WhatsApp Marketing Image Size: Template Guide (2026)

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Planning a WhatsApp sale campaign?

You might already have the product photo, the offer, and the message ready.

Then you upload the image and realise the discount is too small to read, or the artwork was designed for a tall Instagram Story.

For a wide WhatsApp marketing template, 1200 × 700 pixels is a useful starting canvas.

It matches the 12:7 wide-image example in Meta’s marketing-message guide.

Export the header as JPEG or PNG and keep it below 5 MB.

These are separate checks: the dimensions are our design recommendation; the format and file limit come from the Cloud API media specifications.

You’ll also see 1125 × 600 pixels recommended in older guides.

We’ll explain where that size fits, how to prepare a readable image, and what to check before sending it through AiSensy.

This guide focuses on API campaign template headers; Status, profile pictures, and personal chat attachments have different uses.

What is the recommended WhatsApp marketing image size

Start with the shape of the message you want to send.

A single-image template has one visual above the message body, so a wide composition can give your product and offer room to sit together.

1200 × 700 pixels gives you a 12:7 canvas, matching the wide example on page 33 of Meta’s guide.

Meta presents it as a format to test with your audience, rather than a compulsory pixel resolution.

If you already have a 1125 × 600 design that looks right in your campaign tests, there’s no reason to rebuild it just to match a number in another guide.

What matters for your campaign is whether the uploaded file is accepted and the offer remains readable in the message your customers receive.

AiSensy’s (a leading WhatsApp Marketing and Engagement Platform) media-template help article also describes 16:9 and 1:1 images.

Check the options and preview available for your template in the dashboard.

A suitable canvas is a starting point for that check; it cannot promise the same preview across every device or template layout.

Don’t mix up 1125 × 600 and 1.91:1. Dividing 1125 by 600 gives 1.875. A 1200 × 630 canvas is approximately 1.91:1, while 1200 × 700 is approximately 1.714:1.

Stretching one design into another changes the proportions of the product and text.

Resize proportionally or rearrange the artwork on the new canvas.

WhatsApp template image formats and file limits

A correctly sized design can still fail if the exported file is unsupported or too large.

The current WhatsApp media table in AWS documentation, which links to Meta’s Cloud API reference, lists JPEG and PNG for images with a 5 MB maximum.

Leave some room below that ceiling when exporting.

JPG and JPEG refer to the same image format. Meta’s image-media reference hosted by WhatsApp describes PNG and JPG.

A .jpg file has not become a different format simply because a tool asks for .jpeg.

If your provider rejects it, check its upload requirements and re-export the actual image; changing a filename does not convert the file.

WebP is a separate sticker format in the Cloud API media table.

Convert a WebP promotional graphic to JPEG or PNG for a standard image header.

The sticker limits also differ: 100 KB for static WebP and 500 KB for animated WebP. Those limits don’t apply to an image header, and they don’t make stickers a standard template-header option.

A .gif file is not a supported JPEG/PNG image header either.

If your campaign needs motion, check the video template formats your provider supports and export a suitable video. Don’t assume a GIF that works in a personal WhatsApp chat will work in an API image template.

How image limits compare with other API media

Sending a brochure or product video instead? Use the limit for that media type.

This table summarises Cloud API media specifications; audio and stickers are included for comparison, not as standard image-template header choices.

You may have seen WhatsApp’s 2 GB file-sharing feature.

That refers to app file sharing, including group chats. It does not raise the standard Cloud API image-header limit to 2 GB.

For an API campaign, use the API media limit and any stricter limit applied by your provider.

How to make your WhatsApp marketing campaign image readable

Say you run a footwear store and want to announce a weekend sale.

Your image could include the full collection, several prices, shipping details, and the discount code.

But when someone opens the chat, each of those details competes for space in a much smaller preview.

Give the image one clear job: show the product and introduce the offer.

For this campaign, that might be “20% off selected sneakers”.

Explain which styles qualify, when the offer ends, and how to shop in the message body.

That way, the customer can understand the campaign without zooming into a poster full of small print.

Keep important content away from the edges

Leave breathing room around the product, offer, and brand name.

Treat that as a design habit, rather than a fixed Meta safe-zone measurement.

