Social Media Image Sizes 2026 - Complete Size Guide for All Platforms

Stay current with the latest social media image dimensions for 2026. This comprehensive guide covers optimal image sizes for Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, TikTok, Pinterest, YouTube, and Snapchat including profile photos, cover images, posts, stories, and ads.

Instagram Image Sizes (2026)

Image Type Recommended Size Aspect Ratio File Format Max File Size
Profile Photo 320×320 px 1:1 (square) JPG, PNG N/A
Feed Post (Square) 1080×1080 px 1:1 JPG, PNG 30 MB
Feed Post (Portrait) 1080×1350 px 4:5 JPG, PNG 30 MB
Feed Post (Landscape) 1080×566 px 1.91:1 JPG, PNG 30 MB
Instagram Story 1080×1920 px 9:16 JPG, PNG 30 MB
Instagram Reels 1080×1920 px 9:16 MP4, MOV 4 GB
Carousel Post 1080×1080 px (each) 1:1 preferred JPG, PNG 30 MB each

Facebook Image Sizes (2026)

Image Type Recommended Size Aspect Ratio Notes
Profile Photo 180×180 px 1:1 Displays at 170×170 on desktop
Cover Photo (Personal) 820×312 px 2.63:1 Minimum 400×150 px
Cover Photo (Business Page) 820×312 px 2.63:1 Same as personal
Shared Image Post 1200×630 px 1.91:1 Optimal for link previews
Feed Photo Post 1200×1200 px 1:1 Square preferred
Facebook Story 1080×1920 px 9:16 Full screen mobile
Event Cover Photo 1920×1080 px 16:9 Displays smaller on mobile
Group Cover Photo 1640×856 px 1.91:1 Previously 820×428

Twitter/X Image Sizes (2026)

Image Type Recommended Size Aspect Ratio Max File Size
Profile Photo 400×400 px 1:1 2 MB
Header/Cover Photo 1500×500 px 3:1 5 MB
In-Stream Photo 1200×675 px 16:9 5 MB
Twitter Card (Link) 1200×628 px 1.91:1 5 MB
Twitter/X Premium Post 1200×1200 px 1:1 to 16:9 5 MB (Premium: higher)

LinkedIn Image Sizes (2026)

Image Type Recommended Size Aspect Ratio Notes
Profile Photo 400×400 px 1:1 Displays at 300×300
Background Photo 1584×396 px 4:1 Personal profile banner
Company Logo 300×300 px 1:1 Company page logo
Company Cover Image 1128×191 px 6:1 Company page banner
Shared Image Post 1200×627 px 1.91:1 Link preview images
Shared Link Post 1200×628 px 1.91:1 Open Graph image
Sponsored Content 1200×627 px 1.91:1 Single image ads

TikTok Video & Image Sizes (2026)

Content Type Recommended Size Aspect Ratio Duration/Size Limits
Profile Photo 200×200 px 1:1 N/A
TikTok Video (Vertical) 1080×1920 px 9:16 15s-10min, up to 4GB
TikTok Video (Square) 1080×1080 px 1:1 Not recommended
TikTok Ads (Video) 1080×1920 px 9:16 or 1:1 5-60 seconds

Pinterest Image Sizes (2026)

Image Type Recommended Size Aspect Ratio Notes
Profile Photo 165×165 px 1:1 Circular display
Standard Pin 1000×1500 px 2:3 Optimal for feed
Square Pin 1000×1000 px 1:1 Acceptable but less common
Long Pin (Max) 1000×2100 px Up to 1:2.1 Gets cut off in feed
Board Cover 340×340 px 1:1 Square thumbnail
Pinterest Story Pin 1080×1920 px 9:16 Multi-page feature

YouTube Image & Thumbnail Sizes (2026)

Image Type Recommended Size Aspect Ratio File Requirements
Channel Profile Photo 800×800 px 1:1 JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP (under 4MB)
Channel Banner 2560×1440 px 16:9 Safe area: 1546×423 px
Video Thumbnail 1280×720 px 16:9 Under 2MB, JPG, PNG
YouTube Story 1080×1920 px 9:16 7 seconds max
YouTube Shorts 1080×1920 px 9:16 60 seconds max

Social Media Image Best Practices

Optimal File Formats

JPG: Best for photographs and images with many colors. Smaller file sizes, some compression loss. Use for most social posts. PNG: Best for graphics, logos, text overlays. Supports transparency, larger files. GIF: Animated images, limited colors. WebP: Modern format with excellent compression, not universally supported yet.

Pro Tip: Always upload the highest quality image the platform accepts. Social networks compress images, so starting with maximum quality ensures best results after compression.

Responsive Image Design

Design images with mobile in mind—70% of social media consumption is on mobile devices. Keep important elements (text, faces, logos) centered and away from edges where cropping occurs. Test how images display on both desktop and mobile before posting.

Text on Images

Facebook previously limited text coverage to 20% of image; this rule relaxed but ads with less text perform better. Instagram has no text limit but readability is key. Use high contrast between text and background. Recommended text-to-image ratio: 20-30% maximum coverage.

