Key Takeaways:
- Feed posts: 1080 x 1350px (4:5) for maximum screen space
- Stories and Reels: 1080 x 1920px (9:16) for full-screen vertical
- Carousels: All slides must match; 4:5 ratio recommended
- Profile photo: Upload at 320 x 320px minimum
- Instagram compresses everything; upload at exact recommended sizes to minimize quality loss
Getting Instagram dimensions wrong means your content gets cropped, compressed, or displayed smaller than it should be. None of that helps your engagement.
This guide covers every Instagram format with the exact pixel dimensions you need. Bookmark it and reference it whenever you're creating content.
Instagram Feed Post Sizes
Feed posts appear on your profile grid and in your followers' home feeds. You have three aspect ratio options:
Portrait (4:5) - Recommended
Dimensions: 1080 x 1350 pixels
Portrait posts take up the most vertical space in the feed. More space means more attention as users scroll. This is the format most creators and brands use for feed posts.
Square (1:1)
Dimensions: 1080 x 1080 pixels
The original Instagram format. Square posts look clean and work well for product shots, quotes, and graphics. They take up less feed space than portrait but more than landscape.
Landscape (1.91:1)
Dimensions: 1080 x 566 pixels
Wide format, similar to standard video dimensions. Landscape posts take up the least space in the feed. Use them when the content requires it (wide shots, group photos), but know you're sacrificing visibility.
Quick Reference Table
| Format | Aspect Ratio | Dimensions | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | 4:5 | 1080 x 1350px | Most feed posts |
| Square | 1:1 | 1080 x 1080px | Product shots, graphics |
| Landscape | 1.91:1 | 1080 x 566px | Wide scenes, groups |
Instagram Story Dimensions
Stories fill the entire phone screen and disappear after 24 hours.
Dimensions: 1080 x 1920 pixels
Aspect Ratio: 9:16
Safe Zones for Stories
Instagram overlays your profile icon, timestamp, and other UI elements on Stories. Keep important content away from these areas:
- Top 250 pixels: Profile info and close button
- Bottom 250 pixels: Reply bar and "Send Message" button
- Center area (1080 x 1420px): Safe for text and key visuals
Design your Stories with these zones in mind. Text or important visuals at the edges will be partially covered.
Story Video Specs
- Max length: 60 seconds per Story
- File format: MP4 or MOV recommended
- Max file size: 250MB
- Frame rate: 30fps standard
Longer videos get split into multiple 60-second segments automatically.
Instagram Reels Dimensions
Reels are full-screen vertical videos designed for discovery. They appear in the Reels tab, Explore page, and main feed.
Dimensions: 1080 x 1920 pixels
Aspect Ratio: 9:16
Reels Safe Zones
Like Stories, Reels have UI overlays that cover parts of the screen:
- Right side: Like, comment, and share buttons
- Bottom: Caption, audio info, and profile name
- Top: Back button and menu
The center-left area of the screen is the safest place for important text or visuals.
Reels Video Specs
- Max length: 3 minutes (but 15-30 seconds often performs best)
- Min length: 3 seconds
- File format: MP4 recommended
- Resolution: 1080p minimum for quality
- Frame rate: 30fps or 60fps
Feed Display for Reels
When Reels appear in the main feed (not the Reels tab), they're cropped to 4:5. Design with this in mind: keep your subject centered so nothing important gets cut off in the feed view.
Instagram Carousel Dimensions
Carousels let you include up to 20 images or videos in a single post. Users swipe to see each slide.
Recommended: 1080 x 1350 pixels (4:5)
Important Rules for Carousels
All slides must match. Once you set an aspect ratio on the first slide, every following slide uses the same ratio. You can't mix portrait and landscape in one carousel.
The first slide sets the tone. Instagram uses the first image as the thumbnail on your profile grid and in the feed. Make it count.
Mix media types freely. You can combine photos and videos in the same carousel. Each video can be up to 60 seconds.
