Every digital marketer has spent valuable time poring over articles online, trying to find the latest social media image size guidelines so their next post is picture-perfect. Because of how quickly social media evolves, it can be a struggle to keep up with best practice specifications – especially on Instagram, where post sizes and dimensions switch up every other week!
While these specs might seem transient, adhering to them can make all the difference to showing up consistently online. With recent evolutions to the way Instagram grids display content (hello, vertical feeds!), now’s the perfect time to get up to speed on the latest Instagram post size dimensions.
From stories to static posts and everything in between, here’s your comprehensive guide to the latest Instagram post size specifications.
Instagram Dimensions vs Instagram Post Size
There are a few styles of content on Instagram, including vertical stories and Reels, and static posts and carousels, which can be various sizes. We express these differences in size as an aspect ratio, image size, or both. So, what’s the difference between the two?
- Instagram dimensions (also called aspect ratios) refer to the height-by-width ratio of an image or video, expressed as small, relative numbers, like 9:16 or 1:1. The first number represents the width, and the second, the height. Selecting the right aspect ratio will ensure your content isn’t cropped or zoomed in when it appears in feeds and on your grid.
- Instagram image size or Instagram image resolution means the actual number of pixels that make up your image or video. Resolution is expressed the same way (just using an ‘x’ rather than a colon), with width followed by height, e.g., 1080×1920. Nailing your image or video’s resolution will prevent it from appearing grainy or blurry.
Instagram Photo Size for Static Posts
Back in the day, Instagram was all about simple square images on the Explore feed, but in 2024, we’ve got a lot more to contend with, including Reels, carousels, and Stories. However, we thought we’d start with the OG – the humble static single image.
When you’re posting a single image to Instagram, it can be any aspect ratio that falls between 1.91:1 (the horizontal limit) and 4:5 (the vertical limit). Many users still opt for the traditional square, whereas others try to fill as much of the vertical feed as possible by using 4:5 images.
Here are the static post sizes Instagram recommends:
- Square posts: 1:1 dimensions or 1080x1080p size.
- Vertical posts: 4:5 dimensions or 1080×1350 size.
- Horizontal posts: 1.91:1 dimensions or 1080×566 size.
Instagram posts with a 4:5 aspect ratio like this one from influencer Maggie Zhou will take up the most room on a user’s feed.
The Latest Instagram Grid Update (August 2024)
Instagram best practice took a dramatic step forward in mid-2024 when Adam Mosseri announced the app was rolling out vertical grids. Gone are the days of ‘square is best’ – a new vertical 4:5 ratio has taken over. While the dimensions and sizes you can post haven’t changed, what you should post arguably has.
If you don’t fall in line with Insta’s new look, you risk an unfortunate crop when users navigate to your grid.
According to Mosseri on his Instagram Story, “squares are from way back in the day when you could only upload square photos to Instagram.” He suggests many more users post in 4:5 or 16:9 (for Reels) than they do square these days, and uses these stats to justify the app’s new grid direction, saying they’d rather zoom in on existing square posts than subject vertical posts to a “brutal” crop on the grid.
The short version? Start posting in 4:5, stat.
Note that only some users have seen this new-look grid come to fruition, and Instagram hasn’t yet announced a plan to roll it out broadly. Hasn’t hit your ‘gram yet? Here’s what the vertical grid on Instagram looks like.
This before and after from Ceres PR gives us some insight into the new Instagram image size and dimensions for the grid.
Instagram Carousel Photo Size
Along with Reels, carousels are booming on Instagram, especially with the rise of photo dumps popularized by Gen Z. They’re not hard to nail size-wise, as they have identical specs to the recommended static Instagram post size and dimensions we’ve listed above.
Something to be mindful of when posting carousels is that the first image in the post sets the dimensions for the rest of your images and videos. So, if you choose (for example) a square post as the ‘hero’ shot, the rest of your content will be cropped to the same 1:1 ratio.
Plann tip: For a consistent and polished carousel, crop all your images and/or videos to your desired size prior to uploading. The best bit? You can do all this and more without leaving Plann.
Instagram Story Size
Unlike feed posts, Instagram Story dimensions are always vertical and set at 9:16 – there’s no range or room for error. We recommend an Instagram Story size of 1080×1920 pixels or higher to guarantee a high-resolution result.
