Instagram image sizes (2026)
| Format | Dimensions (px) | Aspect ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Feed — square post | 1080 × 1080 | 1:1 |
| Feed — portrait post | 1080 × 1350 | 4:5 |
| Feed — landscape post | 1080 × 566 | 1.91:1 |
| Story | 1080 × 1920 | 9:16 |
| Reel cover | 1080 × 1920 | 9:16 |
| Profile picture | 320 × 320 (upload 1080 × 1080) | 1:1 |
| Carousel (per slide) | 1080 × 1080 or 1080 × 1350 | 1:1 or 4:5 |
Why exact dimensions matter
Instagram displays feed photos at exactly 1080 pixels wide. If you upload something wider — say a 4032-pixel photo straight from your phone — Instagram's servers re-encode it down to 1080 wide before displaying. That re-encoding step is where slight quality loss creeps in. Uploading at native 1080 width skips that step entirely, and your photo looks crisper on the feed.
More importantly, Instagram crops aggressively when the aspect ratio is wrong. A 16:9 landscape photo uploaded as a square post will be centre-cropped to 1:1, often cutting off the subject of the shot. A 4:3 photo uploaded to a story will get black bars top and bottom. Resizing (and cropping deliberately) before you upload puts you in control of what gets shown.
How to resize for Instagram
- Open the resizer at unfuss.app/resize. The tool runs locally in your browser.
- Drop your photo (or many photos for a carousel).
- Choose the target dimensions from the table above. The most common picks are:
- Square feed: 1080 × 1080
- Portrait feed: 1080 × 1350 (gets the most feed real estate)
- Story / reel: 1080 × 1920
- Pick "Cover" or "Fit":
- Cover fills the entire target rectangle and crops the overflow. Use this when you've already framed the subject in the centre.
- Fit shrinks the image to fit inside the target without cropping. Use this when you want the whole photo visible — adds padding where needed.
- Download the resized file and upload it to Instagram normally. Instagram will accept it as-is — no further cropping.
Pro tips that aren't obvious
- Portrait posts get more screen real estate. A 1080×1350 portrait takes up roughly 33% more of the feed than a 1080×1080 square. If your goal is feed visibility, prefer portrait whenever the shot allows.
- For carousels, stick to one aspect ratio across all slides. Instagram crops mixed-aspect carousels to the first slide's ratio, which often butchers the others.
- Profile pictures are circle-cropped on display. Anything in the corners of your 1:1 upload will be hidden behind the circle mask. Keep the subject centred.
- Reels covers are different from reel videos. The cover image (still frame shown on your profile grid) is 1080×1920, but it'll be centre-cropped to 1080×1350 on the profile grid view. Keep important elements in the middle 1080×1350 area of your cover.
- Don't upscale beyond 1080. If your source is smaller than 1080 wide, Instagram has to upscale and it'll look soft. Better to keep the smaller native size than to fake the resolution.
Frequently asked
What size is the perfect Instagram post in 2026?
For a square post, 1080×1080. For a portrait post, 1080×1350 (the maximum 4:5 ratio Instagram allows). Portrait gets more visual real estate on the feed.
What size is an Instagram story?
1080×1920 pixels, 9:16 aspect ratio. Same dimensions as reels. Anything else gets either cropped or padded with black bars.
Why does Instagram crop my photo?
Instagram only accepts certain aspect ratios per format. Square posts are 1:1, portrait posts are 4:5, stories are 9:16. If you upload an image at a different ratio, Instagram crops it (usually centred) to fit. Resize to the target ratio before uploading and Instagram has nothing to crop.
Do I need to upload at exactly 1080 pixels wide?
Optimal but not required. Instagram caps display at 1080 wide for feed images. Anything wider gets downsized by their servers (slight quality loss). Anything narrower gets upscaled (softness). 1080 wide is the sweet spot.
What about the Instagram profile picture?
Displays at 320×320 but you should upload at 1080×1080 for sharpness when Instagram caches it at higher densities. Note that profile pictures are masked into a circle on display — anything in the corners of your square is hidden.
Is my photo uploaded anywhere to resize it?
No. The resizer uses your browser's built-in Canvas API to do the work locally. Your photo never leaves your device. Verify by opening developer tools, Network tab, and dropping a photo — no upload requests appear.