Instagram sizes
Getting your Instagram dimensions right means your content displays exactly as intended — no unexpected cropping, no blurry images, no wasted screen real estate. Instagram supports a range of formats from square feed posts to full-screen vertical Stories and Reels, each with specific dimension requirements.
The most important sizes to know are 1080×1350px (4:5) for feed posts, 1080×1920px (9:16) for Stories and Reels, and 320×320px for profile pictures. Below is a complete reference for every Instagram format with the latest 2026 specs.
Quick reference
| Format | Dimensions | Ratio | Max size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feed Post | 1080 × 1350 px | 4:5 | 30MB |
| Story | 1080 × 1920 px | 9:16 | 30MB |
| Reel | 1080 × 1920 px | 9:16 | 4GB |
| Carousel | 1080 × 1350 px | 4:5 | 30MB |
| Profile Picture | 320 × 320 px | 1:1 | 30MB |
| Highlight Cover | 1080 × 1920 px | 9:16 | 30MB |
| Feed Ad | 1080 × 1080 px | 1:1 | 30MB |
| Landscape Post | 1080 × 566 px | 1.91:1 | 30MB |
| Grid Layout | 1080 × 1080 px | 1:1 | 30MB |
| Video | 1080 × 1920 px | 9:16 | 4GB |
Feed Post1080×1350px
The recommended Instagram feed post size is 1080×1350 pixels in a 4:5 portrait aspect ratio. This vertical format takes up the most screen real estate in the feed, which makes it a practical default when you want a larger visual footprint while scrolling. Instagram also supports square (1080×1080) and landscape (1080×566) posts.
Instagram feed posts appear differently depending on where they're viewed. In the main feed, portrait posts (4:5) display at their full height, taking up significantly more screen space than square or landscape alternatives. On your profile grid, however, all posts are center-cropped to a 1:1 square — so even a 4:5 portrait will lose the top and bottom edges in the grid thumbnail.
Dimensions
1080×1350
Aspect ratio
4:5
Max file size
30MB
Formats
JPG, PNG, BMP
Also supports
Best practices
- •Use 1080×1350px for maximum feed visibility — portrait posts take up more screen space than square or landscape.
- •Export at 2x resolution (2160×2700px) to fight Instagram's compression and keep visuals sharp.
- •Keep critical text and elements away from the top and bottom 50px — grid previews may crop slightly.
Story1080×1920px
Instagram Stories display at 1080×1920 pixels in a full-screen 9:16 vertical format. Stories appear for 5 seconds (images) or up to 60 seconds (video), and the format is designed to fill the entire phone screen. Keep important content within the safe zone since Instagram overlays UI elements at the top and bottom.
Stories occupy the entire phone screen in a 9:16 vertical format. Unlike feed posts, there's no cropping or resizing choice — the full 1080×1920 canvas is displayed edge to edge. If you upload an image that doesn't match 9:16, Instagram will either letterbox it (adding blurred background bars) or zoom-crop it to fill the screen, often cutting off important content.
Dimensions
1080×1920
Aspect ratio
9:16
Max file size
30MB
Formats
JPG, PNG, MP4, MOV
Best practices
- •Design at 1080×1920px — this fills the entire phone screen without cropping or letterboxing.
- •Keep critical text at least 250px from the top and bottom edges to avoid being covered by Instagram's UI.
- •Use MP4 for video stories — H.264 codec with AAC audio for best quality and compatibility.
Reel1080×1920px
Instagram Reels should be 1080×1920 pixels in a 9:16 vertical format. Reels can be up to 90 seconds long and are displayed full-screen when viewed. In the feed grid, Reels are cropped to a 4:5 preview, so keep central framing in mind.
Reels use the same 1080×1920 (9:16) dimensions as Stories but have a heavier UI overlay. The bottom third of the screen is covered by the caption text, audio information, and a row of action buttons (like, comment, share, remix). The right edge has floating icons for these actions. This means your effective "safe zone" for important content is significantly smaller than Stories.
Dimensions
1080×1920
Aspect ratio
9:16
Max file size
4GB
Formats
MP4, MOV
Best practices
- •Record or export at 1080×1920px (9:16) for full-screen display without letterboxing.
- •Keep text and faces away from the bottom 340px — the caption, audio bar, and action buttons overlay this area.
