Social media image sizes seem to change constantly.
One moment you have the perfect cover page for your account. The next, it’s been resized, and looks all pixelated and wrong.
Why is it important to get social media image sizes right?
You’ve got to make sure any images you use don’t defy copyright laws. If you don’t have original imagery, you’ve got to find high-quality stock photos. And you’ve got to figure out which tools out there can help elevate your social media images.
On top of that, you’ve got to get your social media image sizes right. And getting that right is really important because:
- It avoids pixelation and awkward image stretching.And avoiding that keeps your images looking professional.
- Your photos will be optimized for each social channel’s feed. This can help increase engagement.
- It ensures your audience sees the full photo. Incorrect sizing could cut off some of your brand’s messaging.
It can future-proof your content. Being in-the-know with social media image sizes now could mean less work for your brand in the future, when network change up how images display again.
Instagram image sizes
Pixels | |
Profile photo: | 320 x 320 |
Landscape: | 1080 x 566 |
Portrait: | 1080 x 1350 |
Square: | 1080 x 1080 |
Thumbnail: | 161 x 161 |
Stories (portrait only): | 1080 x 1920 |
IGTV: | 1080 x 1920 |
IGTV cover: | 420 x 654 |
Reels: | 1080 x 1920 |
Instagram supports horizontally and vertically oriented images. It also still supports square images, which was what the platform was known for when it first launched.
This increases your brand’s options. But it also makes image dimensions a little trickier to get right. Follow these guidelines to make sure your images end up looking their best.
Instagram profile photo size: 320 x 320 pixels
Instagram profile photos are displayed at 110 x 100 pixels, but the image files are stored at 320 x 320 pixels, so make sure to upload an image that’s least that big.
Even though the dimensions are in a square format, Instagram profile photos are displayed as a circle. Make sure any elements you want to focus on in the photo are centered so they don’t get cropped out.
Instagram image sizes for feed photos:
- Landscape: 1080 x 566 pixels
- Portrait: 1080 x 1350 pixels
- Square: 1080 x 1080 pixels
- Supported aspect ratios: Anywhere between 1.91:1 and 4:5
- Recommended image size: Width of 1080 pixels, height between 566 and 1350 pixels (depending on whether the image is landscape or portrait)
Tips:
- If you want your images to look their best on Instagram, aim to upload an image that is 1080 pixels wide.
- When you share an Instagram image that’s sized over 1080 pixels, Instagram will size it down to 1080 pixels.
- If you share a photo that has a resolution lower than 320 pixels, Instagram will size it up to 320 pixels.
- If your image is between 320 and 1080 pixels wide, Instagram will keep that photo at its original resolution, “as long as the photo’s aspect ratio is between 1.91:1 and 4:5 (a height between 566 and 1350 pixels with a width of 1080 pixels).”
- If your uploaded Instagram image is a different ratio, the platform will automatically crop your photo to fit a supported ratio.
Instagram photo thumbnail sizes:
- Display size: 161 x 161 pixels
- Recommended upload size: 1080 pixels wide
Tips:
- Remember that Instagram stores versions of these thumbnails that are as large as 1080 x 1080.
- To future-proof your Instagram feed and avoid pixelation, upload images that are as large as possible.
Instagram Stories image size: 1080 x 1920 pixels
Tips:
- This is an aspect ratio of 9:16.
- Uploading an image with a smaller pixel size (but the same aspect ratio) means the Story will buffer quickly.
- If you don’t use this ratio, the Story might show with strange cropping, zooming, or leave large sections of the screen blank.
- Instagram Reels use this same sizing.
Instagram carousel image sizes:
- Landscape: 1080 x 566 pixels
- Portrait: 1080 x 1350 pixels
- Square: 1080 x 1080 pixels
- Aspect ratio: landscape (1.91:1), square (1:1), vertical (4:5)
- Recommended image size: Width of 1080 pixels, height between 566 and 1350 pixels (depending on whether the image is landscape or portrait)
Instagram Reels sizes:
- 1080 x 1920 pixels
- This is an aspect ratio of 9:16.
- Cover photo: 1080 x 1920 pixels
- Keep in mind that Reels are cropped to a 1:1 image in your profile feed and a 4:5 image in the home feed.
Instagram ads image sizes:
- Landscape: 1080 x 566 pixels
- Square: 1080 x 1080 pixels
- Minimum width: 320 pixels
- Maximum width: 1080 pixels
- Supported aspect ratios: Anywhere between 1.91:1 and 4:5
Tips:
- Remember: Instagram ads appearing in users’ feeds cannot have more than 30 hashtags.
- There are also recommendations for the number of characters included in an ad’s primary text and headline.
Image sizes for Instagram Stories ads: 1080 x 1920 pixels
Tips:
- Instagram recommends leaving roughly “14% (250 pixels) of the top and bottom of the image free from text and logos” to prevent them from being covered.
- As of September 2020, Facebook and Instagram ads are no longer penalized if more than 20% of the ad space is text.
