Free Instagram Story Maker
The NJHTools Instagram Story Maker lets you design a free 1080×1920 px (9:16) Story in your browser: start from a template, keep text out of the top and bottom ~250 px, and download a PNG or JPG. No signup, no watermark, and your photos never leave your device.
Opens a blank 1080 × 1920 px design. No signup, no watermark, nothing uploaded.
Instagram Story templates
Pick a template to open it in the editor, then change the text, colors and photos.
Instagram Story size and specs
| Recommended size | 1080 × 1920 px |
|---|---|
| Aspect ratio | 9:16 (vertical, full screen) |
| Safe zone | Keep text and logos out of the top and bottom ~250 px |
| Also fits | Reels covers, Facebook Stories, TikTok and YouTube Shorts graphics |
| File format | PNG or JPG |
| Templates included | 4 Story templates |
How to make an Instagram story
- 1Open the Story Maker and choose a Story template, or start a blank 1080 × 1920 canvas.
- 2Edit the text in place and style it from the floating toolbar.
- 3Add your photos from Uploads and decorate with shapes and stickers from Elements.
- 4Check that nothing important sits in the top or bottom ~250 px of the canvas.
- 5Download as PNG or JPG and add it to your Story from your phone.
Respect the Story safe zones
Instagram draws your profile picture, name and progress bar over the top of a Story, and the reply bar and buttons over the bottom. Keep headlines, prices and logos out of roughly the top and bottom 250 px of a 1080 × 1920 canvas.
Backgrounds and photos should still fill the whole frame so the Story does not look letterboxed. Only the important content needs to stay in the middle area.
Make it readable in a few seconds
A Story image is on screen for only a few seconds, so lead with one short headline and one supporting line. If you have more to say, split it across several pages and post them in sequence.
Use high contrast between text and background: white text on a busy photo needs a dark overlay or a solid shape behind it. Adding a semi-transparent rectangle from the Elements panel is the quickest fix.
Leave room for stickers you add in the app
If you plan to add a poll, link or countdown sticker in Instagram, leave an empty area in the middle third for it. Designing that space in advance keeps the interactive sticker from covering your text.