Getting your Instagram post size right is the difference between a sharp, well-framed image and one that looks cropped, blurry, or oddly spaced. This guide covers the correct dimensions for every post type — feed photos, carousels, Stories, Reels, and profile pictures — so your content displays exactly as intended.
Quick Reference: All Instagram Post Sizes (2026)
|
Post Type |
Aspect Ratio |
Recommended Size |
|
Square Feed Post |
1:1 |
1080 x 1080 px |
|
Portrait Feed Post |
4:5 |
1080 x 1350 px |
|
Landscape Feed Post |
1.91:1 |
1080 x 566 px |
|
Stories |
9:16 |
1080 x 1920 px |
|
Reels |
9:16 |
1080 x 1920 px |
|
Reels Cover/Thumbnail |
9:16 |
1080 x 1920 px |
|
Profile Photo |
1:1 |
320 x 320 px |
How Instagram Image Sizes Work
Two terms come up constantly when people talk about Instagram dimensions: aspect ratio and pixels. Neither is complicated once you know what they actually refer to.
What Is an Aspect Ratio?
An aspect ratio is the ratio of width to height. It describes the shape of an image, not its file size or quality. As noted in Wikipedia's overview of aspect ratios, it is expressed as width:height so a 1:1 ratio is a perfect square, 4:5 is taller than wide (portrait), and 9:16 is the tall, narrow shape that fills a phone screen vertically.
What's often overlooked is that aspect ratio and pixel dimensions are two separate things. You can have a 4:5 image at 1080 x 1350 px or at 540 x 675 px — the shape is identical, but the resolution differs.
What Are Pixels and Why Do They Matter?
Pixels are the individual dots that make up a digital image. More pixels generally means more detail and a sharper result. Instagram recommends uploading at 1080 pixels wide because that is the maximum width the platform displays.
Upload larger and Instagram compresses it down. Upload smaller and the image may look soft or stretched on modern screens.In practice, uploading right at 1080 px wide consistently produces the cleanest results. There is no benefit to going higher for standard posts.
Supported File Formats on Instagram
For photos, Instagram accepts JPG, PNG, BMP, and non-animated GIF files. For videos, MP4 and MOV are the supported formats. The maximum file size for videos is 4 GB. For photos, Instagram does not publicly specify a hard file size cap, but files over 8 MB can sometimes trigger quality compression during upload.
Instagram Feed Post Size
Instagram moved away from square-only posts in 2015 — as reported by TechCrunch when the platform first introduced landscape and portrait formats. Today, you have three feed post options, each suited to different types of content.
Square Post (1:1)
Dimensions: 1080 x 1080 px
Square posts remain a practical choice for product photos, graphics, and centered compositions. They sit neatly in the profile grid and require no additional cropping consideration. Still the most straightforward option if you are unsure which format to use.
Portrait Post (4:5)
Dimensions: 1080 x 1350 px
Portrait is generally considered Instagram's recommended feed format. It takes up more vertical screen space as someone scrolls, which tends to hold attention slightly longer. Content creators who post consistently report that portrait posts often feel more immersive for people-focused or scene-setting images.
One thing to keep in mind: the profile grid previews content in a 3:4 ratio. So while your post is 4:5, the grid thumbnail shows a slightly tighter vertical crop. Keep key visual elements — faces, logos, text — centered to avoid anything getting cut off on the grid.
Landscape Post (1.91:1)
Dimensions: 1080 x 566 px
Landscape works best for wide-angle photography, aerial shots, or anything where horizontal space is the point. It takes up less screen height in the feed, which means viewers scroll past it faster something worth factoring in if the format is being used for attention-grabbing content.
What Happens If You Upload a Non-Standard Size?
Instagram accepts images outside its preferred aspect ratios but crops them automatically to the nearest supported ratio. You cannot manually adjust that crop after it is applied. If your image falls outside the 1.91:1 to 4:5 range, Instagram forces it into the closest accepted dimensions.
The practical fix: crop before uploading. That way you stay in control of what gets shown and what gets cut.
Instagram Carousel Post Size
Carousels follow the same dimension options as single feed posts, with a few extra variables once you are mixing multiple images in one post.
How Carousel Sizing Works
Instagram takes its sizing cue from the first image in the carousel. Based on that, you can choose one of three display options at upload:
- Match all images to the first image's dimensions
- Display each image in its original dimensions (mixed)
- Convert all images to square
Mixed Dimensions in Carousels
Choosing the mixed option allows variety, but it introduces some quirks. Landscape and square images get spacing added above and below them. Portrait images display at 4:5. If you include a video in a carousel, Instagram overrides everything and switches all slides to portrait dimensions — even if your first image was landscape or square.
One thing many people miss: if Instagram auto-crops any of your carousel images during upload, that crop cannot be adjusted afterward. It is locked in.
Best Practice for Carousel Sizing
The cleanest approach is to crop all images to matching dimensions before uploading. Consistent sizing means no auto-cropping surprises and the carousel feels more intentional. Teams that post carousels regularly tend to default to 1080 x 1350 px across all slides for exactly this reason.
