LinkedIn Ad Image Size: Complete Specs for Every Format

LinkedIn advertising commands the highest cost-per-click of any major social platform. At an average CPC north of $5 and CPMs routinely exceeding $30, every impression matters. Uploading an ad with the wrong LinkedIn ad image size means your budget buys blurry creatives, awkward crops, and lower click-through rates — an expensive mistake when you are paying premium rates to reach decision-makers.

This guide covers the exact pixel dimensions, aspect ratios, and file requirements for every LinkedIn ad format available in Campaign Manager as of 2026.

Master Reference: Every LinkedIn Ad Image Size

This table covers all active LinkedIn ad formats. Bookmark it.

Sponsored Content Ads

Sponsored Content appears directly in the LinkedIn feed — the highest-visibility placement on the platform. These formats compete with organic posts for attention, so creative quality determines whether someone stops scrolling.

Single Image Ads

The workhorse of LinkedIn advertising. Single image ads appear natively in the feed with an introductory text block, the image, a headline, and a CTA button.

Specs:

• Image size: 1200 × 628 pixels
• Aspect ratio: 1.91:1
• File size: 5 MB maximum
• File types: JPG or PNG
• Introductory text: 150 characters visible before truncation (600 character limit)
• Headline: 70 characters recommended (200 character limit)
• Description: 100 characters (appears on Audience Network placements)

LinkedIn renders the image at various widths depending on device and feed context. The 1200 × 628 specification gives enough resolution to look sharp on desktop feeds without bloating file size on mobile. Going below 1200 pixels wide produces visible softness on high-DPI screens.

What works in B2B single image ads:

• Clean data visualizations and charts outperform stock photography. Decision-makers respond to evidence, not generic handshake photos.
• Keep text overlay under 20% of the image area. LinkedIn does not enforce Facebook's old text penalty, but cluttered images still underperform.
• Use your brand colors consistently. B2B buyers see your ads multiple times before clicking — recognition compounds.

Carousel Ads

Carousel ads display 2 to 10 swipeable cards, each with its own image, headline, and landing page URL. They earn higher engagement rates than single image ads because the swipe mechanic creates interaction.

Specs per card:

• Image size: 1080 × 1080 pixels
• Aspect ratio: 1:1
• File size: 10 MB per card
• File types: JPG or PNG
• Card headline: 45 characters recommended
• Cards: Minimum 2, maximum 10

Design carousel cards as a sequence, not standalone images. Each card should build on the previous one — a stat on card one, the problem on card two, the solution on card three, the CTA on card four. This narrative structure keeps people swiping.

Video Ads

Video ads autoplay silently in the feed. Since most viewers never turn on audio, burned-in captions are mandatory for B2B video ads.

Specs:

• Landscape: 1920 × 1080 (16:9) — best for desktop-heavy audiences
• Square: 1080 × 1080 (1:1) — balanced desktop and mobile performance
• Vertical: 1080 × 1920 (9:16) — maximum mobile real estate
• File size: 200 MB maximum
• Duration: 3 seconds to 30 minutes (15-30 seconds performs best)
• Format: MP4
• Frame rate: 30 fps or lower

For B2B campaigns targeting senior decision-makers, landscape or square formats perform best. Vertical video reads as consumer-oriented — fine for recruiting ads, less effective for enterprise software demos.

Message and Conversation Ads

Sponsored Messaging delivers ads directly to LinkedIn inboxes. These formats reach prospects in a personal context — the creative needs to feel like a message, not a billboard.

Message Ads

Message ads send a single targeted message with a CTA button and an optional banner image.

Banner specs:

• Image size: 300 × 250 pixels
• Aspect ratio: 6:5
• File size: 2 MB maximum
• File types: JPG, PNG, or non-animated GIF

The banner appears in the right rail of the message. It is secondary to the message copy, but a well-designed banner reinforces brand recognition. Use your logo, a product screenshot, or a single compelling stat — not a paragraph of text crammed into 300 × 250 pixels.

Conversation Ads

Conversation ads add a choose-your-own-path element with multiple CTA buttons that branch into different message flows. The banner specs are identical to Message Ads (300 × 250 pixels, 2 MB maximum).

Each branch can have its own CTA and landing page. This format works exceptionally well for segmenting prospects by interest — "See pricing" goes one direction while "Watch a demo" goes another.

Text Ads

Text ads appear in the right rail and top banner of LinkedIn's desktop interface. They are the most affordable LinkedIn ad format and require minimal creative effort.

Specs:

• Image size: 100 × 100 pixels
• Aspect ratio: 1:1
• File size: 2 MB maximum
• File types: JPG or PNG
• Headline: 25 characters
• Description: 75 characters

At 100 × 100 pixels, there is no room for complexity. Use your company logo or a headshot (headshots consistently outperform logos in text ads). The image is a thumbnail — its job is recognition, not persuasion.

Text ads do not appear on mobile. If your audience skews mobile-heavy, allocate budget to Sponsored Content instead.

Dynamic Ads

Dynamic ads use LinkedIn profile data to personalize the creative automatically. The member sees their own profile photo alongside your ad — a powerful attention-grabbing mechanism.

Spotlight Ads

Drive traffic to a landing page or website. LinkedIn auto-generates the creative using the member's profile photo and your company logo.

