You designed the perfect social media post. The colors pop, the text is readable, the layout is clean. Then you upload it and Instagram crops off half your headline. Or LinkedIn squishes your carefully designed infographic into a blurry rectangle.
Getting social media image sizes wrong is one of those small mistakes that makes your brand look unprofessional. The fix is simple: use the right dimensions from the start.
This guide covers every image size you need for every major social media platform in 2026. Bookmark it. You'll come back to it constantly.
Quick rule of thumb before we start: If you only remember one size, make it 1080 x 1350 pixels (4:5 portrait). This works well on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Threads because it takes up the maximum vertical space in the feed, which means more visibility and engagement.
Instagram Image Sizes 2026
Instagram remains the most dimension-sensitive platform. Getting sizes right here matters more than anywhere else because Instagram is a visual-first experience.
Feed Posts
| Format | Dimensions | Aspect Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Square | 1080 x 1080 px | 1:1 | Classic Instagram format, works everywhere |
| Portrait | 1080 x 1350 px | 4:5 | Recommended. Takes up the most feed space |
| Landscape | 1080 x 566 px | 1.91:1 | Least engagement, but useful for certain content |
The 4:5 portrait format is the best choice for most feed posts. It occupies about 20% more screen space than a square image, which translates directly to higher engagement rates. Instagram displays all three formats without cropping as long as you stay within these ratios.
Instagram Stories and Reels
| Format | Dimensions | Aspect Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stories | 1080 x 1920 px | 9:16 | Full-screen vertical format |
| Reels | 1080 x 1920 px | 9:16 | Same as Stories |
| Reels cover | 1080 x 1920 px | 9:16 | Shows as 4:5 in grid, keep key elements centered |
Leave about 250 pixels of safe space at the top and bottom of Stories to avoid overlap with the username bar and swipe-up/link area.
Instagram Carousel Posts
| Format | Dimensions | Aspect Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Square carousel | 1080 x 1080 px | 1:1 | All slides must match |
| Portrait carousel | 1080 x 1350 px | 4:5 | Recommended for maximum impact |
All slides in a carousel must use the same aspect ratio. The first slide's dimensions set the ratio for the entire carousel. If you want to create professional carousels quickly, Krumzi's AI carousel maker generates all slides in matching dimensions automatically.
Instagram Profile and Other
| Format | Dimensions | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Profile photo | 320 x 320 px | Displays as a circle, so keep content centered |
| Instagram ad | 1080 x 1080 px or 1080 x 1350 px | Match your chosen feed format |
Facebook Image Sizes 2026
Facebook supports more image formats than any other platform, which means more opportunities to get things wrong.
Feed Posts
| Format | Dimensions | Aspect Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Square | 1080 x 1080 px | 1:1 | Safe, universal choice |
| Portrait | 1080 x 1350 px | 4:5 | Best for engagement on mobile |
| Landscape | 1200 x 630 px | 1.91:1 | Good for link preview images |
Facebook Stories and Reels
| Format | Dimensions | Aspect Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stories | 1080 x 1920 px | 9:16 | Full-screen vertical |
| Reels | 1080 x 1920 px | 9:16 | Same as Instagram Reels |
Cover Photos and Profile
| Format | Dimensions | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Page cover photo | 1640 x 924 px | Displays differently on desktop and mobile, keep key content centered |
| Profile photo | 176 x 176 px | Displays as a circle |
| Event cover | 1200 x 628 px | Landscape format |
| Group cover | 1640 x 856 px | Similar to page cover |
Facebook Ads
| Format | Dimensions | Aspect Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feed ad (image) | 1080 x 1080 px | 1:1 | Safe default for most ad placements |
| Feed ad (vertical) | 1080 x 1350 px | 4:5 | Maximum mobile screen space |
| Right column ad | 1200 x 1200 px | 1:1 | Desktop only placement |
| Marketplace ad | 1200 x 1200 px | 1:1 | Square works best |
Pro tip: if you're running Facebook ads, create your visuals in 4:5 portrait. Meta's ad system will intelligently crop for different placements, and starting with 4:5 gives it the most content to work with.
LinkedIn Image Sizes 2026
LinkedIn has become increasingly visual, and getting your image dimensions right gives your content a polished, professional edge.
