Social Media Image Size Guide

A guide to image and video sizes for Instagram, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest and WhatsApp, with the aspect ratio of each. Choose a platform to see its sizes, or view them all. Platforms change their rules from time to time, so treat the sizes as a starting point.

How to use it

1. Choose a platform.
2. Read the sizes and ratios.
3. Resize or crop your image to match.
4. Check the safe area before posting.

When it helps

• Creating graphics for several platforms.
• Briefing a designer.
• Avoiding cropped or blurry uploads.
• Planning a content calendar.

Good to know

• Keep text and faces away from the edges, because apps crop and add buttons.
• Upload at the stated size or larger.
• Use the Image Cropper to reach an exact ratio.

Why the ratio matters more than the pixels

Platforms resize whatever you upload, so the exact pixel count matters less than getting the shape right. If you upload a 16:9 image where 4:5 is expected, the app will crop it, and the crop may cut off the part you cared about. Matching the ratio keeps your layout intact.

Resolution still matters for sharpness. Upload at the recommended size or larger, because small pictures are enlarged and look soft. Very large files, on the other hand, get compressed heavily by the platform.

Worked example: one design, three platforms

Suppose you design a promotional image. For Instagram feed use 1080 by 1350, which takes more screen space than a square. For LinkedIn and Facebook link posts use 1200 by 630. For a story or reel cover use 1080 by 1920. Build the main design in the largest area and keep the key message in the centre, so each crop still works.

That centre-safe approach saves you from making three separate designs. The key elements survive every crop, and only the background needs to extend.

Safe areas and file formats

Vertical formats such as stories and short videos have interface elements at the top and bottom, such as your username and a reply box. Leave roughly 250 pixels clear at both ends. Profile pictures are shown in a circle on most platforms, so keep your subject centred.

JPEG is the safest format for photos and PNG for graphics with text. Most platforms convert and compress whatever you upload, so avoid uploading an already heavily compressed image if you can.

Planning images for several platforms

Create your design at the largest size you'll need, then crop down. Work with a safe area in the centre so cropping doesn't remove anything important. Keep text large enough to read on a phone.

Test on a real phone before you publish. What looks fine on a desktop monitor can be tiny in a mobile feed.

Questions