Logo specs:

• Company logo: 100 × 100 pixels
• Background image (optional): 300 × 250 pixels
• File size: 2 MB maximum

Follower Ads

Promote your LinkedIn Company Page to gain followers. Same logo specs as Spotlight Ads (100 × 100). LinkedIn handles the creative layout — you supply the logo and copy.

Document Ads

Document ads let prospects view a PDF, PowerPoint, or Word document directly in the feed without leaving LinkedIn. They are ideal for whitepapers, case studies, industry reports, and slide decks.

Specs:

• Cover image: Pulled from the first page of the document. Design the first page at 1080 × 1080 (1:1) for optimal feed display.
• File size: 100 MB maximum
• File types: PDF, DOC, DOCX, PPT, PPTX
• Pages: 300 maximum (10-page documents get the highest completion rates)

Document ads include a built-in lead gen option — require a form fill before showing the full document. This is one of the most cost-efficient lead generation tactics on LinkedIn because the content itself qualifies interest.

Lead Gen Form Ads

Lead Gen Forms attach to Sponsored Content or Message Ads. They pre-fill form fields with LinkedIn profile data, which dramatically increases conversion rates compared to landing page forms.

Header image specs:

• Image size: 1200 × 628 pixels
• Aspect ratio: 1.91:1
• File size: 5 MB maximum

The header image appears at the top of the form. Use it to reinforce the offer — show the whitepaper cover, the webinar speaker, or the product screenshot that matches the ad creative.

LinkedIn Ad Format Comparison

Use this table to pick the right format based on your campaign objective.

B2B Creative Best Practices

LinkedIn is a professional platform where audiences expect substance. What works on Instagram or TikTok will underperform here.

Lead with data. Numbers stop the scroll. "Companies using X see 40% faster Y" is more compelling than "Transform your Z."

Skip stock photography. Generic business photos (people in suits pointing at laptops) signal low-effort advertising. Use product screenshots, custom data visualizations, or branded illustrations instead.

Design for the feed, not the boardroom. Your ad competes with organic posts from connections, influencers, and other companies. If it looks like an ad at first glance, it gets scrolled past. The best-performing LinkedIn creatives feel like valuable content that happens to have a CTA.

Test aspect ratios. Run identical creative as 1.91:1 single image and 1:1 carousel. Many advertisers find square formats earn higher engagement in the mobile feed because they occupy more vertical space.

Compress before uploading. LinkedIn re-compresses images on upload. Starting with an already-heavy file means double compression artifacts. Compress your ad images before uploading to maintain sharpness.

Match creative to funnel stage. Top-of-funnel ads should educate (stats, insights, trends). Middle-funnel ads should demonstrate (product screenshots, customer results). Bottom-funnel ads should convert (pricing, free trials, demo offers).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best image size for LinkedIn ads?

For Sponsored Content single image ads — the most common format — use 1200 × 628 pixels. For carousel ads, use 1080 × 1080 pixels per card. Both sizes ensure sharp rendering across desktop and mobile without unnecessary file bloat.

Does LinkedIn crop ad images?

LinkedIn does not crop images that match the recommended aspect ratios. If you upload a 1200 × 628 image for a single image ad, it displays as-is. Upload an image at a different aspect ratio and LinkedIn will crop to fit, potentially cutting off important elements. Always match the recommended aspect ratio for each format.

What file format should I use for LinkedIn ad images?

Use PNG for images with text, logos, screenshots, or sharp edges. Use JPG for photographs and complex images. LinkedIn accepts both for all ad formats. Avoid GIF for Sponsored Content — it is only supported in Message and Conversation Ad banners, and only non-animated GIF at that.

How do I resize an image for LinkedIn ads without losing quality?

Use a tool that preserves quality during resizing rather than simple stretching. Pixotter's resize tool lets you set exact pixel dimensions and download the result instantly — processing happens in your browser so the image is never uploaded to a server. Set your target to 1200 × 628 for single image ads or 1080 × 1080 for carousel cards.

Can I use the same image across different LinkedIn ad formats?

Not without resizing. Single image ads use 1.91:1 aspect ratio (1200 × 628), carousels use 1:1 (1080 × 1080), and text ads use 1:1 at 100 × 100. An image designed for one format will be cropped or distorted in another. Create separate assets for each format, or start with a large source image and resize it to each specification.

What is the maximum file size for LinkedIn ad images?

It depends on the format. Single image ads, event ads, and lead gen form headers allow 5 MB. Carousel cards allow 10 MB per card. Message and conversation ad banners, text ads, and dynamic ads allow 2 MB. Document ads allow 100 MB for the document file itself.

How many characters can I use in LinkedIn ad copy?

Introductory text for Sponsored Content shows 150 characters before the "see more" truncation, with a 600 character hard limit. Headlines allow 200 characters but 70 is recommended. Text ad headlines are limited to 25 characters with a 75-character description. Keep the most important message above each format's truncation point.

Related Guides

• LinkedIn Banner Size: Specs for Personal and Company Pages
• LinkedIn Post Image Size: Dimensions for Organic Posts
• Social Media Image Sizes: Complete Reference for Every Platform
• Google Display Ad Sizes: Every Format and Dimension
• Banner Ad Sizes: Standard IAB Dimensions Guide