Social media image sizes: a reference guide
A table with the most used sizes and the reasons why an image gets cropped or looks blurry when you post it.
Why each network uses a different size
Each platform shows images in a space with its own aspect ratio: square, portrait, landscape or full screen. If you upload an image with another ratio, the network may crop it, add borders or shrink it. That's why it pays to prepare the image at the exact size before posting.
Table of common sizes
| Network and format | Pixels (width × height) |
|---|---|
| Instagram, portrait post | 1080 × 1350 |
| Instagram, square post | 1080 × 1080 |
| Instagram, story or reel | 1080 × 1920 |
| TikTok, video or cover | 1080 × 1920 |
| YouTube, thumbnail | 1280 × 720 |
| YouTube, channel banner | 2560 × 1440 |
| WhatsApp, status | 1080 × 1920 |
| Facebook, post | 1200 × 630 |
| Facebook, cover | 851 × 315 |
| X, post image | 1600 × 900 |
| LinkedIn, post | 1200 × 627 |
| Pinterest, portrait pin | 1000 × 1500 |
| Twitch, thumbnail | 1280 × 720 |
These are reference sizes. Platforms change them from time to time, so check how your post looks before calling it done.
Aspect ratios worth remembering
- 1:1 (square): profile pictures and classic posts.
- 4:5 (portrait): takes up more space on mobile and usually stands out more in the feed.
- 9:16 (full screen): stories, reels, Shorts and TikTok videos.
- 16:9 (landscape): YouTube thumbnails and videos.
Tips so nothing gets cropped
- Keep important elements away from the edges. Profile pictures are cropped into a circle and stories have the name and buttons at the top and bottom.
- Start from a large image. Enlarging a small image makes it blurry, because it doesn't contain more detail.
- Choose JPG for photos and PNG for graphics with text or transparency.
- If the text matters, check that it can be read on a phone, which is where most people will see it.
Crop or fit
Cropping fills the whole space but loses the edges. Fitting keeps the whole image and fills the rest with a color. Cropping usually works better for photos, and fitting for logos or screenshots with text near the edge.
Safe zones: what each app covers
Even if the image has the right size, apps place buttons, names and text on top of it. Keep these areas free so they don't hide what matters.
| Format | What to keep free |
|---|---|
| Story or reel (1080 × 1920) | About 250 px at the top and bottom. On TikTok, a bit more at the bottom, where the caption and buttons go. |
| Instagram profile grid | The center of the image is shown in a 3:4 ratio, so don't put anything important on the sides. |
| Profile picture | It is cropped into a circle: leave the corners empty. |
| YouTube thumbnail | The bottom-right corner, where the video length appears. |
| YouTube channel banner (2560 × 1440) | Put the important part in the center, in an area of about 1546 × 423 px, which shows on every device. |
Why it looks blurry after uploading
Social networks compress every image you upload again. If yours is small, it gets enlarged and loses sharpness; if it is very large or heavy, it is reduced automatically, sometimes with worse results than if you did it yourself. The best approach is to upload the image already at the exact size, as a good-quality JPG and without filters that add a lot of noise.
To see it with your own photo, prepare it with the resizer and compare how it looks on the network.
Frequently asked questions
What size should a photo be for Instagram?
For a vertical post, 1080 × 1350 pixels (4:5 ratio), which takes up more space in the feed. Square 1080 × 1080 and 1080 × 1920 for stories and reels also work.
Why does my photo lose quality when I upload it?
Because the network compresses it again. Upload the image at the exact size from the table, as a good-quality JPG, and avoid enlarging small images.
Is it better to crop or fit the image?
Cropping fills all the space but loses the edges; fitting keeps the whole image and adds a fill color. For photos, cropping usually works better; for logos or screenshots, fitting.
Fit your images to the size of each social network.
Image resizer