Instagram Photo Size (2026)
You're likely reading this article because you want to know the best Instagram photo size to use when posting to Instagram. There are quite a few articles that go into the best Instagram photo size in complicated detail. While we will give that information for those who are looking for it, we also want to make this information as simple as possible for those who simply want to know the best Instagram photo size so they can correctly upload their pictures to the platform. This article was last updated in 2026 so it contains the Instagram photo sizes for 2026.
Instagram Post Size
- Tall (3:4): 1080 x 1440px - the new standard that fits the profile grid perfectly
- Portrait (4:5): 1080 x 1350px - still popular, slightly cropped on the 3:4 grid
- Square (1:1): 1080 x 1080px - the classic format, center-cropped on the new grid
- Landscape (1.91:1): 1080 x 566px - horizontal, takes less screen space
- Images: JPG, PNG - max 30 MB
- Videos: MP4, MOV - max 4 GB
- Videos under 15 minutes are shared as Reels; 15-60 minutes as standard feed videos
The 3:4 Profile Grid Change
In late 2025, Instagram replaced the classic square grid on profiles with a taller 3:4 ratio. Every photo on your profile now displays as a vertical rectangle instead of a square. This means photos uploaded at 1080 x 1440px (3:4) look perfect on your profile, while square and landscape shots get center-cropped to fit.
If you've been shooting square photos for Instagram, it's worth switching to 3:4 or at least 4:5 vertical. Keep the important parts of your image centered since Instagram will crop from the edges to create the 3:4 grid thumbnail. Landscape photos lose the most - they'll be heavily cropped on your profile grid, even though they display fine in the feed.
Why Instagram Photo Size Is Important
Getting the correct Instagram photo size is important for a number of compelling reasons. The first and most important is that Instagram is a visual social media medium, so how your pictures and images look is important. The better they look, the better your Instagram account is likely to do. Getting the best Instagram photo size for your feed will make sure your pictures look the best that they can which can only help your feed. Understanding the size of Instagram photos is also important so that you can frame your pictures and images correctly when you're taking them. You are much more likely to find a picture doesn't quite work if you take images without understanding that it will show up square in many instances on Instagram. Knowing Instagram's photo size will ensure you're able to frame all your photos as best as possible whenever you're taking them for your account. Lastly, knowing the best pixel size (1080px by 1080px) will ensure that all your photos look crisp and clear on the Instagram format. You always want your pictures to look as good as they can and making sure the pixels aren't too high or low will leave your images looking their best on Instagram.
Horizontal Instagram Photo Size
- 1080px by 566px (1.91:1) up to 1080 x 608px (16:9)
Vertical Instagram Photo Size
- 1080 x 1440px (3:4) - aligns perfectly with the profile grid
- 1080 x 1350px (4:5) - the previous standard, still works great in the feed
On your profile, all photos are displayed in the 3:4 grid format regardless of their original shape. Photos that aren't 3:4 get center-cropped to fit the grid thumbnail, though they still display in their original aspect ratio when someone taps on them.
Instagram Profile Picture Size
Your Instagram profile picture should be uploaded at 1080 x 1080 pixels with a 1:1 aspect ratio. Instagram displays profile photos as a circle, so the corners get cropped - keep your face or logo centered and away from the edges. While the profile picture appears small in the feed and comments, Instagram stores it at a higher resolution so it looks sharp when people tap on it to view it larger.
Instagram accepts JPG and PNG formats for profile pictures. If your profile photo looks blurry, it's almost always because the original image was too small. Uploading at the full 1080x1080 resolution gives Instagram the most data to work with and keeps things crisp across all screen sizes. Your Instagram profile picture also syncs with Threads by default, so updating it on one platform changes it on both.
- Recommended size: 1080 x 1080 pixels
- Aspect ratio: 1:1 (displayed as circle)
- Formats: JPG, PNG
- Max file size: 10 MB
Instagram Stories
Instagram Stories use a full-screen vertical format and disappear after 24 hours. The recommended size is 1080 x 1920 pixels with a 9:16 aspect ratio. Each Story slide can be up to 60 seconds long - if your video is longer, Instagram automatically splits it into continuous segments.
