LinkedIn Ad Specs 2026: Sizes and Formats for Every Ad Type

Getting LinkedIn ad specs right means more than uploading an image at the correct size. The wrong dimensions can waste feed space, while text that runs too long can get cut off before someone reads your message.

LinkedIn ad specs in 2026 come down to a short list you can memorize. Images max out at 5 MB and run best at 1200 x 1200 px square or 1200 x 628 px horizontal. Video accepts MP4 up to 500 MB and 30 minutes, between 360 and 1920 px on either side. Headlines get 70 characters on single image ads, 45 per card on carousels, and 25 on text ads. Introductory text gets 150 characters before LinkedIn truncates it with "see more."

This page lists every current LinkedIn ad format with its verified specs, pulled from LinkedIn's own specification pages in October 2026. It also covers the part spec sheets leave out: which ratio wins the most feed space, where text gets cut off, and which formats have no published creative specs at all. If you are building creative this week, start with the master table below.

LinkedIn ad specs 2026: the master table

[table]
Format | Recommended size | File type | Max file size | Headline | Intro/body text
Single Image Ad | 1200 x 1200 (1:1) or 1200 x 628 (1.91:1) | JPG, PNG, GIF | 5 MB | 70 characters | 150 characters
Video Ad | 1080 x 1350 (4:5) or 1920 x 1080 (16:9) | MP4 | 500 MB | 70 recommended, 200 max | 150 recommended, 600 max
Carousel Ad | 1080 x 1080 per card (1:1) | JPG, PNG | 10 MB | 45 characters per card | 255 characters
Document Ad | Vertical, square or horizontal | PDF, DOC, DOCX, PPT, PPTX | 100 MB | 70 characters | 150 characters
Event Ad | 4:1, pulled from the Event page | Set by Event page | Set by Event page | Pulled from Event | 600 characters
Thought Leader Ad | Inherits the original member post | Inherits post | Inherits post | Not editable | Not editable
Conversation Ad | Banner up to 300 x 250, desktop only | JPG, PNG | 2 MB banner | CTA 25 characters | Message 8,000 characters
Message Ad | Banner up to 300 x 250, desktop only | JPG, PNG | 2 MB banner | CTA 25 characters | Message 8,000 characters
Text Ad | 100 x 100 logo | JPG, PNG | 2 MB | 25 characters | Description 75 characters
Spotlight Ad | 100 x 100 logo, 300 x 250 background | JPG, PNG | 2 MB each | Confirm in Campaign Manager | Confirm in Campaign Manager
Follower Ad | 100 x 100 logo | JPG, PNG | 2 MB | Confirm in Campaign Manager | Confirm in Campaign Manager
Connected TV Ad | Set by the CTV partner | MP4 | Set by partner | Not applicable | Not applicable
[/table]


Two rules apply across almost every format. Ad name is optional and capped at 255 characters, and the destination URL is required, must begin with http:// or https://, and cannot exceed 2,000 characters.

If you are still deciding which format to run rather than how to size it, start with our breakdown of the types of LinkedIn ads and what each one is actually good for.

What are the LinkedIn single image ad specs?

Single image ads accept JPG, PNG, or GIF files up to 5 MB in three ratios. The recommended sizes are 1200 x 628 px for horizontal, 1200 x 1200 px for square, and 628 x 1200 px for vertical. Headline is 70 characters, introductory text is 150 characters, and description is 70 characters.

[table]
Ratio | Devices | Minimum | Maximum | Recommended
1.91:1 horizontal | Desktop and mobile | 640 x 360 px | 7680 x 4320 px | 1200 x 628 px
1:1 square | Desktop and mobile | 360 x 360 px | 4320 x 4320 px | 1200 x 1200 px
1:1.91 vertical | Mobile only | 360 x 640 px | 2430 x 4320 px | 628 x 1200 px
[/table]


Text limits for single image ads:

• Ad name: optional, 255 characters
• Headline: 70 characters
• Introductory text: 150 characters
• Description: 70 characters, required only if you run on the LinkedIn Audience Network
• Destination URL: required, 2,000 characters

Two details almost every LinkedIn Ads spec guide gets wrong

First, the description field is not always required. LinkedIn only requires it when your campaign runs on the LinkedIn Audience Network, which places your ad on third-party apps and sites. If you turn the Audience Network off, you can leave the description empty. Most guides list it as mandatory.

Second, 1:1.91 vertical is not LinkedIn's best vertical option. LinkedIn's own documentation notes that images at 1:1.91 get borders added to fit the feed frame, and recommends 4:5 at 720 x 900 px or 2:3 at 600 x 900 px to avoid them. If you are designing vertical creative for mobile, build at 4:5. You get the full frame with no letterboxing.

