A Facebook Instant Experience is a full-screen page that opens inside the app when someone taps your ad on a phone. It loads instantly and can hold images, videos, carousels, products from your catalog, buttons and links, so people can browse before they ever leave for your website. It works with single image, video, carousel and collection ads, and it only runs on mobile.
Two facts change how you report on it. First, Meta says that from June 2025 an Instant Experience no longer counts as a landing page view, so don't compare its landing page view numbers with older campaigns. Second, you can't edit an Instant Experience after you've finished it, so check every component before you click Finish.
The five Instant Experience templates
| Template | What it does | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Storefront | Products from your catalog in a grid next to your ad creative | Collection format, an ecommerce catalog, traffic or sales objective |
| Lookbook | Lifestyle images with tagged products that open product details | Collection format, an ecommerce catalog, traffic or sales objective |
| Customer Acquisition | Takes people straight to a signup, subscription or purchase page | A short message and a strong call to action |
| Storytelling | Images or videos that tell your brand story and send people to your site or app | Strong visuals |
| Sell Products (Without Catalog) | A product grid built from details you upload | Product details and images |
Which templates you see depends on the objective and ad format you choose. If none fit, build a custom Instant Experience with the builder, where you add, reorder and name components like text blocks, images, videos and buttons, pick a colour theme and turn on swipe to open.
Where Instant Experience ads appear
| Ad format | Placements Meta lists |
|---|---|
| Single image or video | Facebook Feed, Facebook Marketplace, Facebook Group Feed, Facebook Stories, Facebook Search Results, Instagram Explore, Instagram Feed, Instagram Stories |
| Carousel | Facebook Feed, Facebook Marketplace, Facebook Stories, Facebook Search Results, Instagram Feed, Instagram Explore |
| Collection | Facebook Feed, Facebook Marketplace, Instagram Feed, Instagram Explore |
A few limits sit behind that table. Instant Experience isn't compatible with carousels that contain video. Product tagging and the store locator don't work on Instagram. Linked Instant Experiences only show on Facebook. And you can't attach an Instant Experience to an organic Page post: it has to be part of an ad.
Image and video specs
| Layout | Meta's recommendation |
|---|---|
| Image fit to width (linkable) | 1080 pixels wide, and you can link the image |
| Image fit to width (tap to expand) | Minimum 1080 pixels high |
| Image fit to height (tilt to pan) | 1920 pixels high |
| Video fit to width | 720 pixels wide, MP4 or MOV |
| Video length | Under 2 minutes recommended |
Videos autoplay with the sound off and loop, so add captions. If you place two videos on one screen, only the first plays. Fonts are limited too: Meta's workaround is to save a text block as an image and add it as a picture.
How to build one that holds attention
- Open strong. The ad itself has to give people a reason to tap.
- Show your brand on the first screen, ideally with your logo in the header.
- Use 5 to 7 components. Meta says experiences with a single image or video tend to get less attention than longer ones with 5 to 7 components.
- Repeat your main point. People don't always reach the end, so put your strongest points early and add several calls to action.
- Put a button or linked image on every screen.
- Test on different phones. Meta notes it can look different across aspect ratios, and some advertisers build separate versions for iOS and Android.
You can also link two or more Instant Experiences together through a photo, button or carousel component, which is handy when one product range needs its own page. For the creative itself, my guide to Facebook ad image dimensions covers the ad that sits in front.
What to measure
Meta gives you metrics like Instant Experience view time and view percentage. Taps that open your Instant Experience are counted in link clicks for traffic campaigns, and in any billing based on clicks. Once someone opens it, you can also build a custom audience of people who interacted with your Instant Experience and retarget them.
My verdict
Instant Experience earns its place when you've got more to show than one ad can hold: a range of products, a short story, or a demo. Start from a template, keep the video short and captioned, and judge it on view time and clicks to your site rather than landing page views. If you're weighing it against simpler formats, my comparison of the Facebook ad formats that work for small businesses will help.
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Frequently asked questions
What is an Instant Experience on Facebook?
It's a full-screen experience that opens after someone taps your ad on a mobile device. It can include images, videos, carousels, catalog products, buttons and links.
Do Instant Experience ads show on desktop?
No. Meta says ads with an Instant Experience only appear on mobile devices, not on desktop computers.
Does an Instant Experience count as a landing page view?
Not any more. Meta says that starting in June 2025, Instant Experiences no longer count as a landing page view.
Can I edit an Instant Experience after I finish it?
No. Meta says you can't edit an Instant Experience after you complete it, so check it before you click Finish.
Do Instant Experiences work on Instagram?
Many placements include Instagram Feed, Stories and Explore, but some components such as product tagging and the store locator aren't compatible with Instagram, and linked Instant Experiences only show on Facebook.
