Instagram Size Guide: Image, Video, and Post Dimensions
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We’ve all been here: you upload a post to Instagram, assuming everything looks good, only to realize later on that an image looks blurry, text overlays got cut off, or a Reel appears awkwardly cropped. This often happens when you upload the wrong post size to Instagram.
Post size affects more than you may realize. It determines how professional content appears and, as such, has a huge impact on whether people stick around to watch it and how far it reaches.
Get your sizing right, and you don’t have to worry about Instagram automatically resizing your posts and reducing their quality. Your audience gets to see videos and images as you intended — clean and sharp.
This Instagram size guide explores ideal content dimensions and resolutions. It also offers tips for designing posts that create a good impression.
Understanding Instagram Size
There are two main elements in Instagram sizing: aspect ratios and pixels. While they may sound technical, they actually aren’t.
Aspect ratio, also known as a post’s dimension, is the shape of your video or image. It’s essentially the ratio of width to height, determining whether your content appears vertical, square, or horizontal.
Pixels, on the other hand, are the small dots that make up videos and images. A high pixel count translates to higher resolution and a sharper, clearer, more detailed visual.
Does Instagram Size Matter for Creators?
Some creators skip content resizing during editing because Instagram automatically handles it. While it’s true that the platform does resize content to fit its specifications, this often comes at a cost. It may inadvertently crop out important details or make a post appear blurry or pixelated.
With Instagram users prioritizing visuals, this could lead to fewer engagements and, consequently, limited reach. Remember, the Instagram algorithm listens to users when determining which content to push. If users engage with your post, the algorithm interprets that as a positive signal and recommends it to new audiences to spread its value. Unfortunately, if there’s little to no engagement, the opposite happens.
Good sizing is non-negotiable on Instagram because it:
Keeps your content sharp.
Eliminates the need for Instagram’s resizing.
Makes your posts appear professional, creating a good impression with your target audience.
Instagram Size Guide
Now that you know the value of adhering to Instagram’s specifications, how do you size your content? Here’s a quick breakdown:
Instagram Profile Picture
Your profile picture is like your business card on Instagram. It appears everywhere, from your profile page to users’ Stories trays and on the Reels tab when you post videos. With these many appearances, you definitely want to make a good impression.
How do you do that? Use an image with a 1:1 aspect ratio and 320 x 320 pixels as your profile picture. This keeps your photo looking crisp and sharp across different devices.
Note: Instagram displays profile pictures as circles, so make sure all vital image elements are centered to avoid getting cropped out. Take the Bath & Body Works profile picture, for example. The brand’s name is centered, so there are no awkward cuts.
Instagram Reels
Instagram Reels register 36% more reach than carousels and 125% more reach than single-image posts. This makes them one of your best growth assets on the platform.
However, they can also be a liability if you get your sizing wrong. They reach more people than regular posts and may therefore lead to a negative brand impression across a broader audience.
For professional-looking Reels, use a 9:16 aspect ratio and 1080 x 1920 pixels. Use the same dimensions for your cover image as well to encourage users to tap your video. Want to know how to keep viewers engaged after they click? Our guide to Instagram hooks breaks down proven ways to capture attention and keep users watching.
The 9:16 aspect ratio aligns with the vertical orientation of smartphone screens, creating an immersive full-screen experience for users. The 1080 x 1920 pixel video resolution, on the other hand, keeps your visuals sharp and clear.
Note: If you shoot video content in 4K, Instagram will automatically compress it to 1080p, which may affect your final output. So, stick to 1080 x 1920 pixels.
Instagram Feed Posts
When Instagram started, it only supported square images. The platform has, however, evolved, giving creators more flexibility in how their posts appear. Here’s a breakdown of the different dimensions it supports and their recommended sizes:
Portrait posts (4:5 aspect ratio): 1080 x 1350 pixels
Landscape posts (16:9 aspect ratio): 1080 x 566 pixels
Square posts (1:1 aspect ratio): 1080 x 1080 pixels
Creators with subjects that fill the frame typically opt for portrait posts. For example, fashion brands like Vogue go portrait to show their models’ full outfits.
Landscape posts, on the other hand, are great for cinematic scenes or environmental shots. So, they’re popular with photographers and nature channels. National Geographic, for example, uses this format to capture a broader horizon, as shown below.
The square format is less popular than other options, but it’s great for symmetrical layouts and balanced graphics. Minimalist Style uses it to create a “digital catalog feel” in its IG posts.
Carousels are a lot like standard posts, except they contain a series of images and videos. As with single-image feed posts, you can opt for portrait, landscape, or square formats, depending on your needs.
It’s worth noting, however, that Instagram’s default is to align all carousel images with the first post. Say your first post is in portrait format. Instagram will switch all other posts in your carousel to portrait dimensions. Unfortunately, this could mean cropping out vital image or video elements.
