Instagram Post Size Guide 2026: Every Dimension You Need to Know

The standard Instagram post size depends on the format you're using. For a square feed post, that's 1080 x 1080 px. Portrait posts run at 1080 x 1350 px, landscape at 1080 x 566 px, and both Stories and Reels sit at 1080 x 1920 px. Everything else is in the table below.

Quick Reference: All Instagram Post Sizes at a Glance

What Aspect Ratio and Pixels Actually Mean

These two terms show up in every Instagram sizing guide. They're worth understanding once, clearly, so you never have to look them up again.

Aspect Ratio — Shape, Not Size

Aspect ratio describes the shape of your image — the relationship between its width and its height. It has nothing to do with how many pixels the image contains.

A 1:1 ratio is a perfect square. A 4:5 ratio is taller than it is wide — portrait orientation. A 1.91:1 ratio is wider than it is tall — landscape. And 9:16 is the tall, narrow format you see in Stories and Reels, designed for a phone held upright.

Instagram won't always reject an image with the wrong aspect ratio, but it will crop it — sometimes in ways you don't expect and can't undo.

Pixels and Resolution — Why Uploading Higher Is Better

A pixel is a single dot of color. More pixels means more detail. When Instagram talks about recommended dimensions, it means the number of pixels wide by pixels tall.

What's often overlooked is Instagram's compression behavior. When you upload an image, Instagram compresses it to reduce file size for faster loading. If you upload at exactly the minimum resolution, that compression can make your image look noticeably soft.

Uploading at the recommended resolution — or slightly above it — gives the compression algorithm more to work with, and your final image stays sharper.

As reported by TechCrunch, Instagram moved to 1080 px as its standard resolution precisely because lower pixel counts produced visible degradation on modern smartphone screens.

In practice, most creators find that uploading at 1080 px wide consistently produces cleaner results than uploading at the minimum threshold.

Supported File Formats for Instagram Posts

Before getting into specific post types, it helps to know what Instagram actually accepts.

Photos: JPG, PNG, BMP, non-animated GIF
Videos: MP4, MOV
Maximum video file size: 4 GB

Keep your video files under 4 GB.

Instagram won't upload beyond that, and there's no workaround on the platform itself.

Instagram Feed Post Sizes

Feed posts are the images and videos that appear on your profile grid and in your followers' home feeds. Instagram supports three orientations.

Square Post — 1080 x 1080 px (1:1)

The format Instagram launched with. Still widely used, particularly for product photos, graphics, and anything with a centered composition. It sits neatly on the profile grid without any cropping concerns.

Portrait Post — 1080 x 1350 px (4:5)

This is the format Instagram itself recommends for feed posts. It takes up more vertical space in the feed, which means more screen real estate — and generally, more attention. If you're posting a photo of a person, a tall building, or any subject that benefits from vertical framing, portrait is usually the better call.

Landscape Post — 1080 x 566 px (1.91:1)

Wide-angle shots, scenic views, group photos — landscape works well when the subject genuinely needs horizontal space. The trade-off is that it takes up less feed space than portrait or square, so it tends to get scrolled past faster. Use it when the composition genuinely demands it, not as a default.

Which Instagram Post Format Should You Use?

Not sure which orientation fits your content? This quick guide maps common use cases to the right format.

Instagram Stories Size

Stories run at 1080 x 1920 px with a 9:16 aspect ratio. That's the full height of a phone screen, held vertically.

Safe Zones — Where Not to Place Text or Logos

Instagram overlays your username and navigation buttons at the top and bottom of every story. Leave roughly 250 pixels of clear space at both the top and bottom of your story canvas. Anything placed in those zones — text, your logo, a key detail — risks being covered.

What Happens With Non-Native Sizes

If you upload a square or landscape image to Stories, Instagram doesn't refuse it. It centers the image and fills the empty space above and below with a blurred version of the image itself. It's functional, but it looks noticeably improvised. The extra space is actually an opportunity — you can add stickers, text, or a background color to fill it intentionally.

Duration and Video Behavior

Photos display for five seconds. Videos play in 15-second segments, with a maximum of 60 seconds total across four consecutive clips. Story Highlights thumbnails appear on your profile indefinitely — use a 1080 x 1920 px image here too for consistency.

Also Read: Snapchat Story Download by Username

Instagram Reels Size

Reels use the same dimensions as Stories: 1080 x 1920 px at a 9:16 aspect ratio. The difference is where and how they appear.

Reels Video Dimensions

Upload your Reel at 1080 x 1920 px. Reels play full-screen when a viewer taps on them or finds them through the Explore page. In the main feed, Reels appear cropped to a 4:5 ratio. On your profile grid, alongside photos, they preview at a 3:4 ratio.

Reels Cover Photo and Thumbnail

The cover photo is what appears on your profile grid. You have two options: pick a frame directly from the video, or upload a custom image from your camera roll. Either way, the cover displays at a 3:4 ratio on the grid and at 9:16 under the Reels tab.