After sending a test, check whether anything important is difficult to see in the inline preview and after opening the image.

Make the message understandable without the image

Repeat the useful offer details in the body and give the customer a clear next action.

A graphic can support the message, but customers shouldn’t have to read every line inside it to understand the terms.

For a seasonal promotion, our festive WhatsApp message examples can help you plan the accompanying copy.

Review the image and the body together

Check that the discount, product, dates, and code agree across both.

If you change “20% off” to “15% off” in the body, update the artwork too.

A sharp image with an outdated offer can create more confusion than a simple product photo.

How to resize and compress a WhatsApp marketing image

Resizing changes the pixel dimensions. Compression changes the file weight.

You may need both, but lowering the JPEG quality won’t fix a product that has been stretched to fit a new aspect ratio.

1. Create the canvas. In your design tool, start with 1200 × 700 pixels for the wide example, or the dimensions you’ve chosen for your template. Place the original product photo on it without stretching.
   
   
2. Simplify the layout. Keep one offer prominent and move longer explanations into the message body. Use enough contrast for the product and text to stand out.
   
   
3. Choose JPEG or PNG. JPEG is a useful first choice for photos; try PNG for graphics with crisp lettering or flat colours. Export with an sRGB colour profile as a practical design setting.
   
   
4. Check the exported file. Confirm its dimensions, format, and actual file size. Aim for under 1 MB if the artwork still looks good; that is an optimisation target, not another API requirement.
   
   
5. Reduce the file weight if needed. Adjust JPEG quality, remove unnecessary detail, or simplify a large PNG. Open the new export to check the lettering and product edges before uploading.

Avoid passing the image through several rounds of compression.

Keep the original design and create a fresh export when the offer changes, so you aren’t rebuilding next week’s campaign from an already softened copy.

An example you can use for your next WhatsApp Marketing campaign

Here’s an original 1200 × 700 sale graphic to show how the layout can work.

It keeps the offer and product separate, with space around both.

Replace the illustration with your own product photo and use your actual promotion details before sending.

Pair it with a body such as:

Hi {{1}}, our weekend sneaker sale is live. Get 20% off selected styles until Sunday. Explore the eligible collection using the button below. Reply STOP to opt out.

Replace the offer, deadline, and destination with your real details, and configure your opt-out handling before use.

This is sample copy, not an approved template.

How to send an image template with AiSensy

Have your image and copy ready?

Follow AiSensy’s media-template setup guide and template creation guide.

This walkthrough is based on that documentation; the final check is the preview and test message in your account.

1. Open Manage → Template Message → + New. Choose Marketing for your promotional campaign.
2. Configure the template. Choose Image, enter the template name and language, and write the body.
3. Add sample values. Provide realistic examples for variables such as {{1}} and complete the fields requested by your account.
4. Submit for review. Check the copy, then submit it to Meta. Use an approved template for the broadcast.
5. Attach the campaign image. Select the approved image template in campaign setup and add the media you want to send.
6. Send a test. Use Test & Preview or Test Campaign to check the received message on your phone.
7. Review the audience and send. Keep opted-out contacts excluded, then send or schedule the campaign.

The AiSensy broadcast walkthrough explains the test and audience controls in more detail.

Check the template message guidelines if your content needs review; valid image dimensions alone do not guarantee template approval or delivery.

Why your WhatsApp campaign image may fail or look wrong

For campaigns that fetch media from a link, AiSensy’s API reference requires the media URL to be publicly accessible.

A link to a private drive folder or a page that needs a login is not the same as a fetchable image file.

A quick check before you broadcast

• The file is a genuine JPEG or PNG and is comfortably below 5 MB.
• The product is proportional, and the main offer is readable in a received test.
• The body contains the offer details and matches the image.
• The correct image template is approved, and the link or button leads to the intended destination.
• The campaign goes to the intended audience, with opted-out contacts excluded.

For your next WhatsApp campaign, choose a canvas that suits the template, keep the artwork focused, and check the actual message before sending.

Start with a wide 1200 × 700 design if you need a fresh layout, or keep an existing size that works in your tests.

You can create your AiSensy account, prepare the image template, and send a test before taking the campaign to your customers.

Frequently asked questions