The Instagram Story Safe Zone
Ever posted a Story and had to frantically reupload it because something was obscured by text on IG? While this shouldn’t happen on new iPhones, it still poses issues on older iPhones and non-Apple models, which is why your Story posts should always consider the ‘safe zone’ – a no-go area for important elements when designing and creating content.
In 2024, the Instagram story safe zone is 1080×1420 pixels, which leaves 250 pixels at the top and bottom of the screen as padding to cater to a range of phone models and versions of the app.
On new iPhones like this one, Stories aren’t affected much by text like username and the ‘send message’ buttons – but the safe zone considers all models of phone and tablet.
Instagram Reel Size and Dimensions
In 2024, you’re not optimizing your brand or business’s social media reach unless you’re creating Reels. Short-form video rules the internet, and as Instagram tries to stay relevant amidst a TikTok boom, Reels are an integral part of their strategy – and their algorithm.
Just like Stories, Instagram Reel dimensions are set at 9:16, the same dimensions as most iPhone screens. The minimum Instagram Reels size or resolution to aim for is 1080×1920 pixels. However, depending on the resolution you’re filming and editing in, you may end up with a file output that’s much higher-res. If you opt for a high-resolution file, be sure to keep the file size under 4GB so you don’t have issues uploading it to Instagram.
Remember, all videos on Instagram are now posted as Reels (except if you include them alongside photos in a carousel), so these specifications should dictate the size of all of your IG video content.
Instagram Reels Safe Zone
When you’re creating Reels content, consider text at the top, bottom, and right of your screen, including your caption, username, and the like, comment, and share buttons. This will help you place your text or important elements accordingly.
On Instagram Reels, the safe zone is 108px from the top, 320px from the bottom, 60px from the left, and 120px from the right, which shakes out to a total safe area of 900×1492 pixels.
Plann tip: To make this easier when working with larger dimensions, instead of calculating your Instagram Reels size in pixels, use an aspect ratio of 4:5 for your safe zone.
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Instagram Reels Cover Photo Size
Every Reel needs a great cover photo to help it stand out on your grid and to communicate what the video is about to users. The recommended size for your Instagram Reels cover is the same as the Reel itself: 9:16 aspect ratio and a minimum resolution of 1080×1920 pixels.
Instagram Profile Picture Size
While your profile picture on Instagram might appear tiny, that doesn’t mean its dimensions and size are inconsequential! Because Instagram profile pictures are cropped to a circle, it’s advisable to use a square image (1:1 aspect ratio) to avoid losing any parts of your picture. The minimum size for your Instagram profile picture is 150×150 pixels, but for the best image quality, 1080×1080 pixels will do the trick.
Instagram post size and dimension FAQs
Do Instagram images have to be square in 2024?
Absolutely not. In fact, with Instagram’s mid-2024 update in mind, it’s probably best they aren’t! The app is transitioning to a 4:5 grid, so aim to post images with this aspect ratio. Using a vertical orientation will also mean your posts take up more of a user’s phone screen.
Why is my Instagram image cropped when I upload it?
If you can’t seem to fit your entire pic in frame on Instagram, it’s because the photo you’ve chosen doesn’t fall within Instagram’s image aspect ratio guidelines. Feed posts must have dimensions between 1.91:1 and 4:5 – anything outside of that will be cropped.
Is there still a time limit on Instagram Reels videos?
Yes – but it’s no longer 60 seconds! The time limit for Instagram Reels in 2024 is 90 seconds. Keep your content short and sweet to comply with this.
What are the file size limits for Instagram images and videos?
Instagram has never endorsed a specific file size for images, but we can assume it’s around 8MB to 10MB. If you upload your photos natively in the app, it will compress them for you, but if you use a scheduling tool, you may have to upload a smaller file size to comply with that platform’s guidelines.
Instagram videos should always be under 4GB in size to ensure they upload to the platform seamlessly. Once again, if you use a social media scheduler like Plann, you may need to upload something smaller from the get-go.
In Plann, the auto-post file size limits are 8MB for images and 100MB for videos.
Level up your social media marketing game with Plann
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From AI-generated captions to cross-posting, analytics, hashtags and more, Plann can help you maintain a consistent posting schedule while you remain focused on business growth. We even auto-post your Instagram Reels to take the hassle out of growing organically on the platform!
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