In short
Export photos 1,080 pixels wide. Instagram keeps any shape from 1.91:1 landscape to 3:4 portrait, which is 1080 x 1440 at its tallest, and crops anything outside that [1]. Reels take 1.91:1 to 9:16 [2]. If an app or scheduling tool posts for you, use 4:5 (1080 x 1350), because Meta's publishing rules for apps still stop at 4:5 [3].
Instagram sizes at a glance
Instagram sizes every photo to 1,080 pixels wide [1], so that's the width to export. The height is what changes from one format to the next.
| Size to export | Shapes Instagram keeps | |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait photo, tallest[1] | 1080 x 1440 | 3:4 |
| Square photo[1] | 1080 x 1080 | 1:1, inside the 1.91:1 to 3:4 range |
| Landscape photo, widest[1] | 1080 x 566 | 1.91:1 |
| Carousel[4] | Same as a photo, up to 20 slides | One shape for every slide |
| Reel[2] | At least 720 pixels, 30 frames a second | 1.91:1 to 9:16 |
| Reel cover[2] | 420 x 654 | 1:1.55 |
| Story[3] | Vertical | 9:16 recommended |
| Photo posted by an app or tool[3] | 1080 x 1350 at its tallest | 4:5 to 1.91:1 |
Why your photo got cropped
Instagram keeps a photo as you made it only while its shape sits between 1.91:1 and 3:4 [1]. Outside that range, it's cropped to the nearest shape it supports [1]. That's why a tall phone screenshot loses its top and bottom.
Blur has a different cause. A photo narrower than 320 pixels gets stretched to 320 [1], and anything wider than 1,080 gets shrunk to 1,080 [1]. Export at 1,080 wide and Instagram has nothing to resize.
Which portrait shape to use
- Posting from the Instagram app? Use 3:4, 1080 x 1440. It's the tallest shape Instagram keeps [1], so your picture takes more of the screen.
- Posting through a scheduling tool? Use 4:5, 1080 x 1350. Meta's rules for apps that publish to Instagram still say 4:5 to 1.91:1 [3], so a 3:4 photo gets refused or cropped.
Example
A portrait photo straight off your phone is often 3024 x 4032, a 3:4 shape. From the Instagram app it posts at 1080 x 1440 with nothing cut. Sent through a scheduling tool, crop it to 1080 x 1350 first, and check that the top of your head survives.
Postmosis checks each picture's shape against Instagram's publishing rules before a scheduled post goes out, so a 3:4 photo is flagged on your screen instead of failing later. See scheduling
Carousels: one shape for every slide
A carousel holds up to 20 photos and videos in one post [4]. The shape you pick for the first one applies to all of them, and you can't set a different shape per slide [4].
So make every slide the same size before you upload. A 1080 x 1350 set works whether you post from the app or a scheduling tool [3].
The Postmosis carousel maker turns a post into 2 to 10 slides and downloads them as 1080 x 1350 PNGs, the 4:5 shape. See the carousel maker
Reels, covers and Stories
Reels take any shape from 1.91:1 to 9:16, with at least 720 pixels and 30 frames a second [2]. Film upright on your phone: that's the tallest shape reels take.
The cover photo for a reel should be 420 x 654 pixels [2]. Instagram's Help Centre says you can't change it after you upload [2], so pick it before you post.
Stories are 9:16 too. Meta recommends that shape to avoid cropping or blank space [3].
Resize a photo to fit
You don't need a design app for this. The free image resizer crops or fits a photo to each Instagram shape above, in your browser, and nothing is uploaded.
Before you post a run of photos, drop them into the Instagram grid planner to see how they sit together on your profile.
Sources
- Image resolution of photos you share on Instagram, Instagram Help Centre, read 28 October 2026
- Reel size and aspect ratios on Instagram, Instagram Help Centre, read 28 October 2026
- IG User Media, Instagram Graph API reference, Meta for Developers, read 28 October 2026
- Share a post with multiple photos or videos on Instagram, Instagram Help Centre, read 28 October 2026