Feed Posts
| Format | Dimensions | Aspect Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Square | 1200 x 1200 px | 1:1 | Clean, professional look |
| Portrait | 1080 x 1350 px | 4:5 | Good for infographics and carousel-style content |
| Landscape | 1200 x 627 px | 1.91:1 | Default for link posts |
LinkedIn defaults to 1200px wide for optimal display quality, slightly larger than Instagram's 1080px standard.
LinkedIn Carousel Documents
| Format | Dimensions | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Carousel (PDF) | 1080 x 1080 px or 1080 x 1350 px | Upload as PDF, each page becomes a slide |
LinkedIn carousels are uploaded as PDF documents. Design each page at 1080 x 1350 for maximum visibility, or 1080 x 1080 if you prefer square. For tips on creating effective LinkedIn carousels, check out our guide on how to create LinkedIn carousel posts.
Profile and Company Page
| Format | Dimensions | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Profile photo | 400 x 400 px | Displays as a circle |
| Background/banner | 1584 x 396 px | Wide panoramic format |
| Company logo | 300 x 300 px | Square, displays small |
| Company cover | 1128 x 191 px | Very wide, keep text minimal |
LinkedIn Ads
| Format | Dimensions | Aspect Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sponsored content | 1200 x 627 px | 1.91:1 | Standard single image ad |
| Carousel ad | 1080 x 1080 px | 1:1 | Each card is square |
| Message ad | 300 x 250 px | 1.2:1 | Small format, keep it simple |
X (Twitter) Image Sizes 2026
X has simplified its image handling, but there are still optimal sizes that display without awkward cropping.
Feed Posts
| Format | Dimensions | Aspect Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single image | 1600 x 900 px | 16:9 | Recommended. Displays fully in timeline |
| Square | 1080 x 1080 px | 1:1 | Also displays well without cropping |
| Portrait | 1080 x 1350 px | 4:5 | Crops in timeline but expands on click |
| Two images | 700 x 800 px each | 7:8 | Side-by-side display |
| Three images | 700 x 800 px (left), 700 x 400 px (right x2) | Mixed | Asymmetric grid |
| Four images | 700 x 400 px each | 16:9 | 2x2 grid |
Profile and Header
| Format | Dimensions | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Profile photo | 400 x 400 px | Circular display |
| Header image | 1500 x 500 px | Wide banner, keep text centered |
X Ads
| Format | Dimensions | Aspect Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Image ad | 1600 x 900 px | 16:9 | Same as organic posts |
| Card image | 800 x 418 px | 1.91:1 | Website card format |
TikTok Image Sizes 2026
TikTok is primarily a video platform, but images matter for profile branding and the growing photo carousel feature.
| Format | Dimensions | Aspect Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video/photo post | 1080 x 1920 px | 9:16 | Full-screen vertical |
| Photo carousel | 1080 x 1920 px | 9:16 | Up to 35 images per carousel |
| Profile photo | 200 x 200 px | 1:1 | Small, so keep it simple |
| TikTok ad | 1080 x 1920 px | 9:16 | Vertical video/image format |
Pinterest Image Sizes 2026
Pinterest rewards tall, vertical images more than any other platform. Getting the aspect ratio right has a direct impact on your pin's visibility.
| Format | Dimensions | Aspect Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard pin | 1000 x 1500 px | 2:3 | Recommended. Optimal for the feed |
| Long pin | 1000 x 2100 px | 1:2.1 | Good for infographics, but may get truncated |
| Square pin | 1000 x 1000 px | 1:1 | Takes up less space, lower engagement |
| Idea pin | 1080 x 1920 px | 9:16 | Multi-page, Story-like format |
| Board cover | 600 x 600 px | 1:1 | Displays as square |
| Profile photo | 165 x 165 px | 1:1 | Small, keep it simple |
Stick with 2:3 for standard pins. Pinterest's algorithm and layout actively favor this ratio. Going taller than 2:3 risks having your pin truncated in the feed.