Carousel Format Options
| Format | Dimensions | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | 1080 x 1350px | Most feed presence |
| Square | 1080 x 1080px | Clean grid appearance |
| Landscape | 1080 x 566px | Less recommended |
Instagram Profile Picture Size
Your profile picture appears as a small circle throughout Instagram: on your profile, in comments, in DMs, and next to your Stories.
Display size: 110 x 110 pixels
Recommended upload: 320 x 320 pixels (minimum)
Profile Picture Tips
- Center your subject (face, logo) since edges get cropped
- Leave padding around the edges for the circular crop
- Use a simple, recognizable image at small sizes
- High contrast helps visibility in the tiny display size
The image uploads as a square but displays as a circle everywhere on the platform.
Instagram Highlight Cover Size
Highlights are saved Stories that appear on your profile below your bio.
Display size: 161 x 161 pixels
Recommended upload: 1080 x 1920 pixels (full Story size)
Highlight covers are cropped to a circle from the center of your Story. If you want a custom icon, create a 1080 x 1920 Story with the icon centered in a circle area, then upload and crop accordingly.
Instagram Ad Dimensions
Paid content follows similar rules to organic content, with a few additions.
Feed Ads
- Square: 1080 x 1080px
- Portrait: 1080 x 1350px
- Landscape: 1080 x 566px
Story Ads
- Dimensions: 1080 x 1920px
- Safe zone: Keep text/CTAs away from top and bottom 250px
Reels Ads
- Dimensions: 1080 x 1920px
- Max length: 60 seconds for ads
Carousel Ads
- Slides: 2-10 images/videos
- Dimensions: Same as feed posts
Image Compression: What Actually Happens
Instagram compresses every image you upload. Understanding this helps you minimize quality loss.
How Compression Works
- You upload an image
- Instagram resizes it to fit their size limits
- Instagram applies JPEG compression
- The compressed version is stored and served
Minimizing Quality Loss
- Upload at exact recommended dimensions. Undersized images get stretched. Oversized images get downscaled. Both hurt quality.
- Use high-quality source files. Start with the best quality you have. Compression on top of compression looks bad.
- Stick to JPG for photos. Instagram converts most formats to JPG anyway. Starting with JPG gives you more control.
- Use PNG for graphics. Text, logos, and graphics with solid colors look better as PNG.
- Keep file sizes reasonable. Extremely large files get hit with more aggressive compression.
The Color Profile Issue
Instagram uses sRGB color profiles. If you edit in Adobe RGB or ProPhoto RGB, colors may shift after upload. Convert to sRGB before exporting to keep colors accurate.
Dimensions Quick Reference
Save this table for easy reference:
| Content Type | Dimensions | Aspect Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Feed Post (Portrait) | 1080 x 1350px | 4:5 |
| Feed Post (Square) | 1080 x 1080px | 1:1 |
| Feed Post (Landscape) | 1080 x 566px | 1.91:1 |
| Stories | 1080 x 1920px | 9:16 |
| Reels | 1080 x 1920px | 9:16 |
| Carousel Slides | 1080 x 1350px | 4:5 |
| Profile Picture | 320 x 320px | 1:1 |
| Highlight Cover | 1080 x 1920px | 9:16 |
Tools That Handle Sizing Automatically
Don't want to remember all these dimensions? These tools resize for you:
Canva - Templates for every Instagram format. Select "Instagram Post" or "Instagram Story" and the canvas is already the right size.
Adobe Express - Similar to Canva with automatic Instagram presets.
PostWaffle - Generates carousels at correct dimensions automatically.
Figma - Use community templates or create frames at exact pixel sizes.
Later / Buffer / Hootsuite - Scheduling tools that show previews and warn about sizing issues before you post.
Final Notes
The dimensions in this guide are current as of 2026. Instagram occasionally updates their specs, but these core formats have remained stable for years.
When in doubt: 1080px wide, portrait orientation (4:5), and you'll be fine for most content. Stories and Reels always use 1080 x 1920.
Get the basics right, and your content will display the way you intended, every time.