Quick Reference: All Instagram Image Sizes
| Type | Resolution | Aspect Ratio | Max File Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Square post | 1080 × 1080 | 1:1 | 8 MB |
| Portrait post | 1080 × 1350 | 4:5 | 8 MB |
| Landscape post | 1080 × 566 | 1.91:1 | 8 MB |
| Story / Reel | 1080 × 1920 | 9:16 | 4 GB |
| Carousel (square) | 1080 × 1080 | 1:1 | 8 MB per slide |
| Carousel (portrait) | 1080 × 1350 | 4:5 | 8 MB per slide |
| Profile picture | 320 × 320 | 1:1 | N/A |
| Reel cover (feed) | 1080 × 1080 | 1:1 | 8 MB |
Square Posts: 1080 × 1080 (1:1)
The classic Instagram post. Instagram accepts up to 1440 × 1440, but the platform downsamples everything to 1080 pixels wide on display. Uploading larger than 1080 means Instagram compresses it — often with visible quality loss. Upload exactly 1080 × 1080 for the sharpest result.
Instagram compresses JPEG aggressively. To minimize their re-compression artifacts, upload at JPEG quality 100%. The platform will re-encode at their settings anyway, but starting from the highest quality source gives the best final result.
Portrait Posts: 1080 × 1350 (4:5)
Portrait orientation fills more screen space in the feed, which means more time on your post as users scroll. The maximum allowed portrait ratio is 4:5 — anything taller gets cropped. Upload at 1080 × 1350 to use the full allowed height without cropping.
If you upload a 9:16 (1080 × 1920) image, Instagram crops it to 4:5 in the feed. The full 9:16 version only shows when a user taps to expand. To make sure all important content is visible in the feed, design within the 1080 × 1350 safe zone, not 1080 × 1920.
Pro tip: If you shoot photos in 4:5 with your phone camera, resize to exactly 1080 × 1350 with PicFix's resizer before uploading. Your phone may export at 3024 × 3780 — way larger than needed, and Instagram will crush the quality.
Landscape Posts: 1080 × 566 (1.91:1)
Landscape photos get the least screen real estate in the feed. Maximum aspect ratio is 1.91:1 — slightly wider than 16:9 (which is 1.78:1). Upload at 1080 × 566. If your source is 16:9 (1920 × 1080), resize to 1080 × 608 — Instagram will accept it but display with small letterbox bars.
The practical advice: if you have a landscape image, consider whether it works better cropped to 4:5 portrait or 1:1 square. Both occupy more vertical space in users' feeds than 1.91:1 landscape.
Stories and Reels: 1080 × 1920 (9:16)
Stories and Reels use full phone screen — 9:16 portrait. Upload at 1080 × 1920. This is the same aspect ratio as most phone cameras in portrait mode. Instagram applies less compression to Reels than to feed posts, so your quality will generally be better.
Key safe zones to keep in mind for Stories:
- Top 14% (roughly top 270px): header area with your profile picture, username, and timestamp. Do not place critical text or buttons here.
- Bottom 10% (roughly bottom 190px): the message reply bar and swipe-up/CTA area. Leave this clear for interactive elements.
- Safe center: the middle 76% of the screen is always visible.
Carousels: All Slides Must Match
Carousel posts allow up to 10 slides, but every slide in a carousel must use the same aspect ratio. If your first slide is 1:1, all subsequent slides are cropped to 1:1. You cannot mix square and portrait slides in one carousel.
Best practice: pick your aspect ratio first, resize all images to match before uploading. Use PicFix's resize tool to batch-process all slides to identical dimensions.
Stop Instagram From Ruining Your Quality
Instagram re-compresses everything. You cannot stop it, but after many failed uploads I have learned how to minimize the damage:
- Upload at exactly the target resolution — Instagram's resize algorithm is worse than most desktop tools. Resize yourself first.
- Use JPEG quality 100% or PNG — give Instagram the best source possible.
- Export from your editing software in sRGB color space, not Adobe RGB or ProPhoto RGB. Instagram displays in sRGB; other color spaces may shift colors.
- Sharp images degrade less. Add subtle sharpening before upload — Instagram's compression softens edges.
Resize for Instagram in seconds
PicFix's free image resizer handles every Instagram dimension above. Type your target size, upload, download — no sign-up, no uploads to a server. Also round your profile picture while you are at it.