You spent time creating the perfect image, uploaded it to three platforms, and got three different results — cropped heads, white bars, blurry thumbnails. This happens to everyone who doesn't know the exact dimensions each platform expects.
This guide gives you the precise pixel dimensions for every major platform in 2026, explains the aspect ratios that actually perform best, and tells you the fastest way to resize without opening Photoshop.
The One Rule That Covers 90% of Cases
Before the tables: if you only remember two numbers, make them these.
1080 × 1350 px (4:5 portrait) — works on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Threads. Takes up more screen space than square, which means more attention.
1080 × 1920 px (9:16 vertical) — for Stories, Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Snapchat. One size, every short-form video platform.
The shift from square to portrait has been definitive since 2023. Portrait images at 4:5 get more screen real estate than 1:1 square images on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Threads — which means longer view times and stronger engagement signals to the algorithm.
Instagram Image Sizes 2026
Instagram is the most dimension-sensitive platform. The same image looks different in the feed, on your profile grid, and in Stories.
| Placement | Size (px) | Aspect ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feed — portrait (recommended) | 1080 × 1350 | 4:5 | Most feed space, best engagement |
| Feed — square | 1080 × 1080 | 1:1 | Classic, safe for all content |
| Feed — landscape | 1080 × 566 | 1.91:1 | Appears smaller in feed, not recommended |
| Stories & | Reels | 1080 × 1920 | 9:16 |
| Profile photo | 320 × 320 | 1:1 | Displayed as circle, min 110 × 110 |
Key tip: Instagram compresses images aggressively. Always upload at the exact recommended resolution — uploading a small image that Instagram then enlarges results in visible pixelation.
Facebook Image Sizes 2026
| Placement | Size (px) | Aspect ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feed post — portrait | 1080 × 1350 | 4:5 | Recommended for feed |
| Feed post — square | 1080 × 1080 | 1:1 | Safe universal option |
| Stories | 1080 × 1920 | 9:16 | Full screen |
| Cover photo | 851 × 315 | 2.7:1 | Crops differently on mobile vs desktop |
| Profile photo | 196 × 196 | 1:1 | Displayed as circle |
| Event cover | 1200 × 628 | 1.91:1 | |
| Group cover | 1640 × 856 | 1.91:1 |
Key tip: Facebook re-compresses every image you upload. Start with the highest quality source file you have — uploading an already-compressed image results in double compression and a noticeably degraded result.
X (Twitter) Image Sizes 2026
| Placement | Size (px) | Aspect ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feed image (single) | 1600 × 900 | 16:9 | Timeline previews as 16:9 crop |
| Feed image (square) | 1080 × 1080 | 1:1 | No cropping in timeline |
| Profile photo | 400 × 400 | 1:1 | Displayed as circle |
| Header/banner | 1500 × 500 | 3:1 | Keep key content centred |
Key tip: Single images in tweets display at a 16:9 crop in the timeline, so vertical images get cropped to the centre. If your image is portrait, the top and bottom will be cut off. Design with the 16:9 crop in mind or use square.
LinkedIn Image Sizes 2026
| Placement | Size (px) | Aspect ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feed post — landscape | 1200 × 627 | 1.91:1 | Standard link preview size |
| Feed post — square | 1200 × 1200 | 1:1 | Recommended for image posts |
| Feed post — portrait | 1080 × 1350 | 4:5 | Takes up more feed space |
| Personal profile photo | 400 × 400 | 1:1 | Max 8 MB |
| Personal cover photo | 1584 × 396 | 4:1 | Crops differently on mobile |
| Company logo | 300 × 300 | 1:1 | Max 3 MB |
| Company cover photo | 1128 × 191 | — |
Key tip: LinkedIn now responds well to portrait content. 1080 × 1350 (4:5) takes up more feed space on LinkedIn and outperforms landscape images for organic reach.
TikTok Image Sizes 2026
| Placement | Size (px) | Aspect ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video & | cover image | 1080 × 1920 | 9:16 |
| Photo post | 1080 × 1920 | 9:16 | Vertical preferred |
| Profile photo | 200 × 200 | 1:1 | Displayed as circle |
Key tip: TikTok is a vertical-only platform in practice. While TikTok technically supports 1:1 and 16:9, vertical video performs best — horizontal content is penalised by the algorithm and feels out of place to users.
YouTube Image Sizes 2026
| Placement | Size (px) | Aspect ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video thumbnail | 1280 × 720 | 16:9 | Critical for click-through rate, min 640 × 360 |
| Channel banner | 2560 × 1440 | — | Safe zone for text: centre 1546 × 423 px only |
| Profile photo | 800 × 800 | 1:1 | Displayed as circle across Google |
Key tip: The YouTube channel banner safe zone is critical. The safe area for text is only the centre 1546 × 423 pixels of the 2560 × 1440 banner, since the rest gets cropped on various devices. Design your banner, then check it on mobile before publishing.
