Social media image sizes
Last updated 2026-10-24
These are the sizes built into the CreatorKit image resizer and profile cropper. Many size lists online repeat each other without sources, so we label every size honestly:
- Official: we found it on the platform’s own help page on 2026-10-24 (linked).
- Common: widely used and generally accepted, but we could not confirm it on an official page.
Platforms change their layouts without notice. Treat every size as a starting point, and check how your post looks after uploading.
| Use | Pixels | Shape | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Post — square (1:1)Instagram says it shares photos at up to 1080 × 1080 pixels. | 1080 × 1080 | 1:1 | Official |
| Post — portrait (4:5)1080 px wide matches Instagram’s stated maximum width; the 4:5 ratio is a widely used portrait size. | 1080 × 1350 | 4:5 | Common |
| Post — landscape (1.91:1) | 1080 × 566 | 1.91:1 | Common |
| Story / Reels cover (9:16)Keep text and faces away from the top and bottom ~250 px, where app controls overlap. | 1080 × 1920 | 9:16 | Common |
| Use | Pixels | Shape | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feed post — landscape | 1200 × 630 | 1.90:1 | Common |
| Feed post — square | 1080 × 1080 | 1:1 | Common |
| Page cover photoDesktop and mobile crop the cover differently. Keep key content in the centre. | 1640 × 624 | 2.63:1 | Common |
| Use | Pixels | Shape | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feed post — landscape | 1200 × 627 | 1.91:1 | Common |
| Feed post — square | 1200 × 1200 | 1:1 | Common |
| Personal profile backgroundYour profile photo covers part of the lower-left area. | 1584 × 396 | 4:1 | Common |
TikTok
| Use | Pixels | Shape | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video cover (9:16) | 1080 × 1920 | 9:16 | Common |
YouTube
| Use | Pixels | Shape | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video thumbnail (16:9)YouTube asks for 16:9, at least 640 px wide. Mobile uploads are limited to 2 MB, so 1280 × 720 JPEG is a safe default. | 1280 × 720 | 16:9 | Official |
| Video thumbnail — 4K (16:9)YouTube’s current recommended resolution. Desktop uploads allow up to 50 MB. | 3840 × 2160 | 16:9 | Official |
| Shorts thumbnail (9:16)YouTube asks for 9:16, at least 640 px tall (2160 × 3840 recommended). | 1080 × 1920 | 9:16 | Official |
| Channel bannerOnly a central strip is visible on every device. Keep text and logos in the middle. | 2560 × 1440 | 16:9 | Common |
Web
| Use | Pixels | Shape | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Link preview image (1.91:1) | 1200 × 630 | 1.90:1 | Common |
X
| Use | Pixels | Shape | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Header image (3:1) | 1500 × 500 | 3:1 | Common |
What matters more than exact pixels
Get the shape right
The aspect ratio decides how much of your image is shown. Uploading a landscape photo to a vertical story means the platform crops away most of it, or adds bars. Choosing the shape first, then cropping deliberately, gives you control.
Keep a safe area
Story and short-video screens overlay buttons, captions and profile names along the top, bottom and right edge. Banners and covers are cropped differently on phones and desktops, and profile pictures often cover one corner. Keep faces, text and logos well inside the frame.
Upload at least the recommended width
Larger images rarely help beyond the recommended size, because platforms scale them down and re-compress them. Smaller images get enlarged and look soft. Matching the recommended width usually gives the most predictable result.
Choose JPEG for photos, PNG for text-heavy graphics
Platforms re-compress uploads. Graphics with small text often survive that better when uploaded as PNG. Photos are fine as high-quality JPEG. See the compressor for help hitting a file-size limit.