Instagram Stories Size
Stories are built for full-screen vertical viewing on a phone held upright. The format fills the entire screen, which is why getting the dimensions right here matters more visually than for feed posts.
Recommended Dimensions
1080 x 1920 px (9:16 aspect ratio)
This is the size that fills the screen without borders or letterboxing. Both photos and videos should be prepared at these dimensions for Stories.
Safe Zones for Text and Graphics
Instagram overlays your profile information at the top and action buttons at the bottom of every Story. Roughly 250 pixels at the top and bottom of your frame are likely to be covered by these UI elements.
Place text, logos, or key visuals in those areas and they will be partially hidden.Keep all important content within the central portion of the frame — roughly between 250 px and 1670 px from the top if you are thinking in pixel terms.
Using Non-Vertical Images in Stories
If you only have a square or landscape image, you can still post it as a Story. Instagram places it in the center of the 9:16 canvas with empty space above and below. That space is actually useful — it is a natural area to add text overlays, stickers, or GIFs, making the Story feel intentional rather than just poorly sized.
Instagram Reels Size
All video posts on Instagram currently appear as Reels. The format follows the same vertical structure as Stories.
Recommended Dimensions
1080 x 1920 px (9:16 aspect ratio)
This fills the screen when someone watches the Reel in full. Shoot and edit at this size before uploading. Do not rely on Instagram to handle the conversion from a landscape or square video the results are rarely clean.
How Reels Appear Across Different Surfaces
A Reel does not look the same in every part of the app. The same video shows up differently depending on where it is viewed:
- Full screen when tapped or in Explore: Full 9:16 display
- Profile grid alongside photos: Cropped to 3:4
- Reels tab on a profile: Displayed at full 9:16
The 3:4 grid crop is worth planning for. If your Reel thumbnail has text or a face near the edges, it may be cut off when viewed on the profile grid.
Reels Cover Photo (Thumbnail) Size
The cover photo for a Reel should be 1080 x 1920 px — same dimensions as the video itself. You can select a frame from the video or upload a custom image from your camera roll. The cover only appears in the profile grid view, not while the Reel is actually playing.
You can update a Reel's cover photo at any time after publishing. No need to re-upload the video.
Instagram Profile Photo Size
Recommended dimensions: 320 x 320 px (1:1)
Your profile photo appears across multiple surfaces in the app — your profile page, the Stories tray, beside your feed posts, and inside DMs. Instagram always displays it as a circle, so anything close to the corners of your square image will be cropped out automatically.
Center your subject and leave a clear margin around the edges. A face or logo that fills the full 320 x 320 frame will have its corners clipped in the circular display — often noticeably.
The 3:4 Grid Rule: A Commonly Misunderstood Point
This is the detail that trips most people up. Your post can be 4:5, 1:1, or 1.91:1. But your profile grid previews every post at a 3:4 ratio — a slightly tighter vertical crop than the 4:5 format itself.
That means a portrait post (1080 x 1350 px) gets cropped at the top and bottom when it appears as a grid thumbnail.
A square post will show with space above and below in the grid. A landscape post looks quite wide relative to its vertical height.The rule that holds across all formats: keep the most important visual element centered. That single habit protects your content from the 3:4 crop regardless of which format you are posting in.
Instagram Ad Sizes: A Brief Overview
Ad sizing works differently depending on whether you are boosting an existing post or building a new ad from scratch.Boosted posts keep their original dimensions — no separate sizing needed. For new ad creatives built specifically for a campaign, Instagram recommends:
- Single image or video story ads: 1080 x 1920 px
- Carousel story ads (2–10 cards): 1080 x 1920 px
Each ad format carries its own requirements for aspect ratio, file type, and resolution. For the full and current set of ad specs, Meta's official ads guide is the definitive reference.
Conclusion
Match your content to the right format: 4:5 for feed posts, 9:16 for Stories and Reels, 1:1 for profile photos. No single size fits everything. When in doubt, portrait (1080 x 1350 px) is the safest default for feed content it is the format Instagram itself tends to favor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best size for an Instagram post?
For feed posts, 1080 x 1350 px (4:5 portrait) is the recommended default. It occupies more vertical screen space in the feed and works well across most photo and graphic formats.
What size are Instagram Stories?
Stories should be 1080 x 1920 px at a 9:16 aspect ratio. Leave roughly 250 pixels of clear space at the top and bottom to avoid content being obscured by Instagram's UI overlays.
What is the difference between 4:5 and 3:4 on Instagram?
Your feed post uploads at 4:5 (1080 x 1350 px). Your profile grid previews that same post at 3:4 — a tighter crop. Keep key visuals centered so the grid preview does not cut off anything important.
What happens if I upload the wrong size on Instagram?
Instagram auto-crops the image to the nearest supported aspect ratio. That crop cannot be adjusted after upload, which is why cropping manually beforehand gives you better control over the final result.
Can I change a Reel's cover photo after posting?
Yes. Tap the menu on your published Reel, select Edit cover, then choose a new frame from the video or upload a custom image. The change applies to your profile grid without requiring a full re-upload.
