Instagram Image Sizes: The Right Dimensions for Posts, Stories and Reels

Upload the wrong size to Instagram and it will crop your photo for you, often cutting off heads, text or the product you're trying to show. Using the right dimensions from the start keeps your posts sharp and framed the way you intended.

Recommended sizes

Format	Aspect ratio	Recommended size
Square post	1:1	1080 × 1080 px
Portrait post	4:5	1080 × 1350 px
Landscape post	1.91:1	1080 × 566 px
Story	9:16	1080 × 1920 px
Reel	9:16	1080 × 1920 px
Profile picture	1:1 (shown as a circle)	320 × 320 px or larger

Instagram displays images at a width of 1080 pixels. Uploading larger images doesn't make them sharper; Instagram simply resizes them down.

Instagram has also started showing posts in the profile grid at a taller crop, so keep important details away from the very top and bottom of square images. Platforms change these details often, so check Instagram's help pages for the latest guidance.

Which format should you choose?

Portrait (4:5) takes up the most space in the feed, so people see it for longer as they scroll. For most photos, it's the best choice.

Square (1:1) is safe and looks tidy in the profile grid.

Landscape shows up small in the feed. Use it only when the shot really needs the width.

Safe zones for stories and reels

Instagram puts your username, buttons and captions over the top and bottom of stories and reels. Keep text and faces out of roughly the top 250 pixels and bottom 340 pixels of a 1920-pixel-tall frame.

How to resize without awkward crops

1. Crop to the right shape first. Use the crop tool with an aspect ratio of 4:5, 1:1 or 9:16 and position the frame yourself.
2. Resize to the target size. In the image resizer, set the width to 1080 pixels with the aspect ratio locked.
3. Don't want to crop? Pad the image instead. The add border tool can place a landscape photo on a square or 4:5 background, white, black or any color, so nothing is cut off.

Keep quality high

• Upload JPG or PNG at 1080 px wide. Very large files get compressed more aggressively.
• Avoid screenshots of photos, which lose detail.
• Text should be large enough to read on a phone: at least 40–50 px tall on a 1080 px image.
• If an image looks soft after uploading, check that you didn't upload one smaller than 1080 px; Instagram will stretch it.

Profile picture tips

Your profile picture is shown as a small circle, so crop tightly around your face or logo and leave a little space around the edges. Preview the circle with the circle crop tool before uploading.