Best Image Resolutions for Instagram, YouTube, and Social Media
In today’s digital world, high-quality visuals are crucial for engaging audiences on social media. Each platform has specific image resolution requirements to ensure the best appearance. Using incorrect resolutions can lead to cropped, stretched, or pixelated images, which affects engagement. In this guide, we’ll explore the optimal image resolutions for popular social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Pinterest.
Instagram Image Resolutions
Instagram is a visual-first platform, making image quality extremely important. Below are the recommended image sizes for different post types:
1. Instagram Feed Posts
- Square (1:1 aspect ratio): 1080 x 1080 pixels
- Portrait (4:5 aspect ratio): 1080 x 1350 pixels
- Landscape (1.91:1 aspect ratio): 1080 x 566 pixels
📌 Tip: Instagram compresses images, so always upload at the highest quality.
2. Instagram Stories & Reels
- Resolution: 1080 x 1920 pixels
- Aspect Ratio: 9:16
📌 Tip: Keep important content within the center area to avoid cropping.
3. Instagram Profile Picture
Resolution: 320 x 320 pixels (Displays as a circle)
Tip: Keep your logo or face centered to avoid cropping.
Social Media Image Size Cheat Sheet (2024)
| Platform | Image Type | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Profile Picture | 320 x 320 px | |
| Feed Post (Square) | 1080 x 1080 px | |
| YouTube | Thumbnail | 1280 x 720 px |
Using the correct image resolutions ensures your content appears sharp and professional across social media platforms. Always aim to upload images at the highest recommended resolution to prevent compression issues.
🚀 Want to convert pixels to inches for print? Use our Pixel to Inches Converter!