Recommended setups
Using dedicated templates for each aspect ratio gives you the most predictable control over how your ads appear across placements. Below are recommended approaches for working with 1:1, 4:5 and 9:16 templates - including when to use each setup and what result to expect.
🗒️ Note: Setups using fewer templates require less design work but allow Meta greater control over which image is displayed or how it is adapted.
🟢 BEST PRACTICE: FULL CONTROL SETUP
Dedicated templates for every format
Goal:
Get pixel-perfect control over each placement.
Setup:
Apply a dedicated template to all three slots:
1:1
4:5
9:16
Result:
Each placement uses a template designed specifically for its aspect ratio.
No cropping, no zooming and no automatic adaptation by Meta. This gives you the highest visual quality and the most predictable results across placements.
This is the only setup that reliably controls what is shown in 4:5 placements such as IG Reels.
🟠 FEWER TEMPLATES, LESS CONTROL
Goal:
Reduce design work and catalog template usage while accepting less predictable delivery.
👉 Important to know
There is no universally reliable setup using only one or two templates. When a dedicated template is missing for a requested aspect ratio, Meta may:
Select another product image that better matches the requested ratio;
Crop, zoom or expand an existing image;
Display a different result depending on the product or placement.
Recommendation: If you leave any slot without a dedicated template, we recommend turning Image Touch Ups / Adapt to Placement off for that slot. This reduces automatic transformations, but it does not guarantee which image Meta will display across every placement.
⚠️ With any one- or two-template setup, you give Meta more control over the final result.
Reusing a 4:5 template in the 1:1 slot
You can explicitly select a 4:5 template for the 1:1 slot, but we do not recommend this for most advertisers.
On specific placements (IG Reels 1:1 grid), Meta may ignore a 4:5 template selected for the 1:1 slot if a square template or product image exists in the catalog.
This means reusing one 4:5 template for both slots is no longer reliable.
This setup can work when all relevant products have no square template or product image. However, it remains fragile: adding a square image later may change delivery without any change to the ad.
For predictable and pixel-perfect delivery, use a dedicated 1:1 template.