Feed portrait 4:5 (recommended)
Recommended1080×1350 4:5
Best starting size for feed photos and matched carousel slides on mobile.
Use in toolInstagram · Image size
Instagram Post Size
For a feed photo in 2026, start at 1080×1350 pixels (4:5). That vertical post ratio fills more of a phone screen than a wide landscape frame. Crop here, keep faces inside the margin, then download—no signup.
Browser crop · stays on your device
Crop your Instagram feed post
1080 × 1350
Add a photo to crop
Upload a photo—or try the sample—then switch 4:5, square, or landscape without re-uploading. Prefer 4:5 unless the scene is already square.
Size specs
Prefer 4:5 when you want more height on a phone. Keep every carousel slide on the same aspect ratio. About 4.5 × 5.6 in at 240 ppi for 1080×1350—design in pixels for upload, not print inches.
Publish
Export this for Instagram upload.
Square post 1:1
1080×1080 1:1
Classic square when the scene is already tight. Slightly less feed height than 4:5; also fits how the profile grid often crops the center.
Use in tool| Asset | Pixels | Ratio | Notes | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feed portrait 4:5 (recommended) Recommended | 1080×1350 | 4:5 | Best starting size for feed photos and matched carousel slides on mobile. | Use in tool |
| Square post 1:1 | 1080×1080 | 1:1 | Classic square when the scene is already tight. Slightly less feed height than 4:5; also fits how the profile grid often crops the center. | Use in tool |
What Instagram shows
Reference sizes and crops—not always separate upload files.
Landscape ~1.91:1
1080×566 ~1.91:1
Allowed, but looks smaller in the mobile feed than a vertical post. Prefer 4:5 when you can.
Use in tool| Asset | Pixels | Ratio | Notes | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscape ~1.91:1 | 1080×566 | ~1.91:1 | Allowed, but looks smaller in the mobile feed than a vertical post. Prefer 4:5 when you can. | Use in tool |
Why 4:5 is the feed default
On a phone, Instagram’s feed is a tall scroll. A vertical 4:5 frame at 1080×1350 uses more height than a wide landscape post, so the same photo feels more present without louder design.
Square 1080×1080 still works when the crop is already tight—and it lines up with how the profile grid often shows a center square. Landscape around 1080×566 is allowed, but it shrinks into a shorter strip between captions. If you need both a tall feed frame and a clean grid look, crop 4:5 for the post, then save a square from the same subject (or use the size converter).
Instagram re-encodes every upload. Soft or noisy exports look worse after compression. Keep the subject clear, avoid microscopic captions on the image, and leave a small margin so menus and slight re-frames do not clip faces.
Carousels need one post ratio across every slide. Mixing 4:5 and square mid-swipe causes jump cuts. Export every slide from the same preset and keep subject scale consistent.
Good vs weak crop
Same feed frame—keep the subject inside the margin phones actually show.
Holds attention in-feed
- One clear subject inside the margin
- Short headline large enough for phones
- Same ratio across carousel slides
Looks tiny or clipped
- Ultra-wide image shrunk in the feed
- Tiny paragraphs of text on the photo
- Mixing 4:5 and landscape in one carousel
Before you upload
Tick these off against your crop preview—nothing is saved.
Related surfaces compared
Similar-looking slots often use different ratios—do not reuse one export for all of them.
Feed photo post
1080 × 1350 px (4:5)
This page. Tall photos and carousels for the feed.
Square post
1080 × 1080 px
Optional 1:1 when the scene is already square.
Story / Reels still
1080 × 1920
Full-screen vertical—taller than a feed post; different UI chrome.
Profile photo
320 × 320 display · 640 × 640 upload
Circular avatar on your grid—not a feed post crop.
Grid thumbnail
Square crop of your post
Profile grid often shows a center square; keep the hero near the middle.
| Surface | Typical size | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Feed photo post | 1080 × 1350 px (4:5) | This page. Tall photos and carousels for the feed. |
| Square post | 1080 × 1080 px | Optional 1:1 when the scene is already square. |
| Story / Reels still | 1080 × 1920 | Full-screen vertical—taller than a feed post; different UI chrome. |
| Profile photo | 320 × 320 display · 640 × 640 upload | Circular avatar on your grid—not a feed post crop. |
| Grid thumbnail | Square crop of your post | Profile grid often shows a center square; keep the hero near the middle. |
Post ratios: 4:5, square, and landscape
Think in ratios first, then lock the pixel size. 4:5 (1080×1350) is the tall feed default. 1:1 (1080×1080) is the square post. Roughly 1.91:1 (about 1080×566) is the landscape option that Instagram still accepts but shows smaller on phones.
Need the same photo in more than one ratio—for example a tall feed post and a square for the grid or another app? Crop 4:5 here, then open the image size converter to export matching frames around the same subject without starting over.
- Vertical post (best)
- 1080 × 1350 px · 4:5
- Square post
- 1080 × 1080 px · 1:1
- Landscape post
- 1080 × 566 px · ~1.91:1
- Print-inch hint @240ppi
- ~4.5 × 5.6 in for 1080×1350 (upload still uses pixels)
- Image size converter — 4:5 + square in one session
- Facebook vs Instagram posts — same tall feed frame
- Carousel size guide — matched slides
Carousel and multi-image posts
Instagram carousels work best when every slide shares one aspect ratio. Mixed ratios force awkward letterboxing or unexpected crops mid-swipe, and people often drop off after the first frame.