Aspect Ratio Flexibility

Most platforms support multiple aspect ratios. Instagram accepts 1:1, 4:5, and 1.91:1. Choose based on content: 1:1 (square) for product photos, 4:5 (vertical) for maximum mobile screen real estate, 1.91:1 (landscape) for panoramic shots.

Platform-Specific Tips

Instagram Strategy

Use 1080×1350 px (4:5 ratio) for maximum feed visibility on mobile. Square posts (1080×1080) work for grid aesthetics. Carousel posts should maintain consistent sizing across all slides. Stories: place key content in center 1080×1350 safe zone (corners can be cropped).

Facebook Optimization

Upload images at least 1200 px wide for crisp display. Profile photos: use simple logos or headshots that work at small sizes. Cover photos: avoid important content in bottom 24 pixels (can be covered by profile photo on mobile).

Twitter/X Best Practices

Use 1200×675 px (16:9) for optimal timeline display. Images crop to 2:1 on timeline—important content should fit this ratio. Avoid excessive text; Twitter displays cleaner with minimal text overlays.

LinkedIn Professional Standards

Use high-quality, professional images. Background photo (1584×396): showcase work, values, or personal brand. Keep company logos simple and recognizable at small sizes. Shared posts perform best with clean, infographic-style images.

TikTok Video Guidelines

Always shoot or design for 9:16 vertical format. Keep text and important visuals in center 90% of frame (avoiding top and bottom 5% where UI elements appear). First frame is thumbnail—make it eye-catching.

Pinterest Tall Images

Pinterest favors vertical images. Optimal 2:3 ratio (1000×1500) gets most screen space in feed. Text overlays work well—Pinterest is search-driven, so descriptive text helps discoverability. Avoid images taller than 1:2.1 ratio (get cut off).

Common Image Size Mistakes

Using Low Resolution Images

Uploading images smaller than recommended results in pixelation and blurriness. Always start with larger dimensions than required. Platforms downscale well but upscaling low-res images creates poor quality.

Ignoring Safe Zones

Platform UI elements (profile photos, buttons, captions) can cover parts of images. Leave margins: Instagram Stories safe zone is 1080×1350 px centered within 1080×1920 frame. YouTube banner safe area is 1546×423 px centered in 2560×1440 image.

Inconsistent Branding Across Platforms

Use consistent profile photos across all platforms—builds recognition. Resize a master high-res image (2000×2000 px) to each platform's requirements. Maintain color schemes and logo placement consistency.

Not Testing Mobile Display

Images may look great on desktop but fail on mobile. Preview posts on actual phones before publishing. Text that's readable at desktop size often becomes illegible on mobile. Minimum recommended font size: 40 px for mobile readability.

Image Compression & File Size

Balancing Quality and File Size

Social platforms compress uploaded images. Starting with uncompressed or lightly compressed images (90-95% quality JPG) gives algorithms room to work. For JPG, use 80-90% quality setting for web optimization before upload.

Tools for Optimization

Use image optimization tools before uploading: TinyPNG/TinyJPG for compression without visible quality loss. Adobe Photoshop "Save for Web" feature. Squoosh (web-based) for testing different formats and compression levels. Target: under 1MB for fast loading while maintaining quality.

Platform Compression Algorithms

Each platform compresses differently. Instagram heavily compresses (can lose 30-50% quality). Facebook is moderate. LinkedIn preserves more quality for professional images. Upload maximum allowed resolution to maintain post-compression quality.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best image size for Instagram in 2026?

For feed posts: 1080×1350 px (4:5 ratio) maximizes mobile screen space. For Stories/Reels: 1080×1920 px (9:16). Square posts (1080×1080) work but show less content on mobile feeds.

Do I need different images for each social platform?

Yes, ideally. Each platform has different optimal dimensions and aspect ratios. At minimum, create versions for: vertical (9:16 for Stories/TikTok), square (1:1 for Instagram/Facebook), and landscape (16:9 for YouTube/Twitter). Reuse by cropping appropriately.

Why do my images look blurry on Instagram?

Likely causes: uploading images smaller than 1080 px wide, excessive pre-compression before upload, or not using RGB color mode. Solution: upload images at exactly 1080 px width (or height for vertical), save as JPG at 90% quality, ensure RGB color mode.

What aspect ratio works for all platforms?

No single ratio works perfectly everywhere, but 1:1 (square) has widest compatibility: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn all support it. For video, 9:16 (vertical) works on Instagram Stories, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Facebook Stories.

Should I add text to social media images?

Depends on platform and goal. Pinterest and LinkedIn: text helps (infographics perform well). Instagram and TikTok: minimal text preferred (use captions instead). Facebook ads: less text coverage increases reach. Always ensure text is readable on mobile (minimum 40 px font).

How often do social media image sizes change?

Major platforms update dimensions 1-2 times per year. Subscribe to official platform blogs for updates. Profile and cover photo sizes change infrequently. Feed post sizes have been stable since 2020. Story formats (1080×1920) are now standardized across most platforms.

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