Understanding Instagram Image Size & Aspect Ratio
When sharing photos and videos on Instagram, there are two main things to keep in mind: aspect ratio and size.
Instagram Aspect Ratio (Dimension)
Aspect ratio refers to the width of a picture in relation to its height.
It’s expressed as a ratio, like 4:5 or 9:16, where the first digit represents the width and the second digit represents height.
It’s important to make sure your photos and videos fall within Instagram’s guidelines, otherwise, they’ll be cropped to fit a supported ratio — which could result in part of your image being lost.
Luckily, ’s cropping tool has recommended ratios for Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter — so you can always make sure your posts are perfectly optimized before you post.
Instagram Image Size (Resolution)
Size (or resolution) refers to the number of pixels that make up the width and height of your photo or video.
Like aspect ratio, size is expressed by two numbers — the first representing width and the second representing height.
For example, a picture size of 1080px by 1080px is much larger than one sized 50px by 50px.
So why does picture size on Instagram matter?
Even though Instagram compresses your photos and videos, it’s always better to share at an optimal resolution. That way, when Instagram compresses your photo size, it won’t affect the image quality.
Achieve the perfect crop for all your posts with ’s editing tools, available on all plans!
