The perfect Instagram image size guide in 2021

The perfect Instagram image size guide in 2021

Pictures are the most powerful way to demonstrate content. In this way, Instagram with its unique visual features is the best option for all people and businesses to show what they want. Day by day, Instagram users increase, and more people access this great platform, to the extent that, now, Instagram has more than 500 million monthly active users. As mentioned, Instagram is a visual platform; thus, you have to share your image with perfect size and quality, which could boost your Instagram account engagement

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Today, we are going to talk about different types of photos you can share on Instagram and the best size and dimension of them. If you are a professional Instagram blogger or just a beginner, this article will help you. Stay with us.

As an Instagram user, you should consider two essential factors when deciding to share an image on Instagram: aspect ratio and size.

What is the image aspect ratio?

In Wikipedia, the image aspect ratio defined as:

“The aspect ratio of an image is the ratio of its width to its height. It is commonly expressed as two numbers separated by a colon, as in 16:9. For an x:y aspect ratio, the image is x units wide and y units high.”

Instagram image size

Notice that Instagram would crop your image into its original aspect ratio if you do not share your photos within Instagram’s aspect ratio policy. As a result, some part of your pictures would be lost, and who knows? Maybe the crucial factor is being lost.    

What is the image size?

Like aspect ratio, the image’s size is shown with two numbers, which describe the height and width of an image in pixels. For example 40px x 40px is the image size. The first number represents the width, and the second number represents the height. 

You can share pictures in different ways on Instagram including:

  • Profile picture.
  • Photo feed.
  • Video feed.
  • Story.
  • IGTV.
  • Adverts.
  • live video.
  • Reels.

 Instagram compresses your photos to a smaller size. As a result, you had better always share your pictures with the perfect image size. For learning the perfect size for each photo, keep reading.

Instagram Image size guide for the profile picture

Your profile picture is the first thing your Instagram viewers see and know you in the Instagram world. Therefore, you should share your profile picture with perfect quality. By choosing the perfect profile picture by perfect size and quality, you let your followers recognize you immediately. Your profile picture is displayed in a 1:1 aspect ratio. The profile picture size on an Instagram desktop is 1080px x 1080px, and on the mobile Instagram app, the profile picture size should be 110px x 100px.

In the end, Your profile picture will be displayed as a circle. So, the corner of your square photo is not displayed. So, be sure that what you want to display in your profile picture is located in the center of your photo.

Image size guide for the profile picture

Instagram Image size guide for Instagram photo feed 

When Instagram was introduced, its users could share only square photos in a 1:1 aspect ratio in their feed. In such a manner, Instagram users had to crop their photos to fit into the 1:1 aspect ratio. Since 2015, Instagram has added the capability to share portrait and landscape photos in your Instagram feed without having to crop them. Like the Instagram profile picture, the photo feed requires perfect size and aspect ratio. In what follows, we bring them for you.

Pro tip: It’s better to use the Instagram desktop version to share a photo because the Instagram desktop preserves the image’s quality much nicer than the Instagram mobile version.

  • Instagram square photo size

Although Instagram provides us with a great opportunity to post portrait and landscape photos, square photos are still top-rated among Instagram users. It is straightforward to upload because it is not only an auto-cropping function on Instagram but also it enables iOS cameras to shoot square pictures. If you want to share your square photos with the best results, share them in a 1:1 aspect ratio.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CIJEysMsmXM/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

The perfect size should be between 320px x 320px and 1080px x 1080px. If your image’s size is higher than 1080px, Instagram compresses it, and if it is lower than 320px, Instagram expands the photo. These changes can negatively affect your image quality. 

  • Instagram horizontal photo (Landscape) size

Do you love taking pictures of nature? A landscape photo is the best choice for you. While the perfect aspect ratio for landscape (horizontal) pictures is 1.91:1, you can use 16:9 instead, and Instagram will add a border around your photo.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CImjItvsSf0/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

The perfect photo size for landscape pictures is 1080px x 1350px. If you upload a higher or lower picture than 1080px by 1350px, Instagram automatically compresses or expands your photo.

  • Instagram vertical photo (Portrait) size

Results show that vertical photos gain more attention and boost your Instagram account engagement compared with square and horizontal pictures. The perfect aspect ratio for vertical posts is 4:5. Instagram will crop your picture if you upload your photo with a higher aspect ratio like 4:6.  

https://www.instagram.com/p/CITcboisHKi/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

If you do not want your photo to have automatic compression or expansion, your vertical post’s size should be 1080px x 1350px. Thereby, Instagram will show it as a 600px x 749px resolution.

Little advice: Don’t worry about using all these types of photos in your feed because Instagram shows your posts in a grid and has harmony.