YouTube Image Sizes 2026
YouTube thumbnails are arguably the most important single image in all of social media marketing. A great thumbnail can double or triple your click-through rate.
| Format | Dimensions | Aspect Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thumbnail | 1280 x 720 px | 16:9 | Critical for clicks. Min width 640px |
| Channel banner | 2560 x 1440 px | 16:9 | Safe area for text: 1546 x 423 px (center) |
| Profile photo | 800 x 800 px | 1:1 | Circular display |
| Community post | 1200 x 675 px | 16:9 | Standard community tab image |
For YouTube thumbnails, design at 1280 x 720 minimum, but you can go up to 2560 x 1440 for maximum quality. The file size limit is 2MB. Need help creating click-worthy thumbnails? Krumzi's AI thumbnail maker generates designs from a description of your video content.
Threads Image Sizes 2026
Threads is still relatively new but growing fast. Image handling follows Meta's standards closely.
| Format | Dimensions | Aspect Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feed image | 1080 x 1350 px | 4:5 | Portrait maximizes feed space |
| Square image | 1080 x 1080 px | 1:1 | Also works well |
| Carousel | 1080 x 1350 px | 4:5 | Up to 20 images |
| Profile photo | Pulled from Instagram | - | Synced with your Instagram profile |
The Universal Cheat Sheet
If you're creating content for multiple platforms and don't want to resize for each one, here are the safest "universal" sizes:
| Use Case | Universal Size | Works On |
|---|---|---|
| Feed post (maximum engagement) | 1080 x 1350 px (4:5) | Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads |
| Story/Reel/Short | 1080 x 1920 px (9:16) | Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Pinterest Idea Pins |
| Link preview / shared article | 1200 x 630 px (1.91:1) | Facebook, LinkedIn, X |
| Square (safe default) | 1080 x 1080 px (1:1) | Works everywhere, never crops badly |
Tips for Getting Social Media Images Right Every Time
Always design at 1x or 2x resolution. The dimensions in this guide are minimum recommended sizes. If you design at 2x (e.g., 2160 x 2700 instead of 1080 x 1350), your images will look sharper on high-resolution screens.
Use safe zones. On every platform, UI elements (usernames, like buttons, captions) overlap parts of your image. Keep critical text and visual elements in the center 80% of the image to avoid getting cut off.
Keep file sizes reasonable. Most platforms compress images on upload. Export as JPG at 80-90% quality for photos, or PNG for graphics with text. Aim for under 1MB per image for fast loading.
Test on mobile first. Over 80% of social media consumption happens on mobile devices. Always preview your designs on a phone screen before posting. Text that looks great on desktop can become unreadable on mobile.
Use design tools that auto-size. AI design tools like Krumzi automatically generate content in the correct dimensions for your target platform, so you never have to remember pixel sizes.
Save templates at the right dimensions. If you create recurring content (weekly tips, quote graphics, product features), set up templates at the correct dimensions so you start right every time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best image size for social media in 2026?
The single most versatile size is 1080 x 1350 pixels (4:5 portrait ratio). This works optimally on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Threads, and takes up the maximum amount of screen space on mobile feeds. For Stories and Reels across all platforms, use 1080 x 1920 pixels (9:16).
Do social media platforms compress uploaded images?
Yes. Every major platform compresses images on upload to save bandwidth and speed up loading. To minimize visible quality loss, upload at the recommended dimensions (not larger than necessary), export as high-quality JPG (85-95%) or PNG, and keep file sizes under 1MB for photos and under 5MB for detailed graphics.
How often do social media image sizes change?
Platforms typically update their image specifications 1 to 2 times per year, usually with minor adjustments. Major changes to core feed dimensions are rare. We update this guide regularly to reflect the latest platform specifications. The current sizes are accurate as of March 2026.
Should I create different sized images for each platform?
Ideally, yes. Each platform has different optimal dimensions. However, if you're short on time, the 1080 x 1350 portrait format works well across Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Threads. You'll still need separate versions for Stories (9:16), YouTube thumbnails (16:9), and Pinterest pins (2:3).
What happens if I upload an image with the wrong dimensions?
The platform will either crop your image to fit (cutting off edges), add letterboxing (black or white bars), or compress it in ways that reduce quality. None of these outcomes are ideal, which is why designing at the correct dimensions from the start saves you from awkward cropping and quality loss.
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