026 Source conflict ### X's current specs page lists six aspect ratios and its Ads API publishes two The layer that enforces at upload has not been updated to match the marketing page, and the superseded specs page agrees with the API, not with the current page. | Source | Value | Type | Accessed | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------- | ----------- | | [X Business · Creative ad specifications](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | 4:5 · 2:3 · 1:1 · 1.91:1 · 16:9 · 9:16 | Design recommendation | 16 Aug 2026 | | [X developer docs · Ads API creatives](https://docs.x.com/x-ads-api/creatives) | 1:1 and 1.91:1 (image cards) · 16:9 and 1:1 (video cards) | Technical requirement | 16 Aug 2026 | | [X Business · Creative best practices](https://business.x.com/en/advertising/creative-best-practices) | 16:9 or 1:1 | Design recommendation | 16 Aug 2026 | ### Verbatim wording from the pages What to use 1:1 and 1.91:1 for images, and 16:9 and 1:1 for video, are the pairs every X page agrees on. The four other ratios appear only on the current specs page, which carries no date, and no X-owned page says when they shipped: the blog post announcing them returns a 404. Last checked 16 Aug 2026 Source conflict ### BMP is refused on X's ads page and supported in its Ads API Three different X-published image format lists are in circulation for the same object. | Source | Value | Type | Accessed | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------- | --------------------- | ----------- | | [X Business · Creative ad specifications](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) | BMP not accepted | Technical requirement | 16 Aug 2026 | | [X developer docs · Ads API creatives](https://docs.x.com/x-ads-api/creatives) | .bmp supported | Technical requirement | 16 Aug 2026 | ### Verbatim wording from the pages What to use Use PNG or JPEG. They are the only two formats all three X lists agree on. The Ads API list omits GIF and WEBP, which the media API supports, so a format's acceptance depends on which upload path you use. Last checked 16 Aug 2026 Source conflict ### Meta's dedicated safe-zone page carries no numbers, and adds a 40% rule found nowhere else The page that exists to explain safe zones is qualitative; the figures live on the placement pages it never cites. | Source | Value | Type | Accessed | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------- | --------------------- | ---------- | | [Meta Ads Guide · Placement pages (Reels, Stories)](https://www.facebook.com/business/ads-guide/update/video/instagram-reels) | 14% top · 35% bottom · 6% each side | Design recommendation | 5 Aug 2026 | | [Meta Business Help Centre · About text overlays and the safe zone for ads on Facebook and Instagram](https://www.facebook.com/business/help/980593475366490) | None published | Not published | 5 Aug 2026 | | [Meta Business Help Centre · Same page, Reels ads carrying disclaimers](https://www.facebook.com/business/help/980593475366490) | 40% bottom | Design guideline | 5 Aug 2026 | ### Verbatim wording from the pages What to use Use the placement pages' figures. Treat 40% as the operative bottom reserve only for Reels ads that carry disclaimers; that rule appears on this one page. Three bottom figures (20%, 35%, 40%) circulate across Meta's own documentation with no page reconciling them. Last checked 5 Aug 2026 Meta has the same shape of problem in a different place: the page whose whole job is to explain safe zones carries no numbers at all. [See the Facebook page](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/facebook#conflicts) · [All platforms on the hub](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup) ### Every source on this page Each figure above carries its source inline. The full list, all read 16 August 2026: - [X Business: Creative ad specifications (canonical)](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications) - [X Business: Campaign setup index](https://business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup) - [X Business: Vertical Video Ads](https://business.x.com/en/products/vertical-video-ads) - [X Business: Creative best practices](https://business.x.com/en/advertising/creative-best-practices) - [X Business: Ads and posts FAQ](https://business.x.com/en/help/troubleshooting/ads_tweets_faq) - [X developer docs: Media best practices](https://docs.x.com/x-api/media/quickstart/best-practices) - [X developer docs: Ads API creatives](https://docs.x.com/x-ads-api/creatives) - [X developer docs: Counting characters](https://docs.x.com/fundamentals/counting-characters) - [X developer docs: Data dictionary](https://docs.x.com/x-api/fundamentals/data-dictionary) #### Recorded, not linked Two addresses appear on this page as text rather than links. The first is orphaned and undated and can be removed at any time; the second only redirects to it. - X Ads creative specs, superseded page: business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/creative-ad-specifications-old - Advertiser card specifications, which 302 redirects to it: business.x.com/en/help/campaign-setup/advertiser-card-specifications Last verified 16 August 2026. Volatile figures (aspect ratios, character limits, file ceilings, and whether the superseded page is still reachable) are re-checked quarterly; stable ones (codecs, containers, counting rules) annually. Other platforms ## Safe zones and specs for the other placements Each page carries that platform's published specs and its safe zone, sourced and dated. Instagram is the useful contrast: its safe zone has numbers, on the placement pages. ### [Instagram](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/instagram) [Reels · Story · Feed](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/instagram) [3 placements in the tool](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/instagram) [Safe zone published](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/instagram) ### [TikTok](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/tiktok) [For You](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/tiktok) [1 