Using the wrong image size on social media leads to cropped photos, blurry thumbnails, and unprofessional-looking profiles. Every platform has its own recommended dimensions — and they change periodically as platforms update their interfaces. This guide gives you the current correct dimensions for every major platform in 2026, along with practical tips for preparing images efficiently.
Why Image Dimensions Matter on Social Media
When you upload an image at the wrong dimensions, the platform resizes it automatically. This automatic resizing almost always produces one of two problems: the image gets cropped unexpectedly, cutting off faces or important content; or the image gets stretched or compressed, distorting its proportions. Using the correct dimensions from the start guarantees your images look exactly as intended.
Beyond dimensions, file size also matters. Most platforms compress uploaded images before displaying them — so starting with the right format (JPG for photos, PNG for graphics with text) at the right quality setting avoids double compression that degrades image quality.
Instagram Image Sizes
- Square post: 1080 × 1080 px (ratio 1:1) — the classic Instagram format
- Portrait post: 1080 × 1350 px (ratio 4:5) — takes up more screen space, better engagement
- Landscape post: 1080 × 566 px (ratio 1.91:1)
- Story: 1080 × 1920 px (ratio 9:16) — full-screen vertical
- Reel cover: 1080 × 1920 px (ratio 9:16)
- Profile photo: 320 × 320 px (displayed as circle)
Format recommendation: JPG for photos. PNG for graphics with text. Maximum file size: 30 MB.
Facebook Image Sizes
- Profile photo: 170 × 170 px (desktop) — upload at 400 × 400 px minimum
- Cover photo: 820 × 312 px (desktop) — 640 × 360 px on mobile
- Feed photo post: 1200 × 630 px recommended
- Story: 1080 × 1920 px
- Event cover: 1920 × 1005 px
- Link preview image: 1200 × 630 px
X (formerly Twitter) Image Sizes
- Profile photo: 400 × 400 px minimum (displayed as circle)
- Header / banner: 1500 × 500 px
- In-feed image post: 1200 × 675 px (ratio 16:9) recommended
- In-feed with 4 images: Each image at 1200 × 675 px
- Card image: 800 × 418 px (ratio 1.91:1)
LinkedIn Image Sizes
- Personal profile photo: 400 × 400 px minimum — 7680 × 4320 px maximum
- Personal background / banner: 1584 × 396 px
- Feed post image: 1200 × 627 px recommended
- Company page logo: 300 × 300 px
- Company page cover: 1128 × 191 px
- Article cover image: 1920 × 1080 px
TikTok Image Sizes
- Profile photo: 200 × 200 px minimum
- Video cover / thumbnail: 1080 × 1920 px (ratio 9:16)
- Photo post: 1080 × 1920 px for portrait — 1920 × 1080 px for landscape
YouTube Image Sizes
- Channel profile photo: 800 × 800 px (displayed as circle)
- Channel art / banner: 2560 × 1440 px — safe area for all devices: 1546 × 423 px centred
- Video thumbnail: 1280 × 720 px (ratio 16:9) — minimum 640 × 360 px
- Community post image: 1080 × 1080 px
YouTube thumbnail tip: Use JPG at high quality (90%+). Thumbnails are one of the biggest factors in click-through rate — use bold text, high contrast, and expressive faces.
Pinterest Image Sizes
- Profile photo: 165 × 165 px
- Standard Pin: 1000 × 1500 px (ratio 2:3) — ideal for tall Pins
- Square Pin: 1000 × 1000 px
- Board cover: 800 × 450 px
How to Resize Images for Social Media Using Toolzilla
Toolzilla's Image Resizer lets you resize any image to exact pixel dimensions in seconds:
- Go to Image Tools from the Toolzilla home page.
- Select Image Resizer.
- Upload your image.
- Enter the exact width and height in pixels for your target platform.
- Toggle Maintain aspect ratio on or off depending on whether the platform requires a specific ratio.
- Click Resize Image and download the result.
For cropping to a specific social media ratio, use Toolzilla's Image Cropper which includes presets for the most common social media ratios — 1:1 (Instagram), 16:9 (YouTube), 9:16 (Stories/TikTok), and 4:3 (standard).
General Best Practices for Social Media Images
- Always use the recommended dimensions — uploading larger is fine; uploading smaller risks blurry display.
- Save as JPG for photos — social platforms recompress images. Starting with JPG at 85–90% quality produces the best results after the platform's own compression.
- Save as PNG for graphics with text — prevents blurring of sharp text edges during recompression.
- Keep key content away from edges — most platforms crop profile photos to a circle and may crop cover photos differently on different screen sizes.
- Test on both desktop and mobile before publishing — an image that looks perfect on a large monitor may crop unexpectedly on a phone screen.