Pinterest Image Sizes 2026
| Placement | Size (px) | Aspect ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard pin (recommended) | 1000 × 1500 | 2:3 | Taller pins take more feed space |
| Square pin | 1000 × 1000 | 1:1 | Appears smaller in feed |
| Profile photo | 165 × 165 | 1:1 | |
| Board cover | 800 × 450 | 16:9 |
Key tip: Pinterest is a vertical-first platform. The 2:3 ratio is the platform standard — pins taller than 1:1 consistently outperform square pins because they occupy more of the feed.
Snapchat Image Sizes 2026
| Placement | Size (px) | Aspect ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snap / Story | 1080 × 1920 | 9:16 | Full screen, only viable format |
| Profile photo | 320 × 320 | 1:1 |
Threads & Bluesky Image Sizes 2026
| Platform | Placement | Size (px) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Threads | Feed image | 1080 × 1350 | Inherits Instagram sizing |
| Threads | Profile photo | 400 × 400 | Syncs with Instagram profile photo |
| Bluesky | Feed image | 1200 × 675 | 16:9 or 1:1 both work |
| Bluesky | Profile photo | 400 × 400 | Displayed as circle |
| Bluesky | Cover photo | 1500 × 500 | 3:1 ratio |
Quick Reference: One Image, Every Platform
If you're creating content to post across multiple platforms at once, here are the five sizes that cover almost everything:
| Size | Aspect ratio | Where it works |
|---|---|---|
| 1080 × 1920 | 9:16 | Stories, Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Snapchat |
| 1080 × 1350 | 4:5 | Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads feed posts |
| 1080 × 1080 | 1:1 | Universal fallback for any platform |
| 1280 × 720 | 16:9 | YouTube thumbnails, X (Twitter) images |
| 1000 × 1500 | 2:3 |
Why Image Size Affects Reach, Not Just Appearance
Getting dimensions wrong isn't just a visual problem — it affects how platforms distribute your content.
Instagram and TikTok have confirmed that low-quality, blurry, or heavily watermarked content gets deprioritised by their algorithms. When you upload the wrong size, platforms either compress it further or crop it — both reduce perceived quality and can suppress reach.
Portrait formats also perform better algorithmically because they take up more screen space. More space means users spend more time on the post, which signals engagement to the algorithm regardless of likes or comments.
Format: JPG, PNG, or WebP?
JPG — use for photographs and real-world imagery. Smaller file size with minimal visible quality loss at 80–90% quality setting.
PNG — use for graphics with text, logos, flat illustrations, or anything with a transparent background. Larger files but no compression artifacts.
WebP — not universally supported by social platforms for upload. Don't use for uploading to social media — use JPG or PNG.
For profile photos and cover images with your logo or text on them, always use PNG. The compression artifacts from JPG become visible on small text and sharp edges.
How to Resize Images Without Photoshop
You don't need design software to prepare images for social media. There are two tools for two different jobs:
Use Crop to change the aspect ratio. If you have a landscape photo and need a 4:5 portrait for Instagram, cropping removes the parts that don't fit the new ratio. This is the step that changes the shape of the image.
Use Resize to scale down to the right pixel width. If your image is already the right ratio but is 4000px wide, resize it down to 1080px. This step changes the size without changing the shape.
For most social media prep the order is: crop to the right ratio first, then resize to the right pixel width. Both tools work on mobile, no account needed, and handle JPG, PNG, and WebP.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Uploading the same image everywhere. A vertical 1080 × 1350 image looks great on Instagram but gets awkwardly cropped on X (Twitter). Always resize to each platform's native dimensions.
Upscaling small images. Always start with the largest version of your image and resize down. Enlarging a 500 × 500 image to 1080 × 1080 produces a blurry result. There's no software fix for missing pixels.
Ignoring safe zones on Stories and Reels. When creating 9:16 content, keep all text and critical visual elements within the centre 70% of the frame. The top 10–15% is covered by platform UI, and the bottom 15–20% is covered by captions, buttons, and engagement icons.
Over-compressing before upload. Let the platform do the compression. Upload the highest quality file within the file size limits and let the platform handle it. Double-compressing (compressing before upload, then the platform compresses again) produces noticeably worse results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Summary
The golden rules for 2026: use 1080 px width as your baseline, favour 4:5 portrait for feed posts, and always use 9:16 for Stories and short-form video. Upload at the exact recommended dimensions rather than relying on platforms to resize for you — it produces better visual quality and avoids algorithmic penalties for low-quality content.
Bookmark this page. Social media dimensions change every year, and this guide is updated to reflect the current specs for all major platforms.
Need to prepare an image for social media? Crop to the right ratio or resize to the right pixel width — free, no signup required.
