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Quick reference
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Feed post (square) | 1080×1080 px, 1:1 ratio. Safe default that displays cleanly across all surfaces. |
| Feed post (portrait) | 1080×1350 px, 4:5 ratio. Maximum screen real estate in feed; recommended for highest engagement. |
| Feed post (landscape) | 1080×566 px, 1.91:1 ratio. Lowest engagement of the three feed shapes — use sparingly. |
| Reels | 1080×1920 px, 9:16 ratio. Up to 90 seconds. Same dimensions as Stories. |
| Stories | 1080×1920 px, 9:16 ratio. Keep important content in the center safe zone — top/bottom 250px get covered by UI. |
| Carousel post | Up to 20 slides. All slides get cropped to match the first slide's aspect ratio. 1080×1350 portrait recommended. |
| Profile photo | 320×320 px square (displays as a circle). Upload at 600×600 px for retina sharpness. |
| Highlight cover | 1080×1920 px source, displayed in a 161×161 px circle. Center the icon with 30% padding. |
| IGTV / long-form video | 1080×1920 px (9:16) or 1080×1350 px (4:5). Up to 60 minutes; cover frame matters for retention. |
Why Instagram Post Dimensions Matter
Upload the wrong size and Instagram will either crop your image automatically (often cutting off faces or key content) or compress the quality. Using the right dimensions from the start means your content looks exactly how you intended — on every device.
Instagram Feed Post Sizes
Square (1:1)
- Recommended: 1080 × 1080 px
- Display size: 1080 × 1080 px on desktop, scales on mobile
- Best for: Most content — works consistently on all devices, looks clean on your profile grid
Portrait (4:5) — Recommended
- Recommended: 1080 × 1350 px
- Aspect ratio: 4:5
- Best for: Most feed posts — portrait takes up more screen space in the feed, increasing visibility and engagement
- Note: This is the maximum portrait ratio Instagram allows for feed posts
Landscape (1.91:1)
- Recommended: 1080 × 566 px
- Best for: Scenic photos, wide shots, cinematic content
- Note: Landscape takes up the least feed space and performs worse on mobile — use sparingly
Recommendation: Default to 4:5 portrait (1080 × 1350 px) for most feed posts. It occupies the most vertical space in the feed, which tends to increase engagement.
Instagram Reels Size
- Recommended: 1080 × 1920 px
- Aspect ratio: 9:16 (full vertical)
- Minimum resolution: 500 × 888 px
- Maximum file size: 1 GB
- Maximum length: 90 seconds
- Safe zone: Keep text and key elements within the center 1080 × 1420 px — Instagram's UI overlays (profile info, buttons, captions) cover the top and bottom portions
Reels shot in horizontal (16:9) will be shown with black bars or cropped — always shoot and edit vertically for Reels.
Instagram Stories Size
- Recommended: 1080 × 1920 px
- Aspect ratio: 9:16
- Safe zone for text and stickers: Center 1080 × 1420 px
- Max video length per Story card: 60 seconds (longer videos are automatically split)
- Photo display time: 7 seconds
Stories and Reels use the same dimensions (9:16), so content created for one works for the other — with minor adjustments for safe zones.
Instagram Carousel Post Size
Carousels (multiple images/videos swiped in sequence) follow the same rules as individual feed posts, with one important consideration:
- Use the same aspect ratio for every slide — Instagram sets the aspect ratio based on the first image. If your first image is 4:5, all subsequent images will be cropped to 4:5.
- Recommended: 1080 × 1350 px (4:5) for all slides, or 1080 × 1080 px (1:1) for a cleaner look
- Max slides: 20
Instagram Profile Photo Size
- Recommended upload size: 320 × 320 px minimum (higher is better)
- Display size: Shown as a small circle — 110 × 110 px on mobile profile, 180 × 180 px on desktop
- Tip: Keep important elements (face, logo) centered — the circle crop cuts corners
Instagram Video Post Sizes
| Format | Recommended size | Max length | Aspect ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feed video | 1080 × 1350 px | 60 minutes | 4:5 |
| Reel | 1080 × 1920 px | 90 seconds | 9:16 |
| Story video | 1080 × 1920 px | 60 seconds | 9:16 |
| IGTV / long-form | 1080 × 1920 px | 60 minutes | 9:16 (vertical) or 16:9 (horizontal) |
Instagram Image Size Tips
Upload at higher resolution Instagram compresses images during upload. Starting at a higher resolution (e.g., 2160 × 2700 px for a 4:5 image) results in better final quality after compression.
Export as JPEG for photos, PNG for graphics JPEG handles complex color gradients well (photos). PNG preserves sharp edges in text and illustrations. Both are supported by Instagram.
Keep file size under 8 MB for images Instagram accepts up to 8 MB for images. Larger files are compressed more aggressively.
Don't put text near edges Instagram may crop slight amounts on different devices. Keep all text and key subjects within the center 80% of the frame.
Quick Reference: Instagram Sizes 2026
| Content type | Size | Aspect ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Square feed image | 1080 × 1080 px | 1:1 |
| Portrait feed image | 1080 × 1350 px | 4:5 |
| Landscape feed image | 1080 × 566 px | 1.91:1 |
| Carousel slides | 1080 × 1350 px | 4:5 |
| Reels | 1080 × 1920 px | 9:16 |
| Stories | 1080 × 1920 px | 9:16 |
| Profile photo | 320 × 320 px+ | 1:1 (circle crop) |
Getting dimensions right before you post saves you from re-uploading. If you're scheduling Instagram posts in advance with PostLink's Instagram scheduler, you can upload your properly-sized content ahead of time and schedule it to go live at the optimal time — without any last-minute resizing panic.
Frequently asked questions
What is the ideal Instagram post size?
For feed posts, the ideal sizes are 1080x1080px (square 1:1), 1080x1350px (portrait 4:5), and 1080x566px (landscape 1.91:1). Portrait tends to take up the most screen space and often performs best.
What size should Instagram Reels be?
Instagram Reels should be 1080x1920px at a 9:16 aspect ratio. This is the same vertical format used for Stories and TikTok videos.
What are the Instagram Story dimensions?
Instagram Stories should be 1080x1920px (9:16 aspect ratio). Keep important content within the center safe zone to avoid it being cut off by the UI.
Does Instagram reduce image quality when you upload?
Instagram compresses images on upload. To minimize quality loss, upload high-resolution files (1080px wide minimum) in JPEG format at the correct aspect ratio before uploading.
