Every platform crops differently. Post the same file everywhere and something important gets cut on most of them — a headline off the top, a face behind the caption bar, a logo trimmed at the edge of the grid.
This guide lists every image and video size that matters in 2026 across Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, X and TikTok. Exact pixels, aspect ratios, safe zones and file limits. We manage social for 106+ brands and these are the specs our team actually designs to.
If you only remember one number, remember 1080 × 1350. It is the single most useful size in social media, and it works almost everywhere.
The 60-second cheat sheet
If you are in a hurry, these five sizes cover roughly 90% of everything you will ever post.
| Use case | Size | Ratio | Where it works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vertical feed post | 1080 × 1350 px | 4:5 | Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads |
| Full-screen video | 1080 × 1920 px | 9:16 | Reels, Stories, Shorts, TikTok |
| Square post | 1080 × 1080 px | 1:1 | Everywhere, safest fallback |
| Link preview card | 1200 × 630 px | 1.91:1 | Facebook, LinkedIn, X, WhatsApp |
| Profile photo | 400 × 400 px | 1:1 | Every platform |
Instagram image and video sizes 2026
Instagram changed the most this cycle. The profile grid moved from square thumbnails to taller 3:4 previews, and Instagram then added 3:4 as a native upload ratio. That gives you two defensible choices depending on what you care about more.
Which Instagram size should you actually use?
Use 1080 × 1440 (3:4) if your profile grid matters. It displays uncropped in both the feed and the grid, and takes the most vertical space of any supported ratio.
Use 1080 × 1350 (4:5) if you schedule through third-party tools. It has universal scheduler support and fills the feed almost as well, though it loses a thin slice top and bottom in the grid preview.
| Format | Size | Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feed — tall | 1080 × 1440 px | 3:4 | No crop in feed or grid |
| Feed — portrait | 1080 × 1350 px | 4:5 | Best scheduler support |
| Feed — square | 1080 × 1080 px | 1:1 | Side bars appear in grid |
| Feed — landscape | 1080 × 566 px | 1.91:1 | Least feed space, harshest crop |
| Reels & Stories | 1080 × 1920 px | 9:16 | Keep 250 px clear top and bottom |
| Profile photo | 320 × 320 px | 1:1 | Displays as a circle |
| Carousel | Match slide one | — | Up to 20 slides |
Maximum photo file size is 8 MB, though a correctly exported 1080-wide JPEG rarely exceeds 300 KB.
LinkedIn image sizes 2026
LinkedIn rewards square and portrait images in the feed, and it is the one platform where document carousels genuinely outperform everything else. Note the page cover size — most cheat sheets still publish the old 1128 × 191 figure, which is long out of date.
| Format | Size | Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Feed image — square | 1200 × 1200 px | 1:1 |
| Feed image — portrait | 1080 × 1350 px | 4:5 |
| Link preview | 1200 × 627 px | 1.91:1 |
| Profile photo | 400 × 400 px | 1:1 |
| Page cover | 4200 × 700 px | 6:1 |
| Document carousel | 1080 × 1080 px per slide | 1:1 |
| Vertical video | 1080 × 1920 px | 9:16 |
Facebook image sizes 2026
Facebook is where upload size and displayed size diverge most, and where a single cover image gets cropped three different ways across devices. Design the cover with everything important in the middle third.
| Format | Size | Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Feed — portrait | 1080 × 1350 px | 4:5 |
| Feed — square | 1080 × 1080 px | 1:1 |
| Link preview | 1200 × 630 px | 1.91:1 |
| Cover photo | 1640 × 856 px | 1.91:1 |
| Profile photo | 320 × 320 px | 1:1 |
| Stories & Reels | 1080 × 1920 px | 9:16 |
One thing worth understanding: the link preview image is not a social job. It comes from the og:image tag on your website. If a shared URL looks wrong, fix the page template, not the post.
