2026-08-22
Instagram changed its image specifications multiple times in 2025 and 2026. If you're optimizing for the platform, here's what actually works right now.
The sweet spot is 1080 x 1350 pixels (4:5 ratio). This fills more screen space than the old 1:1 square, which means more visibility in feeds. Width should always be 1080px — Instagram compresses larger uploads.
Each slide in a carousel follows the same ratios as single posts. The key insight: keep all slides on the same ratio. Mixing 1:1 with 4:5 in one carousel looks unprofessional and can cause cropping issues.
Stories: 1080 x 1920 (9:16). This is full-screen on mobile. Reels: Same 1080 x 1920 ratio. Both should account for UI elements — keep important content within the center 1080 x 1280 area to avoid being covered by captions and buttons.
110 x 110 pixels displayed, but upload at 110 x 110 or larger. Instagram crops to a circle, so center your subject.
- JPEG for photos, PNG for graphics with text - Keep files under 30MB for posts, under 4GB for Reels - sRGB color profile — not all platforms handle wide color well
Yes. Upload at 1080px width and 80-90% quality to minimize double compression.
Technically yes, but it looks inconsistent. Stick to one ratio.
JPEG for photos, PNG for graphics with text or transparency.