RequirementsUpdated
Instagram post sizes
The width and ratios Instagram supports for feed photos, the usual sizes for stories and reels, and how to resize a photo so it is not cropped.
Crop a photo to size
In short
- Feed photos: 1080 px wide is the size Instagram shares at. Wider photos are scaled down.
- Instagram lists a ratio range from 1.91:1 (landscape) to 4:5 (portrait). Other ratios are cropped.
- Square 1080 × 1080, portrait 1080 × 1350, landscape 1080 × 566.
- Stories and reels: 9:16, usually 1080 × 1920.
- Check Instagram’s help pages for the current limits, as they change.
Feed post sizes
Instagram’s help page says photos are scaled to a width of 1080 px if larger. Photos smaller than 320 px wide are enlarged. A photo in the supported ratio range keeps its shape; anything outside it is cropped to fit.
| Shape | Ratio | Size |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape | 1.91:1 | 1080 × 566 px |
| Square | 1:1 | 1080 × 1080 px |
| Portrait | 4:5 | 1080 × 1350 px |
Portrait 4:5 takes the most room on a phone screen. An older copy of Instagram’s help page gave 3:4 as the tallest ratio; the current wording says 4:5, so use that.
Stories and reels
Stories and reels are full-screen and vertical: 9:16, which is 1080 × 1920 px. Instagram has a help page on reel sizes and ratios; we could not read its numbers, so check that page for the latest. Keep text and faces away from the very top and bottom, where the app draws its own buttons.
- Story and reel: 9:16, 1080 × 1920 px.
- Reels can show cropped in the main feed, so keep the subject in the middle.
- Leave a margin of empty space at the top and bottom edges.
Resize a photo without cropping the wrong part
In CutLift you choose the crop yourself, so the subject stays where you want it. It runs on your device, adds no watermark, and a free account is needed to download.
- 1Open the photoOpen it in the crop and resize tool.
- 2Choose a ratioPick 1 : 1, 4 : 5 or 5 : 4 for a post, or the Story preset (9 : 16).
- 3Place the cropDrag the frame so the subject is in the middle.
- 4Set the widthOpen Convert and set the size in pixels to 1080 on the longest side for posts, or 1920 for stories.
- 5Save a JPGSave as JPG and post it.
Want a clean look? Add text with Add text or a frame with Add border.
Questions
What size should an Instagram post be?
Instagram shares photos at 1080 pixels wide. Common sizes are 1080 × 1080 (square) and 1080 × 1350 (portrait).
What aspect ratios does Instagram support for photos?
Instagram’s help page lists 1.91:1 to 4:5. Photos outside that range are cropped.
What size is an Instagram story?
9:16, usually 1080 × 1920 pixels.
Will Instagram shrink my photo?
Yes, if it is wider than 1080 pixels it is scaled down to 1080.
Can I resize for Instagram for free?
Yes. CutLift crops and resizes for free in your browser, with no watermark.
Sources
- Instagram Help: Image resolution of photos you share on Instagram
- Instagram Help: Reel size and aspect ratios
Checked on 9 November 2026. Rules change: if something here is out of date, tell us at [email protected].