Who gets this? RCS Cards and Carousels are available for RCS-enabled shops.
RCS Cards and Carousels let you showcase your products and brand with rich, eye-catching media right inside your subscribers' messaging apps.
This guide covers everything you need to know about using images and video in your RCS messages, including recommended sizes, aspect ratios, and platform-specific tips that help your content look great on both iOS and Android.
How Media Works in RCS Cards
When you add media to an RCS Card, the image or video displays at the top of the card above your title, description, and action buttons.
Postscript uses a medium media height by default, which means your media will render at a consistent size across cards.
A few things to keep in mind:
Every card requires a media file (image or video) and a description. You can also add an optional title and up to four action buttons.
If your media doesn't perfectly match the expected dimensions, the subscriber's device will automatically zoom and crop to fit. This is why getting your aspect ratio right matters.
Note: Subscribers whose devices don't support RCS will receive a fallback SMS or MMS message. For Carousels, only the first card's fallback content is used.
Recommended Image Specifications
Getting your image dimensions right is the single most impactful thing you can do to make your RCS messages look polished and professional. Below are the specs to follow:
Standalone RCS Cards
For a single RCS Card, use a landscape image with one of these aspect ratios:
16:9 (the most widely compatible and our recommended default)
2:1 or 7:3 (also supported, but 16:9 gives you the most predictable results across devices)
Optimal resolution: 1440 × 720 px
Recommended file size: 500 KB – 2 MB. Smaller is better for fast loading. RCS supports files up to 100 MB, but we recommend keeping images well below that for fast delivery.
Supported formats: JPEG, PNG, GIF
RCS Card Carousels
Carousels use a slightly different aspect ratio than standalone cards. Use a 4:3 landscape image for carousel cards.
Optimal resolution: 960 × 720 px
Recommended file size: 300 KB – 1 MB per card (keeping file sizes small ensures smooth swiping)
Supported formats: JPEG, PNG, GIF
Tip! Consistency is key in carousels. Use the same image dimensions across all cards in a carousel so your media looks uniform as subscribers swipe through.
Quick Reference: Image Specs
Card Type | Aspect Ratio | Optimal Resolution | Recommended File Size | Formats |
Standalone RCS Card | 16:9 (recommended) | 1440 × 720 px | 500 KB – 2 MB | JPEG, PNG, GIF |
Carousel Card | 4:3 | 960 × 720 px | 300 KB – 1 MB | JPEG, PNG, GIF |
Video in RCS Cards
You can embed video directly into your RCS Cards and Carousels. Video plays inline within the card, so subscribers tap to play without leaving the conversation. It's a great way to show off products, share tutorials, or grab attention.
Video Specifications
Spec | Standalone Card | Carousel Card |
Recommended format | MP4 | MP4 |
Aspect ratio | 16:9 | 4:3 |
Recommended file size | 5–10 MB | 2–5 MB |
Supported formats | MP4, MPEG, M4V, WebM, H.263 | MP4, MPEG, M4V, WebM, H.263 |
Video Thumbnails
When you include video in a card, you can provide a thumbnail image. This is the static preview subscribers see before they tap to play.
Note: If you don't provide a thumbnail, subscribers will only see a play button on a blank background. The first frame of your video won't display automatically. Providing a thumbnail is strongly recommended so subscribers know what they're about to watch.
Keep thumbnails under 100 KB (50 KB or less is ideal). This is a small file because it's just a lightweight preview, not the video itself.
Match the thumbnail's aspect ratio to your video (16:9 for standalone cards, 4:3 for carousels) to avoid unexpected cropping.
Choose a visually compelling frame that represents the video content well and encourages subscribers to tap play.
Video Best Practices
Keep videos short. Aim for 15–30 seconds max. Think product demos, quick how-tos, or eye-catching brand moments rather than long-form content.
Use MP4 format. While multiple formats are technically supported, MP4 provides the most consistent playback experience across devices.
Optimize for file size. Smaller files load faster, especially on mobile networks. Compress your video to stay well under the max limits while maintaining visual quality.
Image Best Practices
Keep Important Content Centered
The subscriber's device may crop your image to fit the card's media area, and cropping behavior varies between iOS and Android. Keep logos, product images, text overlays, and other key visual elements toward the center of your image, away from the edges. Think of it as a "safe zone" in the middle of your image where nothing will get cut off.
Avoid Text-Heavy Images
Small text on images can become unreadable after cropping or on smaller screens. If you need to convey a message, use the card's title and description fields instead of embedding text in your image. A clean product photo or lifestyle image almost always outperforms a text-heavy graphic.
Use High-Contrast, Clean Visuals
Use solid or simple backgrounds rather than busy patterns.
Make sure there's strong contrast between your subject and the background.
Avoid transparent backgrounds. They can render as unexpected solid colors on some devices.
Optimize File Size
Smaller files load faster, and speed matters in messaging. Aim for the smallest file size that still looks sharp:
JPEG is ideal for product photos and lifestyle images.
PNG works well for graphics with transparency or sharp edges (like logos).
GIF is great for short animations on Android, but GIFs don't animate on iOS. They'll display as a static image instead.