- Size: 1080 x 1920px (9:16)
- Max length: 60 seconds per slide
- Formats: JPG, PNG, MP4, MOV, GIF
- Max file size: 30 MB (images) / 4 GB (videos)
- Safe zone: Keep text ~250px from the top and bottom edges to avoid UI overlaps
Instagram Reels
Reels are Instagram's primary discovery engine and stay on your profile permanently. They use the same 1080 x 1920 pixel format at 9:16. Reels can be up to 60 minutes when uploaded from your camera roll, or up to 90 seconds when recorded in the app (some accounts can go up to 3 minutes). For the best reach through the algorithm, shorter Reels (under 90 seconds) tend to perform best.
- Size: 1080 x 1920px (9:16)
- Cover photo: 1080 x 1920px (center 1080 x 1440px area visible on profile grid)
- Max length: 90 seconds (in-app, up to 3 min for some accounts) / 60 minutes (uploaded)
- Formats: MP4, MOV
- Max file size: 4 GB
- Safe zone: Keep text and logos within the center 1080 x 1420px area - avoid the top ~250px and bottom ~340px
Instagram Carousel Posts
Carousel posts let you share up to 20 photos or videos in a single swipeable post. You can mix photos and videos in the same carousel. While Instagram now supports mixed aspect ratios in carousels, keeping all slides the same size (ideally 3:4 at 1080 x 1440px) gives a smoother scrolling experience.
- Max slides: 20
- Supported ratios: 1:1, 4:5, 3:4, 1.91:1
- Recommended: 1080 x 1440px (3:4) for grid alignment
- Max file size: 30 MB per image / 4 GB per video
Instagram Ads
Running paid campaigns through Meta Ads Manager has slightly different specs to ensure fast load times across all network speeds. Note that the newer 3:4 ratio is not yet universally supported across all Meta ad placements, so 4:5 or 1:1 are safer choices for ads.
- Feed/Explore image ads: 1080 x 1080px (1:1) or 1080 x 1350px (4:5)
- Feed/Explore video ads: 1080 x 1080px or 1080 x 1350px, up to 240 min (15-30s recommended)
- Stories/Reels ads: 1080 x 1920px (9:16), 15s per Stories card / 60s for Reels
- Carousel ads: 1080 x 1080px (1:1), 2-10 cards
- Max file size: 30 MB (images) / 4 GB (videos, compress under 250 MB for best loading)
Video Export Settings
Instagram compresses every video you upload. To minimize quality loss, export your videos with these settings:
- Resolution: 1080p (not 4K - Instagram doesn't support 4K playback and will aggressively compress it)
- Video codec: H.264 or H.265 (HEVC)
- Audio codec: AAC at 128 kbps or higher
- Frame rate: 30 FPS (60 FPS supported for high-motion content)
- Color profile: sRGB (prevents muted or oversaturated colors)
- Enable "Upload at highest quality" in Instagram app settings
- Tall post (new standard): 1080 x 1440px (3:4)
- Portrait post: 1080 x 1350px (4:5)
- Square post: 1080 x 1080px (1:1)
- Landscape post: 1080 x 566px (1.91:1)
- Story: 1080 x 1920px (9:16)
- Reel: 1080 x 1920px (9:16)
- Carousel: up to 20 slides, any supported ratio
- Profile picture: 1080 x 1080px (displayed as circle)
Related Image Size Guides
Need dimensions for other platforms? Check out these related guides.
Frequently asked questions
Do Instagram photos need to be square?
No. Instagram supports square (1:1), portrait (4:5), tall (3:4), and landscape (1.91:1) photos. Since the 2025 grid update, tall 3:4 photos at 1080 x 1440px are actually the ideal format because they fill the new profile grid without any cropping.
How do you fit a full photo on Instagram?
When uploading a photo, Instagram may default to cropping it. Tap the expand icon or pinch the photo in the editor to switch between aspect ratios. For best results, resize your image to 1080 x 1440px (3:4) or 1080 x 1350px (4:5) before uploading - this way Instagram displays it at full size without any cropping.
What's the best Instagram photo size for carousel posts?
Instagram carousels support up to 20 slides (photos, videos, or both). The recommended size is 1080 x 1440px (3:4) for all slides. Instagram now allows mixed aspect ratios within a single carousel, but keeping all slides the same size gives a cleaner swiping experience. If you use uniform sizing, the first slide's aspect ratio sets the crop for all remaining slides.
What's the best Instagram photo size for Instagram stories?
The best size for Instagram Stories is 1080 x 1920px with a 9:16 aspect ratio. This fills the entire phone screen without black borders. Each Story slide can be up to 60 seconds long. Keep important text about 250 pixels from the top and bottom edges to avoid being covered by the app's UI elements.