Instagram Image Sizes – Complete Guide

Instagram posts are the foundation of your feed. The platform supports three main aspect ratios for posts:

• Square posts: 1080 × 1080 pixels (1:1 ratio) - Perfect for showcasing products or creating a clean, uniform feed
• Portrait posts: 1080 × 1350 pixels (4:5 ratio) - Ideal for vertical content that takes up more screen space
• Landscape posts: 1080 × 566 pixels (1.91:1 ratio) - Best for wide images and horizontal photography

All Instagram posts should be at least 1080 pixels wide for optimal quality. The platform will automatically resize your images, but uploading at the recommended size ensures the best results.

Instagram Stories are full-screen, vertical content that disappears after 24 hours. For the best results:

• Recommended size: 1080 × 1920 pixels (9:16 ratio)
• Minimum size: 600 × 1067 pixels
• Safe zone: Keep important content (text, logos) within the center area, avoiding the top 250px and bottom 350px where UI elements may overlap

Stories are displayed vertically on mobile devices, so ensure your most important content is centered and visible without being cut off by profile pictures or action buttons.

Instagram Reels are short-form video content, but the cover image (thumbnail) is crucial for attracting viewers:

• Reel cover image: 1080 × 1920 pixels (9:16 ratio) - Same as Stories
• Video aspect ratio: 9:16 (vertical) or 1:1 (square)
• Maximum video length: 90 seconds for most accounts, up to 15 minutes for verified accounts

Your Reel cover image is the first thing users see, so make sure it's eye-catching and represents your content well. The cover appears in your profile grid and in the Reels feed.

Carousel posts allow you to share multiple images or videos in a single post. Each slide in a carousel can use different aspect ratios:

• Square carousel: 1080 × 1080 pixels (1:1) - Most common and creates a uniform look
• Portrait carousel: 1080 × 1350 pixels (4:5) - Takes up more screen space
• Landscape carousel: 1080 × 566 pixels (1.91:1) - Best for wide images

You can mix different aspect ratios in a single carousel, but for the best visual experience, stick to one ratio throughout. The first image in your carousel determines the aspect ratio for the entire post in your feed.

• Profile picture: 320 × 320 pixels (displays as 110 × 110 pixels, but upload at 320 × 320 for best quality)
• IGTV cover: 420 × 654 pixels (1:1.55 ratio) - For longer video content
• Instagram Live: Uses the same dimensions as Stories (1080 × 1920 pixels)

• Always upload images at the highest quality possible (at least 1080 pixels wide)
• Use JPEG format for photos to reduce file size while maintaining quality
• Keep file sizes under 30MB for faster uploads
• Consider your feed aesthetic - consistent aspect ratios create a more cohesive look
• Test how your images look on both mobile and desktop before posting