Instagram re-encodes every image you upload. Starting from a clean, correctly-sized JPEG keeps your final post sharper than uploading a 4000-pixel-wide camera export, because each pass of Instagram's encoder compounds the lossy compression. The sizes below are the ones Instagram's own systems render at — anything bigger gets downscaled, anything smaller gets upscaled and softened.
Profile and cover imagery is rendered at small fixed sizes across mobile and desktop. Feed posts vary between 1:1, 4:5 and 1.91:1; stories and reels are 9:16. Carousel slides use the aspect ratio of the first slide, so check that first.
Every link below points either to a one-click resize preset on Image-Compressor.uk or the social media cropper, both of which run entirely in your browser.
Instagram sizes — quick reference
Every image type Instagram renders in its native UI, with the recommended dimensions, aspect ratio and format.
| Image type | Dimensions | Aspect | Format | Max size | Resize |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Square feed post Feed posts | 1080×1080 | 1:1 | JPG | — | Open → |
Portrait feed post Feed posts | 1080×1350 | 4:5 | JPG | — | Open → |
Landscape feed post Feed posts | 1080×566 | 1.91:1 | JPG | — | — |
Story / Reel Stories & reels | 1080×1920 | 9:16 | JPG | — | Open → |
Profile photo Profile & branding | 320×320 | 1:1 | JPG | — | — |
Reel cover (carousel preview) Stories & reels | 1080×1920 | 9:16 | JPG | — | — |
Feed posts
Square feed post
1080×1080 · 1:1 · JPG
- Instagram displays square posts at 1080×1080 on the web and at 1080×1080 (or downscaled to ~750px on older devices) in the mobile feed.
- Quality 85 JPEG is the sweet spot. Higher quality is encoded by Instagram down to roughly that anyway.
Portrait feed post
1080×1350 · 4:5 · JPG
- Portrait posts get the largest visible area in the mobile feed (4:5 takes more vertical space than 1:1).
- Important content should sit safely within the central 1080×1080 area — some carousel previews crop to square.
Landscape feed post
1080×566 · 1.91:1 · JPG
- Landscape is the smallest in-feed visible area but is good for share-card style imagery that's already wide.
- 1.91:1 is also the Open Graph aspect ratio, so the same image works for Facebook and LinkedIn shares.
Stories & reels
Story / Reel
1080×1920 · 9:16 · JPG
- Vertical 9:16 fills the screen. Keep important content inside the central 1080×1420 area to avoid the top status bar and bottom interaction overlays.
- Reels covers use the same 9:16 dimensions but the centre-square preview is what's shown on your profile grid.
Reel cover (carousel preview)
1080×1920 · 9:16 · JPG
- On your profile grid, reels display the centre square of the 1080×1920 frame.
- Compose any text or focal point inside that centre square so it survives the grid crop.
Profile & branding
Profile photo
320×320 · 1:1 · JPG
- Stored at 320×320 but displayed at 110×110 on mobile and 180×180 on web — design with the small render in mind.
- Faces and logos work best; intricate detail gets lost at the small render size.
Instagram — general tips
- Instagram strips EXIF metadata, including GPS, on upload — but if you'd rather not have your location stored anywhere, use the Remove GPS tool first.
- Animated stories and reels are best uploaded as MP4. The image-type sizes above apply to the static thumbnail / cover frame.
- Carousel posts inherit the first slide's aspect ratio — pick that one carefully.
Frequently asked questions
- What's the best size for an Instagram post?
- 1080×1350 (portrait, 4:5) gets the largest visible area in the mobile feed. 1080×1080 (square, 1:1) is the safest universal choice. Use the resize tool linked below to get either with one click.
- Should I upload at higher than 1080px wide?
- No. Instagram downscales anything wider to 1080px in any direction, then re-encodes. Uploading at the target size avoids two passes of lossy compression and keeps your final image sharper.
- What format does Instagram prefer?
- JPEG. PNG works but Instagram converts it to JPEG internally anyway, so you might as well start from a JPEG and skip the extra conversion pass.
- Will Instagram crop my image?
- Yes — anything that doesn't match the aspect ratio you posted at. Square posts crop to 1:1, portrait to 4:5, etc. The safe area for important content is always the centre.
- Does Instagram strip EXIF data?
- Yes. Camera, lens, and GPS metadata are stripped on upload as part of the re-encoding process. If you'd rather not store that data anywhere, strip it before uploading.