What are the LinkedIn video ad specs for 2026?

LinkedIn video ads must be MP4 files between 75 KB and 500 MB, between 3 seconds and 30 minutes long, with every side between 360 and 1920 px. Audio must be AAC or MPEG4 with a sample rate under 64 kHz, and 30 frames per second is recommended.

[table]
Orientation | Ratio | Minimum | Maximum
Vertical | 4:5 (0.8) | 360 x 450 px | 1080 x 1350 px
Vertical | 9:16 (0.57) | 360 x 640 px | 1080 x 1920 px
Landscape | 16:9 (1.78) | 640 x 360 px | 1920 x 1080 px
Square | 1:1 (1.0) | 360 x 360 px | 1920 x 1920 px
[/table]


Other video requirements:

• Aspect ratio tolerance: 5%
• Overall ratio range: 9:16 (0.563) to 16:9 (1.778)
• Thumbnail: optional but recommended, JPG or PNG, max 2 MB, must match the video's ratio and resolution
• Captions: optional, but add them. Most LinkedIn video plays start muted
• Headline: 70 characters recommended, 200 maximum
• Introductory text: 150 characters recommended, 600 maximum

How long should a LinkedIn video ad be?

LinkedIn allows up to 30 minutes. A LinkedIn video ad for B2B SaaS should be 6 to 15 seconds for awareness and 30 to 90 seconds for consideration. The 30-minute ceiling exists for webinar replays and long-form content, not for feed ads. A feed ad has to earn attention in the first two seconds, muted, with no sound and no context.

Practical guidance by objective:

• Brand awareness and reach: 6 to 15 seconds, one idea, one message on screen
• Video views and engagement: 15 to 30 seconds
• Consideration and product education: 30 to 90 seconds
• Webinar replay or customer story: 2 to 10 minutes, used for retargeting warm audiences only

Where do LinkedIn overlays cover your video?

LinkedIn places profile information at the top of a feed video and the headline plus CTA button at the bottom. If you build at 9:16 and put text in the top or bottom 15% of the frame, it will be partly covered. Keep critical text and logos inside the middle 70% of the frame vertically. This is the single most common reason vertical video creative looks broken in the live feed but fine in the preview.

What are the LinkedIn carousel ad specs?

Carousel ads use 2 to 10 square cards at 1:1, with a recommended resolution of at least 1080 x 1080 px per card. Files must be JPG or PNG with a 10 MB maximum. Introductory text is 255 characters, and each card headline is 45 characters.

• Cards: minimum 2, maximum 10
• Card ratio: 1:1 square only
• Card resolution: 1080 x 1080 px or larger recommended
• File types: JPG or PNG
• Max file size: 10 MB
• Introductory text: 255 characters
• Headline per card: 45 characters
• Video: not supported in carousel cards

The 45-character card headline is the tightest constraint in the whole format set. It is roughly six to seven words. Write the headlines first, then design the cards, because designing first and writing second produces copy that gets cut. More on this format in LinkedIn carousel ads.

What are the LinkedIn document ad specs?

Document ads accept PDF, DOC, DOCX, PPT, and PPTX files up to 100 MB. LinkedIn recommends staying under 10 pages, though the hard ceiling is 300 pages or 1 million words. Introductory text is 150 characters, and the headline is 70 characters.

• File types: PDF, DOC, DOCX, PPT, PPTX
• Max file size: 100 MB
• Pages: fewer than 10 recommended, 300 pages or 1 million words maximum
• Ratios: vertical, square, and horizontal all supported
• Introductory text: 150 characters
• Headline: 70 characters
• Accepted PDF page sizes: Letter, Tabloid, Legal, Statement, Executive, Folio, A3, A4, B4, B5

Three technical requirements cause most document ad rejections. Flatten or merge any PDF with multiple layers. If your pages are different sizes, resize them all to one page size. Use secure hyperlinks inside the document. A layered Figma or InDesign export is the usual culprit when an upload fails without a clear error.

Build document ads vertically. Vertical pages take up more feed height on mobile, which means more time on screen. The first page is doing the entire job of a thumbnail, so put the title and the payoff on it. Details in document ads.

What are the LinkedIn message and conversation ad specs?

Both sponsored messaging formats allow 8,000 characters of message text, a 25-character call to action, and a 20,000-character custom footer. The optional banner is a JPG or PNG up to 300 x 250 px and 2 MB, and it only displays on desktop.

