Resize once. Post everywhere.

Reference

How to choose the right size for each platform

Every social network crops, scales, and compresses images differently. Picking the wrong dimensions means your post arrives blurry, gets letterboxed with black bars, or has the most important part of your photo cut off. Here’s a quick reference for each major platform.

Instagram (Feed, Story, Reel)

Instagram supports three feed aspect ratios: 1:1 (1080×1080) for classic squares, 4:5 (1080×1350) for portrait posts that take up the most screen real estate, and 1.91:1 (1080×566) for landscape. Stories and Reels are vertical 9:16 at 1080×1920. Keep important subjects within the center 1080×1350 zone so nothing gets cropped when Instagram generates the square feed thumbnail.

Facebook (Cover, Post, Profile)

Facebook cover photos display at 820×312 on desktop and 640×360 on mobile, so upload at 820×462 to look correct on both. Shared posts work best at 1200×630 (1.91:1) — the same dimensions Facebook uses for link previews. Profile pictures crop to a circle at 170×170, but upload a 320×320 square so the high-DPI version stays sharp.

Twitter/X, LinkedIn, and Pinterest

Twitter/X in-stream images render at 1600×900 (16:9) but the timeline preview crops to roughly 1200×675, so center your subject. LinkedIn feed posts use 1200×627 for shared links and 1200×1500 for portrait single-image posts; the company banner is 1128×191. Pinterest rewards tall pins — 1000×1500 (2:3) is the sweet spot, and idea pins are 1080×1920. Wider than 2:3 and Pinterest crops the bottom in feeds.

YouTube Thumbnails and TikTok

YouTube thumbnails are 1280×720 (16:9) at a minimum 640px wide and a 2MB cap; JPG, PNG, and GIF are accepted. Channel banners need a 2560×1440 source so the safe area renders cleanly across phone, tablet, TV, and desktop. TikTok video covers are 1080×1920 (9:16) — the same as Reels and Stories — and TikTok now supports 1080×1350 photo carousels with the same crop rules as Instagram portrait.

Common resizing mistakes to avoid

Most quality complaints aren’t about the platform — they’re about how the image was prepared before upload. A few patterns account for almost all of them:

• Uploading larger than the recommended size.Every platform downscales — and their algorithms are tuned for noise, not sharpness. Resize to the exact target dimensions before uploading and you’ll keep crisp text and clean edges.
• Using JPG for graphics with text or sharp edges. JPG compression smears anything with hard contrast lines (logos, screenshots, infographics). Use PNG for graphics and reserve JPG for photographs.
• Re-saving the same JPG over and over. Each save introduces additional compression. Always re-export from your original source rather than editing and re-saving the uploaded copy.
• Ignoring aspect ratio.Forcing a 16:9 image into a 1:1 slot stretches faces or cuts off heads. Crop intentionally before resizing — don’t let the platform decide.
• Forgetting safe zones. Profile pictures crop to a circle and cover photos crop differently on mobile vs. desktop. Keep critical subject matter at least 10% inside the canvas edge.

Frequently asked questions