That said, Instagram does allow variety in carousels. To use multiple formats in a single post, allow mixed dimensions when uploading your content.
Read more in our complete Instagram carousel tutorial to learn how to plan, design, and optimize carousel posts step by step.
Instagram Stories
As with reels, Stories are designed for full-screen viewing. This makes the 9:16 aspect ratio and 1080 x 1920 pixels ideal sizes for your content.
However, you can still post in horizontal and square formats. If you do, take advantage of the extra space around your posts by adding relevant text, reaction slides, GIFs, emojis, or stickers.
Instagram Ads
You can either boost already existing posts or create entirely new ads from scratch.
With the boosting option, you don’t need to do much. Just choose the posts you want Instagram to use. The platform will then share them, keeping their original dimensions.
Instagram Profile Feed: 1:1 aspect ratio, at least 1080 x 1080 pixels
Instagram Feed: 1:1 aspect ratio, at least 1440 x 1440 pixels
Instagram Profile Reels: 9:16, at least 500 x 888 pixels (recommended resolution: 1440 x 2560 pixels)
Instagram Stories: 9:16 aspect ratio, 1440 x 2560 pixels
For Story ads, Instagram recommends leaving 340 pixels at the bottom and 250 pixels at the top free of elements such as text overlays and stickers. This gives Instagram users a clear view of your call to action (CTA) and profile icon.
Instagram Size Best Practices
Understanding Instagram’s size specifications is just one piece of the puzzle. To maintain your posts’ quality and appeal, also keep the following best practices in mind:
Design your content with safe zones in mind: Instagram features UI elements such as caption blocks and interaction buttons. Unfortunately, these elements can hide parts of your content — specifically those at the very top or bottom of your design (on Stories and Reels). To make sure your posts communicate everything they need to, center all vital details. When I create Reels, I usually test different text positions and sizes to make sure the captions are clear and comfortable for viewers to read.
Avoid re-cropping the same content multiple times: Some creators re-crop images and videos multiple times to reuse them across different Instagram placements or social media platforms. However, repeated cropping and resizing reduce asset quality. To avoid this, stick to a broadly accepted format (vertical).
Optimize text for mobile: Instagram is a mobile-first platform. So, make sure any text on your content is legible on smaller screens before posting.
Use consistent sizing: Instagram is pretty flexible, allowing users to post content in different formats and ratios. However, just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Different sizing can make your posts feel chaotic. Identify one or two formats that work for your account and stick with them to create a consistent, professional look.
Design Your Posts With Instagram’s Size Guide in Mind
There’s a common misconception that Instagram size no longer matters. But that’s exactly what it is — a misconception. While you can wait for Instagram to automatically resize your content to align with its specifications, doing this is far too risky. The platform may blur your visuals, crop out important details, or degrade your content quality, affecting users’ impression of your brand. To avoid content quality issues, stick to Instagram’s size guidelines.
Maintaining content quality is just the first step to growing on Instagram. You also need to learn what resonates best with your audience (and stick to it), post content during your highest-engagement timeframes, and maintain consistency. That’s where GeeLark comes in.
GeeLark is an antidetect platform that provides real cloud phone environments, helping reduce the risk of account linkage when managing multiple Instagram accounts. It allows you to run and manage many accounts from a single computer, without the need to buy or maintain physical devices.
With these accounts, you can try out different types of content, posting times, and even message variations to find what resonates best with your target audience.
GeeLark also provides automation templates that streamline content posting. The templates use cloud phones and mimic actual user behavior when publishing content (e.g., by tapping the screen).
All you need to do is upload your content (ensuring you adhere to Instagram’s size specifications) to GeeLark, set up cloud phone profiles, and launch a publishing automation template. GeeLark will handle the rest.
There is no universal “best Instagram size.” Every placement has unique size requirements: Profile picture: 1:1 aspect ratio and 320 x 320 pixels Reels: 9:16 aspect ratio and 1080 x 1920 pixels Instagram feed (single-image posts): 4:5 aspect ratio (1080 x 1350 pixels), 16:9 aspect ratio (1080 x 566 pixels), or 1:1 aspect ratio (1080 x 1080 pixels) Carousels: Same as single-image posts Stories: 9:16 aspect ratio and 1080 x 1920 pixels While there’s no universal ideal size, the 9:16 format comes the closest.
Yes. Instagram will automatically align your content with its size specifications. However, this might come at a cost — loss of quality and cropped details.
Indirectly, yes. Sizing affects how your content appears. If you adhere to the recommended size specifications, your posts appear professional, which often leads to higher engagement rates. Consequently, this prompts the algorithm to share your content with broader audiences.
Not really. However, your content’s quality and clarity may suffer when the platform automatically resizes it.