[table]
Field | Message Ad | Conversation Ad
Message text | 8,000 characters | 8,000 characters
Call to action | 25 characters | 25 characters
Custom footer | 20,000 characters | 20,000 characters
Banner image (optional) | Up to 300 x 250 px, 2 MB | Up to 300 x 250 px, 2 MB
Banner visibility | Desktop only | Desktop only
Sender image | Sender's LinkedIn profile photo | Sender's LinkedIn profile photo
Structure | One message, one CTA | Multiple CTA paths, branching
[/table]


The 8,000-character limit is not a target. Sponsored messaging that performs reads like a message from a person, which means 60 to 120 words. And because the banner is desktop-only, never put essential information in it. Roughly half your audience will never see it.

One compliance point to plan around: sponsored messaging has restrictions for members in the EU. If your ICP is heavily European, confirm availability in Campaign Manager before you build the creative. See how conversation ads and message ads differ in practice.

What are the LinkedIn text ad and event ad specs?

Text ads use a 100 x 100 px logo in JPG or PNG up to 2 MB, with a 25-character headline and a 75-character description. Event ads pull a 4:1 image directly from your LinkedIn Event page and allow 600 characters of introductory text.

Text Ads

• Image: 100 x 100 px logo
• File type: JPG or PNG
• Max file size: 2 MB
• Headline: 25 characters
• Description: 75 characters

Event Ads

• Image ratio: 4:1, pulled automatically from the Event page
• Event name: optional, 255 characters
• Introductory text: 600 characters
• Destination: LinkedIn Event page URLs only

Event ads have an important constraint: you cannot upload creative. The image comes from the Event page, so the Event page banner is your ad creative. Build it at 4:1 before you launch the campaign, because fixing it later means editing the Event, not the ad.

Which LinkedIn formats have no published creative specs?

Four formats cannot be designed from a spec sheet, and any guide that publishes exact numbers for them is guessing. Here is the honest status of each as of October 2026.

[table]
Format | Why there is no fixed spec | What to do instead
Thought Leader Ad | It promotes an existing member post. There is no creative upload, and the text is not editable | Design the organic post correctly first. The post becomes the ad
Spotlight Ad | Dynamic Ads build creative from profile data at serve time. Headline and description limits are set in the builder | Logo 100 x 100 and background 300 x 250 are stable. Read the live character counters in Campaign Manager
Follower Ad | Same as Spotlight. Fields populate dynamically from the member profile and Company Page | Supply a clean 100 x 100 logo and check the builder's limits
Connected TV Ad | Inventory runs through streaming partners, and each partner sets its own delivery spec | Request the current spec from your LinkedIn representative before producing the video
[/table]


Thought Leader Ads deserve the extra note, because they are the format most likely to catch a team out. You are not making an ad. You are selecting an existing post from an employee's profile and putting budget behind it. That means the creative decision happened when the post was written. If the post has a weak first line, no amount of budget fixes it, and you cannot edit the copy inside Campaign Manager. Plan the post as the ad. 

Our guide to LinkedIn thought leader ads covers how to build a pipeline of postable creative, and the thought leader ads glossary entry covers the mechanics.

Which LinkedIn ad size performs best?

Square at 1:1 and vertical at 4:5 take up the most feed height on mobile, which is where most LinkedIn impressions happen. Horizontal 1.91:1 takes up the least. If you can only produce one size, produce 1200 x 1200 square, because it renders well on both desktop and mobile with no cropping.

How to think about it by placement:

• 1:1 square: the safe default. Works everywhere, never cropped, strong mobile height
• 4:5 vertical: most feed height on mobile. Best for video and for anything where screen time matters
• 1.91:1 horizontal: smallest footprint. Fine for link-style ads and for creative that is genuinely wide, like a dashboard screenshot
• 9:16 full vertical: video only. Needs careful safe zones because of LinkedIn's overlays

One caveat worth stating plainly: specs do not determine performance. Format and size affect how much attention your creative gets a chance at. They do not make a weak offer work. In the LinkedIn Ads accounts we run, the gap between a good and a bad creative at the same size is far wider than the gap between sizes.

Where does LinkedIn cut off your ad copy?

The character limit is what the field accepts. The truncation point is what people actually read. They are not the same number, and the second one matters more.