Keep a consistent safe margin and similar subject scale so the set feels like one story, not a random stack of crops from different tools. Put the strongest visual first—many people never swipe at all.
- Export all slides at 1080×1350 (or all at 1080×1080)—never mix.
- Put the strongest slide first; use later slides for detail or proof.
- Avoid stuffing every slide with dense text; use caption space.
- Check the last slide: CTAs near the edge can get clipped after upload.
Composition for the mobile feed
Most people see your post on a phone while scrolling quickly. High contrast, a single focal point, and readable type beat busy collages or thin grey captions on busy photos.
Leave a little space at the edges. Like counts, “more” menus, and slight re-frames can nibble at the frame—especially after Instagram’s own crop tools. Also remember the profile grid: a center square crop may hide edge detail that looked fine in the tall feed view.
- Place faces toward the center-upper third when possible.
- Keep logos inside the safe margin, not on the extreme edge.
- Prefer fewer words on the image; say the rest in the caption.
- Check how the center square will look on your profile grid.
File requirements
Photos usually look best as JPG in sRGB. PNG can help for flat graphics with hard edges, but large PNGs may get compressed aggressively after upload without looking clearer.
A clean 1080-wide export is enough for feed posts. Giant camera dumps often get crushed harder and do not look better once Instagram re-encodes them. If the upload feels heavy, use Smaller JPG in the crop tool for a lighter file at the same pixels.
- Recommended post
- 1080 × 1350 px (4:5)
- Square option
- 1080 × 1080 px
- Landscape option
- 1080 × 566 px (~1.91:1)
- Formats
- JPG or PNG (sRGB)
- Color
- sRGB
- Carousel rule
- Same aspect ratio on every slide
Common mistakes
- Posting 16:9 or ultra-wide photos that look short in the feed.
- Mixing ratios inside one carousel.
- Uploading a Story/Reels 9:16 still and accepting heavy letterboxing.
- Heavy filters that crush detail after Instagram compresses again.
- Packing legal disclaimers into the image at unreadably small sizes.
- Designing only for the tall feed view and forgetting the square grid thumbnail.
How to use the crop tool on this page
Upload your photo, choose Feed portrait (1080×1350) unless you have a reason to go square or landscape, then drag so the subject sits inside the margin. Download when text and faces still look clear at phone size.
- Switch presets without re-uploading to compare 4:5 vs square.
- For carousels, repeat the same preset for every slide.
- Nothing leaves your device—cropping stays in the browser.
- When the post is done, use the Story or Reels guides if you need those surfaces next.
After you download
From this download to a live upload in a few minutes.
- 1
Download the JPG from the tool (prefer 1080×1350).
- 2
Open Instagram → new post → select the file (or all carousel slides in order).
- 3
Avoid extra zoom in the Instagram editor if this crop is already final—extra pinch often clips edges.
- 4
Put detail in the caption—not as microscopic type burned onto the photo.
- 5
Preview once on your phone: confirm feed height, caption readability, and that carousel slides share the same height while swiping.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Instagram post size in 2026?
Start at 1080×1350 (4:5) for feed photos. Square 1080×1080 also works; landscape around 1080×566 usually looks smaller on phones.
What is the Instagram post size in pixels?
Export 1080×1350 for vertical feed posts, 1080×1080 for square, or about 1080×566 for landscape. Design in pixels for upload—Instagram does not ask for print inches.
What Instagram post ratio should I use?
4:5 for the tallest common feed frame, 1:1 for square, and ~1.91:1 for landscape. Prefer 4:5 when you want more height on a phone.
What size is a square Instagram post?
1080×1080 pixels (1:1). Use it when the scene is already square, or when you also care about a clean center crop on the profile grid.
How do I post different size photos on Instagram?
Pick one ratio per post (or per carousel). Crop each photo to that same ratio before upload—mixing 4:5 and landscape in one carousel causes uneven crops. Use this tool or the converter to export matching frames.
Can I post landscape photos on Instagram?
Yes—about 1080×566 (~1.91:1) is a common landscape option—but they use less vertical space. Prefer 4:5 when you want more feed presence.
What size should Instagram carousel images be?
Keep every slide on the same aspect ratio—ideally all 1080×1350. Mixed ratios cause uneven crops and jump cuts while people swipe.
Does Instagram compress images?
Yes. Start with a clear, reasonably sized export in sRGB. Extreme over-editing and noisy screenshots often look worse after upload.
Is Instagram post size the same as Stories?
No. Stories and Reels use 1080×1920 (9:16). Feed posts are shorter at 1080×1350 (4:5) or square. Do not stretch one export into the other.
How does my post look on the profile grid?
The grid often shows a square thumbnail cropped from the center. Keep the main subject near the middle so it still reads on your profile even if the feed view is 4:5.
Should I use PNG or JPG for Instagram posts?
JPG for photographs; PNG for logos or flat graphics with hard edges. Prefer sRGB either way, and keep file weight reasonable for mobile networks.
Is Facebook post size the same as Instagram?
For feed photos, both work well at 1080×1350 (4:5). Covers, Stories, and link previews differ—see the Facebook vs Instagram comparison when you post to both.