You can update a Reel's cover image after it's been posted — useful if you're curating how your profile grid looks overall.

Video Length for Reels

As reported by The Verge, Instagram expanded the maximum Reel length to 3 minutes (180 seconds) in January 2025, up from the previous 90-second cap. Shorter clips — under 60 seconds — tend to perform more consistently in terms of completion rate, though Instagram's own guidance focuses on vertical format and audio rather than specific length recommendations.

Also Read: Can You See Who Rewatched Your Snap Story

Instagram Carousel Post Size

A carousel lets you post up to 10 images or videos in a single post, swiped through horizontally.

How Instagram Sets Carousel Dimensions

The first image in your carousel determines the aspect ratio for the entire post. If your first card is portrait (4:5), every subsequent card will be displayed in portrait. Instagram auto-crops any card that doesn't match.

The catch: once Instagram applies that crop, you can't adjust it — during or after upload. That's why pre-cropping your images before uploading is the more reliable approach. You stay in control of which part of each image appears.

Mixed Dimensions in a Carousel

Instagram does allow mixed dimensions within a carousel. Portrait images display at 4:5. Square and landscape images get space added above and below to fill the portrait frame. It works, but the visual inconsistency can look unintentional. Most creators opt for a consistent format across all cards.

Videos in a Carousel

If you include a video anywhere in your carousel, Instagram switches the entire carousel to portrait dimensions — even if your first card was square or landscape. Worth knowing before you upload a mixed set.

Instagram Profile Photo Size

Upload your profile photo at 320 x 320 px with a 1:1 (square) aspect ratio. Instagram displays it as a circle everywhere on the app — your profile page, the Stories tray, in DMs, and alongside your feed posts.

The minimum accepted size is 110 x 110 px, but uploading at 320 x 320 px keeps it sharp on higher-resolution screens. Keep your subject centered and away from the edges. Anything too close to a corner will be clipped by the circular crop.

Also Read: Snapchat Username Ideas for Girls

How Posts Appear on the Instagram Profile Grid

This is where a lot of sizing decisions go wrong. Your profile grid doesn't display posts at their original aspect ratio. It previews every post — whether it's square, portrait, or landscape — at a 3:4 ratio.

What that means in practice: if you post a 4:5 portrait image, the grid will show a slightly tighter crop of it. If you post a landscape image, the grid shows the center strip. If a face, text, or key detail sits near the edge of your original image, it may not appear on the grid at all.

Reels behave slightly differently. On the main profile grid (mixed with photos), Reels thumbnails display at 3:4. Under the dedicated Reels tab, they show at the full 9:16 ratio.

The practical rule: keep everything important within the center of your frame, regardless of the format you're posting in.

Also Read: What Does "By Mention" Mean on Snapchat

Instagram Ad Sizes — A Brief Overview

Instagram ad sizing works differently from organic posts. A boosted post keeps its original dimensions. A new ad created specifically for a campaign follows its own size requirements.

For Story ads — both single image/video and carousel — the recommended size is 1080 x 1920 px. Instagram and Meta generally recommend higher resolutions for paid placements than for organic posts, since ads are competing for attention in more contexts.

For a full breakdown of ad-specific dimensions, file types, and aspect ratio requirements, Meta's own ads guide is the most reliable source, as these specs update more frequently than organic post guidelines.

Common Instagram Sizing Mistakes to Avoid

Even with the right dimensions in hand, a few consistent errors tend to trip people up.

Conclusion

For most feed posts, 1080 x 1350 px (portrait) is Instagram's own recommended format. Stories and Reels both run at 1080 x 1920 px. Carousels follow the first image. Profile photos work best at 320 x 320 px. When in doubt, use the reference table at the top.

Questions fréquemment posées

What is the best size for an Instagram post?

For feed posts, 1080 x 1350 px (4:5 portrait) is Instagram's recommended size — it takes up the most vertical space in the feed. For Stories and Reels, use 1080 x 1920 px. Square posts at 1080 x 1080 px remain a reliable all-purpose option.

Is the Instagram grid 4:5 or 3:4?

The profile grid previews posts at a 3:4 ratio, regardless of the original post format. Your actual post can still be 4:5, 1:1, or 1.91:1 — but keep key content centered so it survives the grid crop.

What is the maximum file size for an Instagram video?

Instagram accepts video files up to 4 GB. Feed videos can run up to 60 seconds, Reels up to 3 minutes, and Stories up to 60 seconds across four 15-second clips. Supported formats are MP4 and MOV.

Do all images in a carousel need to be the same size?

No, but the first image sets the format for the carousel. Instagram auto-crops non-matching cards. If you include a video, the entire carousel switches to portrait. Pre-crop all cards manually for the cleanest result.

How do I stop Instagram from cropping my photo?

Upload at the correct aspect ratio for your chosen format — 1:1, 4:5, or 1.91:1 for feed posts. If your image has different proportions, add borders using a photo editing tool before uploading to control exactly how it fits.