Match Dimensions Across Carousel Cards
In a carousel, all cards display side by side as subscribers swipe. If your images are different sizes or aspect ratios, the carousel will look uneven. Always use the same dimensions (960 × 720 px at 4:3) for every card in a carousel.
Tip! Beyond matching image sizes, try to keep your card titles and descriptions roughly the same length across all cards in a carousel. On iOS, the image height dynamically adjusts based on how much text is in the card, so cards with much longer text will have smaller images.
iOS vs. Android: How Media Renders Differently
RCS is supported on both iOS (via the Messages app on iOS 18+) and Android (via Google Messages and Samsung Messages). While the core experience is similar, there are meaningful differences in how each platform renders your media. Understanding these differences helps you design content that looks great everywhere.
Key Differences at a Glance
Behavior | iOS | Android |
GIF animation | GIFs display as static images (no animation) | GIFs animate normally |
Image cropping | More aggressive cropping, especially when titles and descriptions are longer | Generally less aggressive, but crops more when titles and descriptions are longer |
Carousel layout | Cards may display in a vertical stack | Cards display in a horizontal swipeable row |
Image height in carousels | Dynamically adjusts based on text length per card. Cards with longer titles or descriptions will have shorter images, so keep text lengths consistent across all cards. | More consistent image sizing regardless of text length |
Large text/accessibility settings | Prioritizes title and buttons over media, which can significantly crop images | Handles large text more gracefully, maintaining media visibility |
What This Means for Your Content
Design for iOS first, then verify on Android. iOS is generally the more restrictive platform for RCS media rendering. If your content looks good on iOS, it will almost certainly look good on Android too.
Keep carousel text consistent. This is the most common issue we see. Because iOS adjusts image height based on text length, a carousel where one card has a two-word title and another has a full sentence will display with visibly different image sizes. As a guideline, keep all titles within a few words of each other (e.g., all under 30 characters) and all descriptions within a similar range (e.g., all 1–2 lines). If one card needs more detail, consider shortening it to match the others or moving that information into the card's action button instead.
Use JPEG or PNG instead of GIF for the broadest compatibility. GIFs won't animate on iOS and will render as a still frame. If animation is important to your message, keep in mind that a significant portion of your subscribers may not see it. Consider whether the image still communicates effectively as a static frame, and if not, use a JPEG or PNG instead.
Watch out for accessibility settings. Subscribers who use larger text sizes on iOS may see your media cropped more aggressively as the device makes room for text and buttons. Keep your key visual content well-centered.
Test on both platforms. Before sending your RCS messages, preview your RCS Cards on both an iOS and an Android device if possible. This is the best way to catch any rendering issues before your subscribers do.
Designing for the Safe Zone
Cropping behavior varies between iOS and Android, and can also change based on text length and accessibility settings. That's why it's helpful to think in terms of a "safe zone." This is the area of your image where content is virtually guaranteed to be visible, regardless of how the subscriber's device crops it.
There's no single official safe zone measurement, since cropping depends on the device, platform, and card content. But as a practical rule of thumb:
Keep your main subject in the center 70–80% of the image. Avoid placing key visual elements (products, logos, text overlays) near the edges.
For carousel cards, be even more conservative. Carousel cards are smaller, so there's more potential for edge cropping. Keep critical content in roughly the center 60% of the image.
Test with varying text lengths. Since both iOS and Android can crop media more aggressively when titles and descriptions are longer, preview your cards with your actual copy before sending.
Tip! A good rule of thumb: keep all important content centered and away from the outer 15–20% of the image on all sides. As long as your main subject is in the middle of the frame, you'll be in great shape.
Tips for Creating Polished, Reliable Cards
Use landscape (horizontal) images for best results: Cards are designed to showcase landscape media at the top. Choosing landscape images ensures your visuals display clearly without unexpected cropping.
Keep image dimensions consistent in carousels: Using images with similar sizes and proportions creates a smooth, professional experience as subscribers swipe through each card.
Plan your fallback experience: Some subscribers may receive your message via SMS/MMS instead of RCS. By reviewing and customizing your fallback content—especially for carousels—you can ensure it stands strong on its own.
Optimize image file sizes: Smaller, well-optimized images help your messages load quickly and reliably, even on slower connections.
Design with platform differences in mind: On iOS, GIFs may appear as static images. Consider how your visuals will look without animation to maintain a clear and effective message.
Maintain consistent text lengths across carousel cards: Keeping titles and descriptions similar in length helps ensure a balanced layout and consistent image display, particularly on iOS.
Summary: Your RCS Media Checklist
Before you send your next RCS campaign, run through this quick checklist:
[ ] Standalone card images are 1440 × 720 px (16:9) and 500 KB – 2 MB
[ ] Carousel card images are 960 × 720 px (4:3) and 300 KB – 1 MB
[ ] Key visual content is centered in the safe zone, away from edges
[ ] All carousel cards use the same image dimensions
[ ] Carousel card titles and descriptions are similar in length
[ ] Images are saved as JPEG or PNG (use GIF only if animation on Android is the goal)
[ ] Video files are in MP4 format and under the size limit
[ ] You've previewed on both iOS and Android if possible
[ ] Your first carousel card has strong fallback content for non-RCS devices
Additional Resources