Multimedia Ads in Microsoft Advertising: Sizes, Bids and Setup

Everything here comes from Microsoft Advertising Help, mainly its Multimedia ads page, plus the API reference for the ResponsiveAd object that multimedia ads are built on, and the other pages linked where they are used. Checked on 12 November 2026. For the account basics, see our Microsoft Advertising basics guide.

What multimedia ads are

Microsoft describes multimedia ads as ads that "capture a potential customer's attention with large visual imagery that showcases your brand and products". You give Microsoft several headlines, descriptions, images and optionally logos, and it shows the combination it expects to work best for each search query, much like a Responsive Search ad but with pictures.

They are a Search ad type. You create them in a standard ad group of a Search campaign, and they are triggered by the keywords you bid on in that ad group. They are not the same as the image-based Audience ads that run on MSN, Outlook.com and partner sites; those are covered in our Microsoft Audience Network guide. In the API, both use the same ResponsiveAd object, with different required fields.

Where they show

The multimedia ads page says they "serve in distinct sidebar ad positions and won't replace your text ad placements", and its FAQ describes those positions as "on the right rail". Microsoft's ad types overview mentions "distinct mainline and sidebar ad positions", so expect mostly the right-hand side of Bing results, and check where yours appear in your own reports.

Multimedia ads are also on the list of ad types that can serve in search placements across the Microsoft Advertising Network. Ads that got impressions in the EU or EEA appear in Microsoft's public Ad Library.

Their own auction, next to your text ads

From the FAQ on the multimedia ads page:

• Multimedia ads do not compete with your text or Responsive Search ads. They "serve in their own ad positions on the right rail in their own ad auction".
• Because the two auctions are separate, your multimedia ad and your text ad can appear on the same results page at the same time. Microsoft says this is more likely while competition for multimedia ads is low.
• They do not replace your existing text ads in the same campaign.
• You can show them on searches for competing brands, and you can see the search terms that triggered them in the Search terms report.

Three ways to create them

• Manually: in Ads & extensions > Ads, select Create ad, pick a standard ad group in a Search campaign and choose Multimedia ad as the ad type. In a new campaign, choose a Drive conversions or Generate leads goal and the Search campaign type, then pick Multimedia ad in the ads step.
• From Responsive Search ads: select one or more RSAs, then Edit > Copy Responsive Search ads to Multimedia ads, and add images. The original RSAs keep running.
• From recommendations: Microsoft may suggest multimedia ads for ad groups it sees as underperforming (see below).

Each ad group can have up to five multimedia ads, of which three can be active. Microsoft notes that logos, copying RSAs and dynamic ad groups are not yet available to every account.

Image and logo sizes

Images must be .PNG, .JPG or .JPEG. Every ad needs at least one 1.91:1 image and one 1:1 image; Microsoft recommends all four ratios for best results.

Optional logos: up to 5 square (1:1, at least 128 x 128) and 5 landscape (4:1, at least 512 x 128). The API reference adds a 5 MB file limit and says animated images are not supported. You can upload images, pick stock images, or pull images from your final URL's domain, then apply smart effects (designer filters, background blur, background colour) and crop. In the ad preview you can exclude an aspect ratio, which stops placements that need it. General image rules are on Microsoft's asset guidelines page.

Headlines, descriptions and calls to action

• Assets: up to 15 headlines, 5 descriptions and 16 images per ad. Microsoft suggests at least 8 to 10 distinct headlines, a mix of short and long ones, and at least one with your brand.
• Limits: in the API reference, short headlines are 30 characters and descriptions 90 characters after any dynamic text is filled in, and the business name is 25 characters. You add 1 to 5 long headlines.
• Call to action: you choose a call-to-action button. A campaign setting can also let Microsoft generate calls to action from your landing page.
• Location insertion: the location insertion page shows the syntax {LOCATION(COUNTRY|STATE|CITY):Default text}, though not every account has it for multimedia ads yet.

Edits to text assets start serving about five minutes after you save. Pharmaceutical advertisers in the US have an extra Display URL option to show a website description instead of the URL.

Bidding and bid adjustments

Multimedia ads use your Search campaign's bid strategy. All existing strategies apply except Target impression share; our Microsoft Ads bid strategies guide explains each one. On top of that, you can set a multimedia ad bid adjustment at campaign or ad group level, from +20% to +900%; the ad group setting wins. Because they "don't compete with other ad types", Microsoft recommends a minimum default bid adjustment.

Recommendations and auto-apply

Microsoft's recommendations include "Add Multimedia ads", and its ad recommendations page says suggested ads are variations of your existing ads for ad groups that appear to be underperforming. If you have opted in to auto-apply recommendations for Ads & extensions, Microsoft can add multimedia ads without you doing anything; clear that checkbox if you want to approve each one. Multimedia ad recommendations are not offered to aggregators, adult content or weapons advertisers, and pharmaceutical accounts cannot auto-apply them, but anyone can create them manually.

Microsoft can also suggest assets (images, descriptions and headlines) from your final URL for multimedia ads, which you can edit or remove.

Product offers, dynamic ad groups and customizers

• Product offers: link a Search campaign to a Microsoft Merchant Center store to show catalog products inside multimedia ads. The store, product selection and country of sale cannot be changed after you save. Our Microsoft Shopping campaigns guide covers Merchant Center.
• Dynamic ad groups: with Dynamic Search ads on in the campaign and the account option turned on, Microsoft creates a placeholder multimedia ad for each dynamic ad group and fills it with images from your site.
• Ad customizers work in multimedia ads as they do in Responsive Search ads.

Reporting by ad and by asset

Ad-level and asset-level reports are available. Under View assets details, the Assets tab shows a performance rating for each asset and the Combinations tab shows the top asset combinations. Microsoft adds a practical point: to see multimedia results clearly, set up a separate campaign that contains only multimedia ads, since they sit in Search campaigns with your other ads. Report Builder basics are in our Microsoft Ads reporting guide.

A simple way to start

This is our suggestion, built on the Microsoft guidance above:

• Pick a Search campaign that already converts and copy its best Responsive Search ad to a multimedia ad.
• Add real photos in all four ratios at the recommended sizes, plus square and wide logos.
• Check your auto-apply settings so you know whether Microsoft can add multimedia ads for you.
• After a few weeks, compare asset ratings and conversions, and move multimedia ads to their own campaign if you need cleaner numbers.

If you want Microsoft to place image ads across Search and audience inventory from one asset set, look at Microsoft Performance Max instead.

Frequently asked questions

Do multimedia ads compete with my text ads?

No. Microsoft says they run in their own auction and ad positions on the right rail, so a multimedia ad and a text ad from the same advertiser can appear on the same results page.

What image sizes do Microsoft multimedia ads need?

At least one 1.91:1 image (minimum 703 x 368, recommended 1200 x 628) and one 1:1 image (minimum 470 x 470, recommended 1200 x 1200). The 4:1 and 1:2 ratios are optional but recommended.

How many multimedia ads can an ad group have?

Up to five in total, with three active at a time.

Which bid strategies work with multimedia ads?

All Microsoft bid strategies except Target impression share. You can add a multimedia ad bid adjustment from +20% to +900% at campaign or ad group level.

Why are multimedia ads running that I did not create?

Microsoft may have applied a recommendation. Check the auto-apply recommendation settings for Ads & extensions, and the applied recommendation history.

Moving campaigns over from Google? See importing Google Ads into Microsoft Advertising and Microsoft Advertising Editor.

Want landing pages that match your ads and load fast on mobile? See our website development service and all our services, or email [email protected].