Instagram feed

Instagram Image size guide for Instagram video feed 

In 2015, Instagram also introduced video uploading features. Same as a photo feed, you have three different choices for uploading a video on Instagram feed: square video, horizontal video (landscape), and vertical video (portrait).

You have to meet some requirements on Instagram to allow you to share a video: 

  • The duration of a video feed cannot be more than 60 seconds and less than 3 seconds.
  • Your video should have 30 frames per second.
  • The maximum video size can be 4GB.

The perfect aspect ratio for videos is the same as the photo aspect ratio. I mean, anywhere between a 1.91:1 aspect ratio for a horizontal video to a 4:5 aspect ratio for vertical video. Mobile cell phones record a video with a 16:9 aspect ratio, so it is much better to keep this aspect ratio for your landscape videos. What about the video size? You had better upload your videos with the perfect size below;

  • Square video size is 1080px x 1080px.
  • Portrait video size is 1080px x 1350px.
  • Landscape video size is 1080px x 607px.

Instagram Image size guide for Instagram Stories

Instagram story feature enables you to upload any desired photos with the aspect ratio between 1.91:1 to 9:16. Moreover, Instagram stories are designed to share a portrait picture. As a result, sharing a portrait picture with a 9:16 aspect ratio on an Instagram story is the best aspect ratio.

Instagram story size

The perfect Instagram Stories image size is 1080px x 1920px. You can share a video with the same size and aspect ratio on Instagram stories. You should just know that your videos for the Instagram story must not exceed the size of 4GB, and the duration of the video should be less than 15 seconds.

Instagram Image size guide for Instagram IGTV

IGTV, known as “YouTube for Instagram,” premiered in 2018, letting Instagram users share only portrait videos (vertical) with a 9:16 aspect ratio. In May 2019, Instagram added landscape videos (horizontal) with a 16:9 aspect ratio on Instagram IGTV. It would help if you considered that a one-minute preview of your IGTV video showing in the user feed is cropped to a 4:5 aspect ratio. 

The maximum IGTV video size for 60 minutes length could be 3.6 GB.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CJEivokDjPR/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

 The perfect Instagram IGTV video size in portrait mode is 1080px x1920px, and in a landscape mode is 1920px x 1080px.

There is something else that you should know, Instagram IGTV video needs a cover photo, which could be chosen as a frame from your IGTV video or an image from your camera roll. The perfect IGTV cover photo aspect ratio is 1:1.55.

IGTV cover photo size

The perfect IGTV cover photo size is 420px x 654px. As far as the cover photo displays in a 1:1 aspect ratio in your Instagram feed, be sure to keep all important information toward the center of the cover photo.

Instagram Image size guide for Instagram Adverts (Ads)

According to Statista, among Instagram users, more than 200,000,000 users visit at least one Business Profile daily. As a result, Instagram is the best option for businesses to share their work, primarily through Instagram adverts. Indeed, Instagram users use adverts to increase their account engagement. 

Instagram adverts look like regular posts, and a “Sponsored” label always identifies them. We bring you the perfect size and aspect ratio for different Instagram advert formats below;

  • Square advert photo size is 1080px x 1080px with an aspect ratio of 1:1.
  • Landscape advert photo size is 1200px x 628px with an aspect ratio of 1.91:1.
  • Portrait advert photo size is 600px x 750px with an aspect ratio of 4:5.
  • Story advert size is 1080px x 1920px with an aspect ratio of 9:16.

Carousel Advert is another advertising format in which you are allowed to share up to ten different slides containing videos or images. It is a great option for businesses to show and introduce their new products. Carousel Ads use square photos and videos. The perfect Carousel Advert size is 1080px x 1080px with a 1:1 aspect ratio.

Instagram Image size guide for Instagram Live video

Going live on Instagram provides you different opportunities that help you boost your engagement. You can answer your followers’ questions, let them realize you are a real person, not a bot, and so forth. As far as the Instagram live video being broadcast directly from your mobile device, its aspect ratio is always 9:16. The perfect aspect ratio of Instagram video live is 1080px x 1920px.

live video size

Instagram Image size guide for Instagram Reels

Instagram Reels are displayed vertically, the same as Instagram stories. As a result, using a 9:16 aspect ratio is the perfect aspect ratio for Instagram Reels.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CC3OtTzKTls/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

The duration of Instagram Reels cannot be more than 30 seconds. The perfect Instagram Reels size is 1080px x 1920px.

Final thought

To put it in a nutshell, you should upload your photos with the perfect size for each format. Instagram will change your photo quality if you upload an image or video without perfect size and aspect ratio, negatively affecting your posts. As a result, you have to always resize your pictures to the perfect size and aspect ratio before uploading them. Is it time-consuming and confusing for you? 

Don’t worry at all. Let AiSchedul be your Instagram sizing expert.

Try AiSchedul for free
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