- •Reels are cropped to 4:5 in the feed grid — center your subject so it looks good in both views.
Carousel1080×1350px
Instagram carousels use the same dimensions as regular feed posts — 1080×1350px at a 4:5 ratio is recommended. Carousels support up to 20 slides and can mix images and videos. All slides in a carousel must share the same aspect ratio; Instagram will crop mismatched slides to match the first one.
Carousel posts allow up to 20 slides in a single swipeable post, mixing images and videos. Every slide in a carousel is cropped to match the aspect ratio of the first slide — so if your first image is 4:5 portrait, all subsequent slides will also display at 4:5, regardless of their original dimensions. Plan your entire carousel at a consistent size before uploading.
Dimensions
1080×1350
Aspect ratio
4:5
Max file size
30MB
Formats
JPG, PNG, MP4, MOV
Also supports
Best practices
- •All slides share the aspect ratio of your first slide — design every frame at 1080×1350px for consistency.
- •Use the first slide to hook attention and make the rest of the sequence visually consistent.
- •Use the last slide for a CTA or summary so the carousel has a clear finish.
Profile Picture320×320px
Instagram profile pictures are stored at 320×320 pixels and displayed as a circle. They appear at 110×110px in the feed and 150×150px on your profile page. Upload at the full 320×320px resolution so it stays sharp everywhere, especially on high-density displays.
Instagram profile pictures are stored at 320×320 pixels but displayed at different sizes across the app: 110×110px next to posts in the feed, 150×150px on the profile page, and as small as 32×32px in comment threads and notifications. The image is always displayed as a circle, so corners of the square upload are permanently cropped.
Dimensions
320×320
Aspect ratio
1:1
Max file size
30MB
Formats
JPG, PNG
Best practices
- •Upload at 320×320px even though it displays smaller — Instagram stores the full resolution for high-DPI screens.
- •Design within a circle guide — corners will be cropped since Instagram displays profile pictures as circles.
- •Use a close-up face or a simple, recognizable logo — profile pictures are tiny in the feed.
Highlight Cover1080×1920px
Instagram highlight covers use the same 1080×1920px story dimensions, but only the center portion is visible since highlights display as small circles on your profile. Design your icon or graphic within the center ~720×720px area to ensure it displays correctly in the circular crop.
Highlight covers use the full Story dimension (1080×1920) during upload, but they're displayed as small circles approximately 80px in diameter on your profile page. Instagram crops to the center of the image, showing only a roughly 720×720px area in the circular frame. Everything outside this center zone is invisible.
Dimensions
1080×1920
Aspect ratio
9:16
Max file size
30MB
Formats
JPG, PNG
Best practices
- •Design at 1080×1920px but keep the icon centered within a ~720×720px zone — everything else gets cropped by the circle.
- •Use simple icons or letters rather than detailed images — highlight circles are only about 80px on screen.
- •Create a consistent set of covers with a unified color scheme to make your profile look polished.
Feed Ad1080×1080px
Instagram feed ads support multiple aspect ratios, but 1:1 square (1080×1080px) is the most versatile — it works in feed, Explore, and the Instagram shop. For maximum feed impact, use 4:5 portrait (1080×1350px). Story and Reel ads should be 9:16 (1080×1920px). Meta's Ads Manager accepts all three formats.
Instagram feed ads support three aspect ratios through Meta Ads Manager: 1:1 square (1080×1080), 4:5 portrait (1080×1350), and 1.91:1 landscape (1080×566). The square format is the safest choice because it works well across all ad placements — feed, Explore, and Instagram Shop. Portrait gives you more visual real estate in the feed but may be cropped in some placements.
Dimensions
1080×1080
Aspect ratio
1:1
Max file size
30MB
Formats
JPG, PNG, MP4, MOV
Also supports
Best practices
- •Use 1:1 (1080×1080px) for the most versatile ad that works across all placements.
- •For feed-only campaigns, 4:5 (1080×1350px) gives you a taller composition than square.
- •Keep overlay text concise so the creative stays readable across placements and smaller screens.
Landscape Post1080×566px
Instagram landscape posts are 1080×566 pixels with a 1.91:1 aspect ratio. Landscape is the least common Instagram format because it takes up the smallest area in the feed, but it works well for wide panoramic shots, group photos, and cinematic content where a horizontal frame is essential.