placement in the tool](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/tiktok) [No published figure](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/tiktok) ### [Facebook](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/facebook) [Story · Reels · Feed](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/facebook) [3 placements in the tool](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/facebook) [Two safe-zone readings published](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/facebook) ### [LinkedIn](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/linkedin) [Feed](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/linkedin) [1 placement in the tool](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/linkedin) [No safe zone published](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/linkedin) ### [YouTube](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/youtube) [In-Stream](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/youtube) [1 placement in the tool](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/youtube) [Safe zone published in pixels](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/youtube) ### [Snapchat](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/snapchat) [Snapchat](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/snapchat) [1 placement in the tool](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/snapchat) [Figures on two pages disagree](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/snapchat) FAQ ## X ad spec questions ### Does X publish a safe zone? Not for the timeline. The phrase does not appear anywhere on X's current creative specs page (read 16 August 2026). The one safe zone X has published covers the full-screen Media Viewer, it is given as interface element sizes in device pixels rather than as a percentage of your creative, and it survives only on a superseded specs page X no longer links from its campaign setup index. ### What are X's specs for a promoted image? Post copy runs to 280 characters, or 257 once a link is in it. PNG and JPEG are recommended, BMP and TIFF are refused, the ceiling is 5 MB, and an uploaded GIF renders as a static image. Recommended sizes are 1200 x 1200 at 1:1 and 1200 x 628 at 1.91:1. All from X's creative specs page, read 16 August 2026. ### What are X's specs for a promoted video? MP4 or MOV. 15 seconds or less is recommended, up to 2 minutes 20 is supported, and select advertisers can request up to 10 minutes, for which X advises 9:55. Videos under 60 seconds loop. Bitrate is 6,000k recommended at 1080p and 5,000k at 720p. File size is the one figure X does not answer once: 1 GB on the specs page, 500 MB on the Ads API and 512 MB on the media API, all read 16 August 2026. ### How many characters can an X ad have? 280 for the post. Every link counts as 23 characters no matter how long it is, which is exactly where the 257 figure comes from. Emoji and CJK characters weigh 2, so a post made of those caps at 140. Attached media counts as 0. From X's counting characters documentation, read 16 August 2026. Separately, X's own best practices page says the best performing ads are only 50 to 100 characters. ### Where does X cut post copy in the timeline? X does not say. No X-owned page states how many characters or lines of post copy render in the timeline before the expand control, or what that control is labelled. For the full-screen Media Viewer, X states outright that it cannot give the number because it varies with phone and settings. The two-line clamp in the mockup above is a drawing choice, not an X rule. ### What does X do with a 9:16 ad in the timeline? Unpublished. X's current specs page lists 9:16 at 1080 x 1920 as a supported size and says nothing about how the timeline renders it. The only two sentences X ever published about timeline cropping were both about poll cards, and both were dropped when the specs page was replaced (both pages read 16 August 2026). ### Which aspect ratios does X support? The current specs page lists six: 4:5 at 1440 x 1800, 2:3 at 1080 x 1620, 1:1 at 1080 x 1080, 1.91:1 at 2064 x 1080, 16:9 at 1920 x 1080 and 9:16 at 1080 x 1920. X's Ads API publishes only 1:1 and 1.91:1 for image cards and 16:9 and 1:1 for video cards, and X's own best practices page recommends 16:9 or 1:1. All three read 16 August 2026. ### Why does this mockup only take horizontal files? Because the X placement in this tool is a recreation of the 16:9 timeline card, and that is the shape it draws honestly. X supports more ratios than the recreation draws. Upload something square or vertical and the tool says so rather than switching you to another platform. ### Is this tool free? Yes, and it is 100% private: nothing is saved or uploaded, your file is read in the browser and never leaves your device. No account, no email, no watermark, and there is no paid tier of this tool. This is RecruitmentAds ## Paste a vacancy link. Get the finished ad set back. We turn one vacancy URL into a complete set of hiring ads: an on-brand video plus the static sizes, cut for Meta and LinkedIn. Recruiters ship a campaign in minutes. Marketing keeps control of the brand. - Video and static from one link - Sized per placement, Meta and LinkedIn - Your fonts, colours and logo, locked [See RecruitmentAds Studio](https://recruitmentads.com/recruitment-video)[Keep using the mockup tool →](https://recruitmentads.com/free-tools/ad-mockup/x#tool) Instagram, Facebook and Meta are trademarks of Meta Platforms, Inc. TikTok is a trademark of ByteDance Ltd. LinkedIn is a trademark of LinkedIn Corporation. YouTube is a trademark of Google LLC. Snapchat is a trademark of Snap Inc. X is a trademark of X Corp. RecruitmentAds.com is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by any of these companies. The placement previews on this page are illustrative recreations built from published specifications. They are not screenshots of the apps and may differ from the current product. Specification figures are quoted from each platform’s own documentation with the date they were read.