Meta Ads Preview Tool: free Facebook & Instagram ad mockups
Upload your creative, add your copy, and see exactly how your ad will look in Feed, Stories and Reels, with safe zone overlays, dark mode and PNG export. Free, no signup.
Preview every Meta ad placement in seconds
The preview tool above mocks up your ad with real Meta UI (Sponsored labels, CTA buttons, reaction bars and the Reels action rail) so what you see is what your audience sees:
- Facebook Feed: primary text truncation ("See more" at about 125 characters), link card, CTA button and engagement bar
- Instagram Feed: caption truncation, CTA banner and action row
- Instagram Stories: full 9:16 with progress bar, profile chrome and swipe-up CTA
- Instagram Reels: action rail, caption clamp, CTA and audio row
- Facebook Reels: Facebook-styled reels chrome
It works with images and video, previews light and dark mode, exports PNG mockups for client approvals, and everything renders locally, so your files never leave your browser.
Check Meta ad safe zones before you publish
Meta overlays its own interface on Stories and Reels ads: profile info at the top, caption, CTA and action buttons at the bottom. Creative in those areas gets covered. Meta has unified its guidance, so every 9:16 placement now carries the same safe zone. Keep text and logos out of these areas (shown on a 1080 x 1920 canvas):
| Placement | Top | Bottom | Sides |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instagram Stories, Instagram Reels and Facebook Reels ads | 14% (about 270 px) | 35% (about 670 px) | 6% (about 65 px) |
One extra rule worth knowing: if your Reels ad carries a disclaimer, Meta says to leave the bottom 40% free of text, logos and key creative elements. For a deeper check, including downloadable PNG templates for every placement, use our Meta ads safe zone checker.
And size your creative to the placement:
| Placement | Ratio | Recommended size |
|---|---|---|
| Feed (Facebook & Instagram) | 1:1 or 4:5 | 1080x1080 or 1080x1350 |
| Stories & Reels | 9:16 | 1080x1920 |
| Landscape link ads | 1.91:1 | 1200x628 |
How to preview your Facebook and Instagram ads
- Upload your creative. Drag and drop an image or video, click to browse, or paste from your clipboard.
- Add your copy and brand. Primary text, headline, CTA, page name and logo. The character counters flag anything that will truncate.
- Check every placement. Flip through Feed, Stories and Reels, toggle safe zones and dark mode, then export PNG mockups.
Why preview ads before they go live
Most "underperforming creative" was never seen the way it was designed. Primary text cuts off at about 125 characters and buries the hook. A 1:1 image loses its edges when Stories crops it to 9:16. The bottom third of a Reel disappears under the caption and CTA. Half your audience sees your ad in dark mode.
Catching that takes thirty seconds in the tool above, before media spend finds it for you. This tool is built by Hey Sage, and it is part of how we run Meta ads management for Australian brands. While you are here, model your ad economics with our free Shopify ecommerce calculator, or get started with us.
Meta ads preview tool FAQ
Is this Meta ads preview tool really free?
Yes. Completely free, with no account, no watermark and no usage limits. It is a free tool built by Hey Sage, a Meta ads agency.
What ad placements can I preview?
Facebook Feed, Instagram Feed, Instagram Stories, Instagram Reels and Facebook Reels, each drawn with realistic Meta UI, in light or dark mode.
What are the safe zones for Instagram Stories and Reels ads?
Meta now gives every 9:16 placement the same guidance: leave roughly 14% of the top, 35% of the bottom and 6% on each side free from text, logos and other key creative elements. That covers Instagram Stories, Instagram Reels and Facebook Reels ads, because Meta overlays profile info, captions and the CTA in those areas. If your Reels ad carries a disclaimer, leave the bottom 40% clear. The tool draws these zones over your creative.
What size should my Meta ads be?
Use 1080x1920 (9:16) for Stories and Reels, 1080x1350 (4:5) or 1080x1080 (1:1) for feed placements, and 1200x628 (1.91:1) for landscape link ads.
Can I preview video ads?
Yes. Upload an MP4 or MOV and it plays inside every placement. PNG export captures the current video frame.
Are my images and videos uploaded anywhere?
No. Everything renders locally in your browser, so your files never leave your device.
How is this different from previewing in Meta Ads Manager?
You do not need a campaign, an ad account or a login. Preview creative in seconds, toggle safe zones and dark mode, and export shareable PNG mockups for client approvals.
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