Landscape posts at 1080×566 (1.91:1) are the least commonly used Instagram format. They take up the smallest area in the mobile feed — roughly half the screen height of a portrait post — so they usually feel less prominent while scrolling.
Dimensions
1080×566
Aspect ratio
1.91:1
Max file size
30MB
Formats
JPG, PNG, BMP
Best practices
- •Landscape posts take up less feed space than portrait or square — use them only when the horizontal composition is important.
- •Instagram crops landscape posts to a square in the grid view — center your subject accordingly.
- •Consider posting landscape images as carousels with a portrait cover slide for more feed visibility.
Grid Layout1080×1080px
The Instagram profile grid displays all posts as 1:1 square thumbnails at 1080×1080 pixels (or equivalent). Regardless of the original post's aspect ratio, the grid crops to a center square. For multi-post grid layouts (puzzle grids), each tile is 1080×1080px, and a 3-across design uses a combined canvas of 3240×3240px.
The Instagram profile grid is a 3-column layout where every post — regardless of its original aspect ratio — is displayed as a 1:1 square thumbnail. Posts are stored at 1080×1080 for this grid view. Portrait posts (4:5) are center-cropped vertically, and landscape posts (1.91:1) are center-cropped horizontally.
Dimensions
1080×1080
Aspect ratio
1:1
Max file size
30MB
Formats
JPG, PNG
Best practices
- •All posts are cropped to 1:1 squares in the grid — center your subject so it looks good in both the feed and grid view.
- •For puzzle grids, design at 3240×3240px (3×3), then slice into nine 1080×1080px tiles.
- •Use Instagram's cover image feature to choose the best grid-friendly crop for non-square posts.
Video1080×1920px
Instagram videos can be posted as feed posts, Reels, or Stories — each displayed slightly differently but all supporting 1080×1920px (9:16) as the ideal vertical format. Feed videos also support 1:1 and 4:5 aspect ratios. Use H.264 MP4 with AAC audio for the best quality-to-file-size ratio across all placements.
Instagram video can appear in three contexts — feed posts, Reels, and Stories — each with different display behavior. Feed video posts support aspect ratios from 1.91:1 (landscape) to 9:16 (vertical), but the feed displays them at a maximum of 4:5. If you upload a 9:16 video as a feed post, it appears in-feed at 4:5 with a "tap to expand" option for full-screen.
Dimensions
1080×1920
Aspect ratio
9:16
Max file size
4GB
Formats
MP4, MOV
Also supports
Best practices
- •Export as MP4 with H.264 codec and AAC audio for the best compatibility across all Instagram placements.
- •Vertical 9:16 (1080×1920px) gets the most screen real estate — use it for Reels and Stories.
- •For feed video posts, 4:5 (1080×1350px) is a good middle ground between visibility and cinematic framing.
Frequently asked questions
What are all the Instagram image sizes?
The main Instagram sizes are: Feed Post 1080×1350px (4:5), Story 1080×1920px (9:16), Reel 1080×1920px (9:16), Carousel 1080×1350px (4:5), Profile Picture 320×320px (1:1), and Landscape 1080×566px (1.91:1).
What is the best image size for Instagram in 2026?
For feed posts, 1080×1350px (4:5 portrait) is recommended — it takes up the most screen space. For Stories and Reels, use 1080×1920px (9:16).
Does Instagram compress uploaded images?
Yes. Instagram re-encodes every image to its own JPEG standard regardless of upload format, stripping EXIF data in the process. To minimize quality loss, upload at exactly 1080px wide using JPG at 85%+ quality or PNG for graphics with text.
What file format should I use for Instagram?
JPG at 85–95% quality for photos, PNG for graphics with text or sharp edges. Instagram accepts JPG, PNG, and BMP. Avoid files over 30MB — larger files are compressed more aggressively.
Does Instagram support 4K images?
Instagram downscales images to a maximum width of 1080px. Uploading at higher resolution (e.g., 2160px wide) can improve sharpness after compression, but images won't display above 1080px wide.
Other platform guides
Guide last verified: March 15, 2026. This hub summarizes 10 formats and cites 5 sources across this page and the linked format pages.
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