Free Instagram Story Preview Tool

See your story at full-screen 9:16 with the progress bar, profile header and reply bar overlaid — so nothing important gets covered.

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What is a instagram story preview tool?

An Instagram Story preview tool renders your creative at 1080 × 1920 px with the progress bar, profile header and reply bar overlaid, so you can confirm that text and logos sit inside the safe zone — roughly 250 px clear at the top and 250 px at the bottom.

Why preview an Instagram Story?

Stories are full-bleed, which means Instagram’s own interface sits directly on top of your creative. The progress bar, your handle and the close button occupy the top; the reply bar, share icon and any sticker prompts occupy the bottom. Designers routinely centre text vertically and find the bottom line buried under "Send message". Previewing the frame with the overlay in place is the fix.

What this Instagram Story preview shows you

  • Progress bar and headerThe Instagram gradient ring, handle and timestamp at the top of the frame.
  • Safe zonesWhere the top and bottom interface elements cover your design.
  • Reply barThe message bar at the foot of the story.
  • Full-bleed cropHow your image fills the 9:16 frame, including any unwanted cropping.

How to preview an Instagram Story

Upload your story creative, add your business name and logo, and select the IG Stories tab in the preview column. Check that all text and logos sit inside the middle band of the frame, then share the mockup for client approval.

Instagram Story specs at a glance

Dimensions1080 × 1920 px (9:16)
Top safe zoneKeep 250 px clear for the progress bar and header
Bottom safe zoneKeep 250 px clear for the reply bar
Maximum image duration5 seconds per story frame
Maximum video duration60 seconds per story frame
Recommended file typeJPG, PNG or MP4

Frequently asked questions

What size is an Instagram Story?

Instagram Stories are 1080 × 1920 px, a 9:16 vertical ratio. Keep roughly 250 px clear at the top and 250 px at the bottom so the progress bar, header and reply bar do not cover your content.

What is the Instagram Story safe zone?

The safe zone is the central area of the 1080 × 1920 frame — approximately 1080 × 1420 px — where Instagram’s interface will not cover your text, logo or call to action.

Can I preview an Instagram Story without posting it?

Yes. The preview is rendered in your browser and nothing is uploaded to Instagram. You can check the layout as many times as you like before publishing.

Are my images stored or published anywhere?

No. Your image and caption stay in your browser while you build the preview and nothing is posted to any social network. A preview is only stored on our servers if you click Share, which creates a private link you can send to a client or teammate.

Is the preview tool really free?

Yes. The social media post preview tool is free and requires no account, no credit card and no sign-up. Nothing you upload is published anywhere. Content Manager is the paid product behind it — a social media management platform for agencies — but the preview tool works on its own.

Preview your post on other platforms

Want to generate and schedule content too?

This preview tool is a free standalone feature of Content Manager — an AI-powered platform built for marketing agencies. With a full account you can generate brand-trained captions using AI, schedule posts across every platform, manage multiple clients from a shared workspace, and get content approved through a built-in client portal. No more copy-pasting between tools.