Image sizes for Instagram and Facebook posts
Which aspect ratios to use for feed posts, Stories and link images, how to avoid awkward cropping, and a simple workflow for small businesses.
You post a beautiful photo and the platform cuts off the top of the cake, the edge of your logo or half of the text with the price. Or the image looks small and lost in the feed while competitors' posts fill the screen. In most cases the problem is not the photo, it is the shape.
Exact pixel recommendations change from time to time, so this guide focuses on what stays stable: aspect ratios, safe areas and a simple routine. For current pixel limits, check the official Instagram and Facebook help pages before a big campaign.
Aspect ratio matters more than pixels
Aspect ratio is the relationship between width and height. A 1:1 image is square; a 4:5 image is slightly taller than wide; a 9:16 image is a tall, full-screen vertical; a 1.91:1 image is a wide horizontal rectangle.
If your image does not match the format the platform expects, it will be cropped or shown with empty bars. Choosing the right ratio before you shoot and edit avoids most problems. Modern phones take photos with more than enough resolution, so as long as you do not crop a tiny part of a photo, size in pixels is rarely the issue.
The four ratios to remember
- 1:1 (square). The classic feed format on both Instagram and Facebook. Safe, simple, works everywhere. Good for products, logos and graphics.
- 4:5 (vertical). Takes up more of the phone screen in the feed than a square, so it often makes a stronger impression. A good default for photos of food, people and products.
- 9:16 (full-screen vertical). For Stories and Reels covers. Fills the whole phone screen.
- 1.91:1 (horizontal). The typical shape for link preview images and horizontal posts. Useful when you share a website link on Facebook, but less effective in a mobile feed because it looks small.
For most small businesses, a simple rule works: 4:5 for feed photos, 9:16 for Stories, 1:1 for graphics with text.
Shoot with cropping in mind
Your phone camera usually shoots in a different ratio from the one you will post. That is fine, as long as you leave room.
- Keep the main subject near the centre with empty space around it. Then you can crop to 1:1, 4:5 or 9:16 from the same photo.
- Use the camera grid to keep important parts away from the edges.
- For Stories, shoot vertically. Turning a horizontal photo into 9:16 leaves very little of the original.
- Some phone cameras let you choose the ratio in advance, such as square. This helps you see the final frame while shooting.
Respect the safe areas
Platforms place buttons, profile names and captions on top of some images. In Stories and Reels, the top and bottom of the screen are often covered by interface elements. Keep text, prices, logos and faces in the middle part of a 9:16 image, away from the very top and bottom.
In the profile grid, Instagram may show your posts in a cropped preview, so check how a new post looks on your profile page, not only in the feed. If an important element is cut off, adjust the crop or the design for next time.
Text on images
Text that looks fine on a computer can be unreadable on a phone. Keep it large, short and with strong contrast against the background. Avoid putting text close to the edges, where cropping and interface elements are most likely to cover it.
If you post in several languages, remember that Georgian and Russian words are often longer than English ones. Leave extra space in your templates so the translated text still fits.
A simple workflow
- Shoot photos with some space around the subject.
- Edit once, then export or crop copies: 4:5 for the feed, 9:16 for Stories.
- Use templates in 1:1 or 4:5 for announcements and offers.
- Preview the post on your phone before publishing and check the profile grid afterwards.
- Once or twice a year, check the official help pages for any changes in recommended sizes.
If your product photos need a cleaner look before cropping, try the free AI photo tool. And if formatting posts for every platform takes too much of your week, SocialAI prepares images in the right formats and publishes them for you, while you approve everything in advance.
Start this week
- Look at your last ten posts. Are any cropped badly or looking small?
- Set 4:5 as your default for feed photos and 9:16 for Stories.
- Create one template for each ratio with your fonts and colours.
- Bookmark the Instagram and Facebook help pages on image sizes.
For more on making your posts look unified, read how to make your feed look consistent.
