Keep Text Inside the Safe Area of a Story
You make a story, add a strong headline, post it, and then notice the first line is hidden under the account name. This is the most common story mistake, and it is easy to avoid once you know where the safe area is. Here is how to keep text inside the safe area of a story, and why it works.
What the safe area is
The safe area is the part of the screen that stays clear when the story is being viewed. Anything inside it is seen. Anything outside it may be covered by the app's own buttons or lost on some phones.
For a story at 1080 x 1920, Melon Cut Design keeps:
- 8% clear on the left and right
- 14% clear at the top and bottom
The vertical margin is bigger because that is where the progress bar, the name, the reply field and the sticker buttons appear.
Why the numbers differ from a post
A feed post uses a margin of 13% at the sides and 12% at the top and bottom, because the risks are different. In a post, the danger is the cropped grid and tight edges. In a story, the danger is interface on top of the picture. Compare with the Instagram Post Size Guide if you work with both.
Where to put things
Imagine the picture split into five horizontal strips.
- Top strip (inside the 14%): nothing important. A sky, a plain colour, or a pattern.
- Upper-middle: a small label or logo, if the guidelines allow it.
- Centre: the headline and the main subject.
- Lower-middle: a short line of detail, such as a time or place.
- Bottom strip (inside the 14%): keep clear.
The centre is the strongest position because it is always visible and is where the eye lands first.
Practical rules for text
- Use fewer words. Six words are read; thirty are skipped.
- Make the text big enough to read at arm's length.
- Put text on a calm area. If the background is busy, ask for a plain band or a darker patch behind the words.
- Keep line lengths short. Break a sentence into two or three lines instead of one wide line that runs near the side margin.
- Do not centre a line that nearly touches both side margins. Leave air.
Prompts that ask for the right layout
A vertical 9:16 Instagram Story, deep teal background. A white paper cup of tea in the centre. Headline in the middle third in cream letters: "Rainy day menu". Keep the top and bottom fifth of the picture empty.
A vertical story with a photo of a bookshop window at dusk, attached as reference. Add a dark band behind the centre of the frame and put the words "Late opening tonight" on it. Nothing near the top or bottom.
Check, then check again
Open your finished picture and cover the top and bottom strips with your hand. Can you still read the point of the story? If yes, it is safe. Also check spelling and any dates or prices, because AI can produce wrong letters.
Related reading
The full dimensions are in the Instagram Story Size Guide.
Doing it in Melon Cut
In Melon Cut Design, switch to Social and choose the story format. The safe areas are kept for you, so a prompt that says where the headline goes will land it in a readable spot. Check the result, then post the file yourself.