YouTube sizes 2026
YouTube raised its recommended thumbnail resolution because 4K televisions and retina desktops punish small uploads. Design at 1280 × 720 as a minimum, but export larger if the detail warrants it.
| Format | Size | Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thumbnail | 1280 × 720 px min | 16:9 | Under 2 MB |
| Channel banner | 2560 × 1440 px | 16:9 | Safe zone 1546 × 423 |
| Channel icon | 800 × 800 px | 1:1 | Displays as circle |
| Shorts | 1080 × 1920 px | 9:16 | Under 3 minutes |
| Standard video | 1920 × 1080 px | 16:9 | 4K: 3840 × 2160 |
The banner safe zone matters more than the banner itself. A 2560 × 1440 image displays almost entirely on a television and almost not at all on a phone. Only the central 1546 × 423 region is guaranteed visible everywhere.
X (Twitter) image sizes 2026
X is the one major platform where vertical images work against you. The timeline crops tall images aggressively, so design horizontal or square here even when your other channels are vertical-first.
| Format | Size | Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Single image post | 1600 × 900 px | 16:9 |
| Square post | 1200 × 1200 px | 1:1 |
| Link card | 1200 × 628 px | 1.91:1 |
| Header | 1500 × 500 px | 3:1 |
| Profile photo | 400 × 400 px | 1:1 |
TikTok sizes 2026
TikTok is refreshingly simple: everything is 1080 × 1920. What actually catches people out is the interface, which covers a substantial portion of your frame.
Keep text and any critical visual at least 150 pixels from the top and 300 pixels from the bottom. The caption, username, share icons and progress bar all live in those zones. A hook placed too low is a hook nobody reads.
Five rules that matter more than the pixels
1. Design vertical, crop outward
A vertical master crops cleanly to square and to landscape. A horizontal master crops badly to vertical — you lose the subject entirely. Shoot and design 9:16 or 4:5 first, then derive everything else from it.
2. Always export at least 1080 pixels wide
Every platform recompresses what you upload. Starting with more pixels means more detail survives. Below 1080 wide, compression artefacts become visible on modern phone screens.
3. Respect the safe zone, not just the canvas
The canvas is what you design on. The safe zone is what people actually see. Stories, Reels, Shorts and TikTok all overlay interface elements across roughly the top 15% and bottom 20% of the frame.
4. Fix link previews on the website, not the post
When a shared link shows the wrong image, the problem is your page's og:image tag. Set it once at 1200 × 630 and it works across Facebook, LinkedIn, X and WhatsApp forever.
5. Consistency beats optimisation
A brand that posts 4:5 every single time looks more considered than one alternating between five ratios chasing marginal gains. Pick your default, apply it relentlessly, and only deviate when a specific asset genuinely demands it.
Wrong dimensions do not just look sloppy. A cropped hook kills the swipe, a chopped face weakens the first impression, and an inconsistent grid makes profile visitors leave before they follow.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best image size for social media in 2026?
1080 × 1350 pixels (4:5 portrait). It works on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Threads, fills the most feed space on mobile, and crops cleanly to square or vertical. If you can only produce one asset, produce that one.
What is the Instagram post size in 2026?
Feed posts are 1080 × 1350 (4:5) or 1080 × 1440 (3:4). The 3:4 size displays uncropped in both the feed and the profile grid. Square is 1080 × 1080, landscape is 1080 × 566, and Reels and Stories are 1080 × 1920.
What size should LinkedIn images be?
1200 × 1200 for square feed images or 1080 × 1350 for portrait. Link previews are 1200 × 627, profile photos 400 × 400, and page covers 4200 × 700. Document carousels should be 1080 × 1080 per slide.
What is the correct YouTube thumbnail size?
1280 × 720 pixels (16:9) minimum, under 2 MB. YouTube now recommends uploading up to 3840 × 2160 so thumbnails hold up on large screens.
Does image size affect reach?
Indirectly, yes. Wrongly sized images get cropped, cutting off hooks, faces and text, which reduces engagement. Platforms including Instagram and TikTok also deprioritise content that reads as low quality. Correct dimensions protect both.
Rather someone else handled all of this?
We produce and publish social content for 106+ brands across 47+ industries — sized correctly, every time.
See how we work