What is the best aspect ratio for Instagram posts?

4:5 (portrait, 1080×1350 px) gives the most screen real estate in the feed and tends to drive higher engagement. Square (1:1, 1080×1080 px) is the next most common.

What aspect ratio do Instagram Stories and Reels use?

Both use 9:16 at 1080×1920 px. Keep important content within the central 1080×1420 px safe zone to avoid interface overlays.

What happens if my image is the wrong ratio?

Instagram will crop or add white borders automatically. For best quality, resize your image to the target dimensions before uploading rather than relying on Instagram's automatic adjustment.

What is the minimum image width Instagram accepts?

Instagram requires a minimum width of 320 px. The recommended width for full-resolution posts is 1080 px. Images wider than 1080 px are scaled down.

Are carousel image dimensions the same as single posts?

Yes. Carousel slides follow the same ratio rules as single posts (1:1, 4:5, or 1.91:1). However, all slides in one carousel must use the same ratio — the first slide determines the ratio for the whole carousel.

How do I calculate a custom crop size?

Use the dimension calculator on this page. Select the format, enter your known dimension (width or height), and the tool outputs the other dimension so your crop matches the target ratio exactly.

Aspect Ratio for Instagram

Look up every Instagram format's required aspect ratio and pixel dimensions, then calculate exact output dimensions for any source image size.

Instagram Format Dimensions

Format	Ratio	Width (px)	Height (px)	Notes
Square Post	1:1	1,080	1,080	Classic grid post; works for all content types.
Portrait Post	4:5	1,080	1,350	Tallest allowed feed format — maximises feed space.
Landscape Post	1.91:1	1,080	566	Wide shots; Instagram crops previews to 1:1 on profile.
Story / Reels	9:16	1,080	1,920	Full-screen vertical; safe zone 1080×1420 px centre.
Reels Cover Photo	3:4	1,080	1,440	Visible portion of a Reel on your profile grid.
IGTV / Long Video	16:9	1,920	1,080	Horizontal long-form video; 9:16 also accepted for vertical.
Carousel Slide	1:1	1,080	1,080	First slide sets the ratio for all slides in the carousel.
Profile Photo	1:1	320	320	Displayed as a circle; keep subject centred.

Square Post 1:1

1,080 × 1,080 px

Classic grid post; works for all content types.

Portrait Post 4:5

1,080 × 1,350 px

Tallest allowed feed format — maximises feed space.

Landscape Post 1.91:1

1,080 × 566 px

Wide shots; Instagram crops previews to 1:1 on profile.

Story / Reels 9:16

1,080 × 1,920 px

Full-screen vertical; safe zone 1080×1420 px centre.

Reels Cover Photo 3:4

1,080 × 1,440 px

Visible portion of a Reel on your profile grid.

IGTV / Long Video 16:9

1,920 × 1,080 px

Horizontal long-form video; 9:16 also accepted for vertical.

Carousel Slide 1:1

1,080 × 1,080 px

First slide sets the ratio for all slides in the carousel.

Profile Photo 1:1

320 × 320 px

Displayed as a circle; keep subject centred.

Click any row to load it into the dimension calculator below.

Dimension Calculator

Instagram Format

Your Width (px)

Enter width to calculate height.

Your Height (px)

Enter height to calculate width.

Select a format above to start calculating dimensions.

Visual Ratio Comparison

Proportional previews — not to absolute scale.

Square Post

1:1

Portrait Post

4:5

Landscape Post

1.91:1

Story / Reels

9:16

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Summary

Look up every Instagram format's required aspect ratio and pixel dimensions, then calculate exact output dimensions for any source image size.

How it works

Browse the format table to find the ratio you need (e.g. 4:5 portrait post, 9:16 story).
Select a format in the calculator section to pre-fill its ratio.
Enter your source image width or height in pixels.
The calculator outputs the required second dimension to match the chosen ratio.
Use the result to crop or resize your image before uploading to Instagram.

Use cases

Resize a landscape photo to fit an Instagram square or portrait post without black bars.
Prep a vertical video to the correct 9:16 resolution before uploading a Reel or story.
Confirm carousel slide dimensions before bulk-exporting from a design tool.
Calculate safe-zone crops so no subject is cut off when Instagram auto-crops.
Match Reels cover frame dimensions to avoid pixelation on the profile grid.
Resize a logo or headshot to the correct Instagram profile photo dimensions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-09-22 · Reviewed by Nham Vu