Facebook image sizes
Pixels | |
Profile photo: | 170 x 170 |
Cover photo: | 851 x 315 |
Timeline photos: | 1200 x 630 |
Carousel photos | 1200 x 1200 |
Event cover photo: | 1200 x 628 |
Panorama or 360: | 30,000 in any dimension up to 135,000,000 |
Ads | |
Feed ads: | 1080 x 1080 |
Right column photos: | 1080 x 1080 |
Instant articles photo: | 1080 x 1080 |
Marketplace ads photo: | 1080 x 1080 |
Sponsored message photos: | 1080 x 1080 |
Facebook search ads photos: | 1080 x 1080 |
Facebook Stories: | 1080 x 1920 (keep text within 1080 x 1420) |
Carousel photos: | 1200 x 1200 |
Messenger inbox: | 1080 x 1080 |
Facebook updates its design and image dimensions constantly. The best strategy to future-proof your brand’s content is to always upload the highest-quality image you can. Stick to Facebook’s recommended file formats for the best results.
Facebook image sizes for profile photos: 170 x 170 pixels (on most computers)
Your Facebook profile picture will display at 170 x 170 pixels on desktop. But it will display as 128 x 128 pixels on smartphones.
Facebook image sizes for cover photos: 851 x 315 pixels (recommended)
- Display size desktop: 820 x 312 pixels
- Display size smartphone: 640 x 360 pixels
- Minimum size: 400 x 150 pixels
- Ideal file size: Less than 100KB
Tips
- To avoid any compression or distortion, upload a JPG or PNG file.
- Use the recommended pixel sizes for the fastest load times.
- Profile pictures and cover photos with logos or text work best when uploaded as a PNG file.
- Don’t drag to reposition once you’ve uploaded your cover photo.
Facebook image sizes for posts and timeline photos:
Facebook automatically resizes and formats your photos when they are uploaded for the timeline to be 500 pixels wide and to fit the 1.91:1 aspect ratio.
But avoid pixelation or slow load times by remembering these sizes:
- Recommended size: 1200 x 630 pixels
- Minimum size: 600 x 315 pixels
Tips:
- If you are sharing 2-10 images in your brand’s Facebook post using the carousel display, images should be 1200 x 1200.
- This is a 1:1 ratio.
Facebook event cover photo image sizes: 1200 x 628 pixels (recommended)
Tips
- This is about a 2:1 ratio.
- The size of your event cover photo can’t be edited after it’s been added to an event.
Facebook image sizes for panorama or 360 photos:
- Minimum image size: Facebook says that it should be “30,000 pixels in any dimension, and less than 135,000,000 pixels in total size.”
- Aspect ratio: 2:1
Tips
- Facebook automatically recognizes and processes these images based on “camera-specific metadata found in photos taken using 360-ready devices.”
- Files for these Facebook images can be up to 45 MB for JPEGs or 60 MB for PNGs.
- Facebook recommends using JPEGs for 360 photos and ensuring files aren’t bigger than 30 MB.
Facebook image sizes for Facebook Stories: 1080 x 1920 pixels (recommended)
Tips
- Facebook Stories take up the full screen of a phone. That’s an aspect ratio of 9:16.
- Don’t choose an image with a width smaller than 500 pixels.
- For Stories with text, consider leaving 14% of the top and bottom text-free. (That’s 250 pixels.) That way any call-to-action won’t be covered by your brand’s profile photo or buttons.
Facebook image sizes for ads:
- Sizes for Facebook Feed ads: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels. Minimum size 600 x 600 pixels. Ratio 1.91:1 to 1:1. Maximum file size of 30 MB.
- Sizes for Facebook Right Column ads: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels. Minimum size 254 x 133 pixels. Ratio 1:1. (Remember: These are a desktop-only ad format.)
- Facebook image sizes for Instant Articles: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels. Ratio 1.91:1 to 1:1. Maximum file size of 30 MB.
- Image sizes for Facebook Marketplace ads: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels. Ratio 1:1. Maximum file size of 30 MB.
- Image sizes for Facebook Search: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels. Minimum size 600 x 600 pixels. Ratio 1.91:1 to 1:1. Maximum file size of 30 MB.
- Facebook image sizes for Sponsored Messages: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels. Ratio 1.91:1 to 1:1. Maximum file size of 30 MB.
- Sizes for Messenger inbox ads: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels. Ratio 1:1. Minimum size 254 x 133 pixels. Maximum file size of 30 MB.
- Sizes for Messenger Stories ads: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels. Ratio 9:16. Minimum width of 500 pixels.
YouTube image sizes
YouTube | Pixels | |
Profile photo: | 800 x 800 | |
Channel cover photo: | 2048 x 1152 | Minimum area for text and logos without being cut off: 1235 x 338 pixels |
Video: | 1280 x 720 (HD) | |
Thumbnail: | 1280 x 720 | Minumum width of 640 |
YouTube profile photo size: 800 x 800 pixels (recommended)
Tips
- Make sure the focus of your photo is centered for best results.
- Files should be JPEG, GIF, BMP or PNG. Animated GIFs won’t work.
- Photos will render at 98 x 98 pixels.
YouTube banner image size: 2048 x 1152 pixels (at minimum)
- Aspect ratio: 16:9
- Minimum area for text and logos without being cut off: 1235 x 338 pixels
- Maximum file size: 6MB
YouTube video size: 1280 x 720 pixels (at minimum)
Tips
- YouTube recommends that videos intended for sale or rental have a higher pixel count: 1920 x 1080 pixels.
- YouTube requires videos to be 1280 x 720 pixels in order to meet HD standards.
- This is a 16:9 aspect ratio.