[table]
Field | Field limit | Practical writing target | Why
Single image intro text | 150 characters | First 120 characters carry the message | Mobile shows less before "see more" than desktop
Video intro text | 600 maximum | Under 150 | LinkedIn's own recommendation, and anything past it hides behind "see more"
Single image headline | 70 characters | 40 to 60 | Narrow mobile viewports wrap or clip long headlines
Video headline | 200 maximum | Under 70 | 70 is LinkedIn's recommended length for a reason
Carousel card headline | 45 characters | 30 to 40 | Two lines maximum before it gets cramped
Text ad headline | 25 characters | 20 to 25 | No room to waste. Lead with the noun
Sponsored message body | 8,000 characters | 60 to 120 words | It is a message, not a landing page
[/table]


LinkedIn ad spec mistakes that cause rejections and reruns

1. Exporting a 6 MB hero image. Single image ads cap at 5 MB, not 10 MB. Carousels are the ones with 10 MB. Compress before upload.
2. Uploading a layered PDF for a document ad. Flatten it first. Layered exports from design tools fail without a useful error message.
3. Mixed page sizes in one document ad. Resize every page to the same size.
4. Video with an audio sample rate above 64 kHz. Re-encode the audio. This is an easy miss on files exported for YouTube.
5. Vertical video with text in the top or bottom of the frame. LinkedIn's own interface covers it. Keep text in the middle 70%.
6. Using 1:1.91 for vertical images. LinkedIn adds borders. Use 4:5 instead.
7. Leaving description empty while running on the Audience Network. Description becomes required there.
8. Putting the offer in a Conversation Ad banner. It is desktop only.
9. Designing carousel cards before writing 45-character headlines. Write first, design second.
10. Launching an Event Ad with a non-4:1 Event page banner. Fix the Event page, because you cannot upload separate ad creative.
11. Thumbnail ratio that does not match the video. LinkedIn requires the thumbnail to match the video's ratio and resolution.
12. Text-heavy static images. No spec blocks this, but dense creative loses to a single clear line of text at every size.

Pre-launch QA checklist

Run this before anything goes live. It takes five minutes and prevents the usual week-one reruns.

1. File size is under the format limit (5 MB images, 10 MB carousel, 500 MB video, 100 MB document)
2. Image ratio matches one of LinkedIn's three supported ratios exactly
3. Every side of every video sits between 360 and 1920 px
4. Video audio is AAC or MPEG4 under 64 kHz
5. Thumbnail ratio and resolution match the video
6. Headline reads completely on a narrow mobile viewport
7. Intro text makes the point in the first line, before "see more"
8. Carousel headlines are all under 45 characters
9. Description is filled in if the Audience Network is on
10. Destination URL starts with https:// and carries your tracking parameters
11. The LinkedIn Insight Tag is firing on the landing page
12. Conversion tracking is set up before launch, not after
13. Preview checked in both desktop and mobile view inside Campaign Manager

How LinkedIn specs compare to Google display ad sizes

LinkedIn uses a handful of ratios. Google Display uses dozens of fixed pixel sizes. That difference changes how you brief creative. For LinkedIn, you produce one square master and crop to 4:5 and 1.91:1. For Google Display, you produce a set of distinct sizes, each with its own layout. If you run both channels, build the LinkedIn square first and adapt outward. Our reference for the other side is Google Display ad sizes.

The same logic applies to how the two platforms fit together in a B2B SaaS program. LinkedIn reaches the right accounts before anyone searches. Google captures them once they do. 

See Google Ads vs LinkedIn Ads for B2B SaaS for how the handoff works, and LinkedIn Ads cost for what the auction looks like at B2B software CPCs.

How many creative variants should you build per campaign?

Build three to five creative variants per ad set, in one size, rather than one variant in five sizes. LinkedIn needs enough variation to find a winner, and your learning comes from testing messages, not from testing ratios. A practical starting kit for a B2B SaaS campaign:

• One square static with a single-line claim and a proof number
• One square static with a customer quote or logo
• One 4:5 video, 15 seconds, captioned
• One document ad, vertical, 6 to 8 pages
• One thought leader ad from a founder or practitioner post

Then refresh the static creative every four to six weeks. LinkedIn audiences are small and tightly targeted by job title and company, which means the same people see your ad repeatedly. Creative fatigue arrives faster on LinkedIn than on broader platforms. You can check what competitors are running in the LinkedIn Ad Library before you brief.

Get the format decision right before the spec decision

LinkedIn Ads Specs are the easy part. The harder question is which format belongs at which stage of the buying process, and that depends on whether you are creating demand or capturing it. A document ad and a conversation ad are both valid in 2026, but they belong to different moments. Start with the format guide, then come back here to build.

If you want someone to run the whole system, we build and run LinkedIn and Google as one program for Seed to Series B B2B SaaS companies. 

See our LinkedIn Ads service, look at how we work on the Scalix, or book a call.