Instagram no longer revolves around one square image size. Feed posts, carousels, Stories, Reels, and profile previews all use different proportions, which means a design that looks perfect in one place can be awkwardly cropped somewhere else.
For designers, the safest approach is to start with the format rather than creating one graphic and resizing it at the end. Knowing the current Instagram image and post sizes helps protect text, faces, logos, and other important visual elements.
Instagram image sizes at a glance
Instagram supports several aspect ratios, but some dimensions are more practical for design work than others. Using a 1080-pixel width for feed graphics remains a sensible standard because it provides enough resolution without creating unnecessarily large files.
| Instagram format | Recommended size | Aspect ratio |
| Portrait feed post | 1080 × 1440 px | 3:4 |
| Traditional portrait post | 1080 × 1350 px | 4:5 |
| Square post | 1080 × 1080 px | 1:1 |
| Landscape post | 1080 × 566 px | 1.91:1 |
| Story | 1080 × 1920 px | 9:16 |
| Reel | 1080 × 1920 px | 9:16 |
The important change is that Instagram now supports 3:4 photos. That gives designers more vertical space than the older 4:5 format and also works naturally with photos taken by many smartphones.
Choosing the right size for feed posts
There is no single feed size that works best for every project. The right choice depends on whether the priority is photography, graphic design, profile appearance, or compatibility with existing assets.
1080 × 1440 for taller portrait designs
The 3:4 format is useful when you want a tall feed image without forcing a smartphone photo into a shorter crop. It is particularly suitable for:
- Portrait photography
- Editorial graphics
- Product images
- Infographics with limited text
- Visual storytelling
Instagram supports native 3:4 photos, including individual images and carousels. For designers creating new assets from scratch, 1080 × 1440 is therefore worth adding to standard templates.
1080 × 1350 remains useful
The familiar 4:5 portrait size has not stopped working. A 1080 × 1350 canvas is still useful when existing brand templates, design systems, or campaign assets already use that proportion.
The practical difference is simply height. A 3:4 image gives you 90 additional vertical pixels at a width of 1080 pixels.
Square posts still have a purpose
A 1080 × 1080 square can work well for simple graphics, quotes, illustrations, or assets that may also be reused elsewhere.
However, designers should remember that profile previews may display content differently from the original post. Important information should therefore stay reasonably central rather than relying on the far left or right edges.
Designing Instagram carousels without awkward crops
A carousel should be treated as one connected design system rather than several unrelated images. The first slide establishes the shape used by the carousel, so deciding on the aspect ratio before building the remaining slides prevents unpleasant surprises later.
For example, if you create a 3:4 opening slide, prepare the remaining carousel graphics in the same proportion.
Keep key elements consistent
When designing multiple slides:
- Use the same canvas dimensions throughout.
- Keep headings and logos in consistent positions.
- Leave comfortable space around important text.
- Preview each slide at phone size.
- Check the first and final slides separately.
For a quick reference while designing, FastSocial keeps an up-to-date list of Instagram post sizes for feed posts, carousels, Stories and Reels.
Instagram Story and Reel dimensions
Stories and Reels use a much taller format than feed posts. The standard working canvas is 1080 × 1920 pixels, which produces a 9:16 vertical frame.
That does not mean every part of the canvas should contain important information.
Keep text away from interface areas
Instagram places interface elements over vertical content. Usernames, captions, buttons, and other controls can occupy areas near the top and bottom of the screen.
Designers should therefore avoid placing essential copy directly against the edges. Give headlines, prices, calls to action, and other critical elements enough room toward the centre of the frame.
For Reels, this becomes even more important because the video may also appear as a cropped preview elsewhere on Instagram.
Design for the profile grid as well as the feed
One common mistake is checking only how a post looks when opened. Instagram profile previews can show a different crop from the full post, particularly when the original artwork is square, landscape, or created for another ratio.
Build with cropping in mind
Imagine creating a square promotional graphic with a product on the far left and text on the far right. The full image may look balanced, yet a taller profile preview can remove some of those outer details.
A safer layout places the main subject and essential message closer to the centre. Decorative elements can sit farther toward the edges because losing part of them will not change the meaning.
Common Instagram sizing mistakes designers should avoid
Correct dimensions solve only part of the problem. Layout choices matter just as much.
Watch for these common issues:
- Uploading very small images and expecting them to remain sharp
- Designing Stories using square templates
- Placing important text near the edges of Reels
- Mixing different dimensions within one carousel
- Assuming profile previews always show the complete artwork
- Making text readable on a desktop monitor but too small on a phone
- Reusing landscape graphics without checking the resulting crop
A useful final check is simple: view the artwork at approximately phone-screen size before exporting. If the headline, subject, or key information becomes difficult to understand, resizing the text or simplifying the layout is usually better than adding more detail.
Conclusion
Instagram image and post sizes are easier to manage when each format is designed for its actual viewing environment. For feed posts, 1080 × 1440, 1080 × 1350, and 1080 × 1080 pixels cover most common needs, while Stories and Reels are best prepared at 1080 × 1920.
The bigger design lesson is to think beyond pixel dimensions. Leave room for interface elements, protect important content from profile cropping, keep carousel dimensions consistent, and always check the finished design on a smaller screen. Those habits make Instagram graphics easier to read and far less likely to suffer from unwanted cropping.