Social Media Image & Video Sizes Guide
Complete reference for social media image and video dimensions in 2026. Aspect ratios, resolutions, and file limits for Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, X, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.
What You Will Find Here
Why Getting the Format Right Matters
Every social media platform displays images and videos at specific dimensions. Post a landscape photo on a platform designed for vertical content and it gets cropped, shrunk, or padded with black bars. Upload a low-resolution thumbnail and it looks blurry next to every other result.
This guide covers the current dimensions, aspect ratios, and file requirements for seven major platforms. Use it as a reference when preparing content, so nothing gets cut off or compressed unexpectedly.
Quick Reference Table
All platforms and content types at a glance
| Platform | Content Type | Aspect Ratio | Resolution | Max File Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feed Post (square) | 1:1 | 1080 x 1080 | 30 MB | |
| Feed Post (portrait) | 4:5 | 1080 x 1350 | 30 MB | |
| Story / Reel | 9:16 | 1080 x 1920 | 250 MB (video) | |
| YouTube | Video (HD) | 16:9 | 1920 x 1080 | 256 GB |
| Video (4K) | 16:9 | 3840 x 2160 | 256 GB | |
| Thumbnail | 16:9 | 1280 x 720 | 2 MB | |
| Shorts | 9:16 | 1080 x 1920 | 256 GB | |
| TikTok | Video | 9:16 | 1080 x 1920 | 287 MB (mobile) |
| Photo Post | 9:16 | 1080 x 1920 | 20 MB | |
| Feed Post | 1:1 / 4:5 | 1080 x 1080 | 30 MB | |
| Story | 9:16 | 1080 x 1920 | 250 MB (video) | |
| Cover Photo | 2.7:1 | 820 x 312 | 10 MB | |
| X (Twitter) | Image | 16:9 | 1200 x 675 | 5 MB (image) |
| Video | 16:9 / 1:1 | 1280 x 720 | 512 MB | |
| Standard Pin | 2:3 | 1000 x 1500 | 20 MB | |
| Idea Pin | 9:16 | 1080 x 1920 | 20 MB | |
| Feed Post | 1.91:1 / 1:1 | 1200 x 627 | 10 MB | |
| Video | 16:9 / 1:1 | 1920 x 1080 | 5 GB |
Platform-by-Platform Breakdown
Detailed specifications and practical advice for each platform
Instagram prioritizes vertical and square content. The feed supports three ratios, but 4:5 portrait posts take up the most screen space and tend to generate higher engagement than landscape or square images.
Feed Posts
Square (1:1) at 1080 x 1080 px remains the safe default. Portrait (4:5) at 1080 x 1350 px takes up more screen space in the feed and is recommended for engagement. Landscape (1.91:1) at 1080 x 566 px is supported but appears smaller.
Stories & Reels
Both use 9:16 at 1080 x 1920 px. Keep important text and elements within the center 1080 x 1420 px area to avoid overlap with the username bar at the top and the CTA buttons at the bottom.
The Instagram feed grid displays all posts as 1:1 squares in the profile view. If you post in 4:5, choose your cover image carefully since the sides will be visible but the top and bottom will be cropped in the grid.
YouTube
YouTube is built around 16:9 widescreen. The player adds black bars to any other ratio, so matching 16:9 exactly fills the screen. Shorts are the exception, using vertical 9:16.
Standard Videos
16:9 at 1920 x 1080 (Full HD) or 3840 x 2160 (4K). Upload at the highest quality available. YouTube re-encodes everything, so starting with a high bitrate source gives better final quality.
Thumbnails
16:9 at 1280 x 720 px, maximum 2 MB. Use JPG, PNG, or GIF. Keep key text in the center third of the image, since thumbnails appear at various sizes across devices and search results.
Shorts
9:16 at 1080 x 1920 px. Videos must be 60 seconds or shorter. Vertical framing is mandatory for the Shorts shelf placement.
Avoid uploading 1:1 or 4:3 videos to YouTube. The player will add black bars on the sides, making your content look smaller than competing 16:9 videos.
TikTok
TikTok is a vertical-first platform. Nearly all content is viewed in 9:16 full-screen mode on mobile devices. Horizontal content gets shrunk and padded.
Videos
9:16 at 1080 x 1920 px. Maximum length is 10 minutes. File size limit is 287 MB on mobile, 10 GB on desktop upload. Supported formats: MP4 and MOV.
Photo Posts
Photo mode supports up to 35 images in a carousel. Each image displays at 9:16. Recommended resolution is 1080 x 1920 px for sharp display.
Keep text and faces away from the top 150 px (username overlay) and bottom 270 px (caption and music bar) of the frame. This safe zone ensures nothing important gets hidden by the UI.
Facebook supports the widest range of formats. Feed posts work with square, portrait, and landscape images. The cover photo has a unique 2.7:1 ratio that crops differently on mobile and desktop.
Feed Posts
Square (1:1) at 1080 x 1080 px or portrait (4:5) at 1080 x 1350 px. Links with preview images display best at 1.91:1 (1200 x 630 px). Video posts support 16:9, 1:1, and 9:16.
Stories
9:16 at 1080 x 1920 px. Same safe zone rules as Instagram Stories apply: keep key content in the center area away from UI elements.
Cover Photo
2.7:1 at 820 x 312 px on desktop display. Mobile crops this to approximately 640 x 360 px (16:9). Place important elements in the center to ensure they are visible on both.
Facebook compresses uploaded images aggressively. Upload PNG files for graphics with text, and JPG at maximum quality for photographs to minimize visible compression artifacts.
X (Twitter)
X displays images in a 16:9 preview in the timeline. Clicking expands them to their original aspect ratio. For maximum visibility without requiring a click, stick to 16:9.
Images
Single image: 16:9 at 1200 x 675 px for full preview display. Two images: each displays at 7:8. Three images: one at 7:8, two at 7:4. Four images: each at 2:1. Maximum 5 MB per image.
Videos
16:9 at 1280 x 720 px minimum, 1920 x 1080 recommended. Square (1:1) also works well in the timeline. Maximum file size is 512 MB, maximum length 140 seconds.
When posting multiple images, X uses a different crop for each grid layout. Preview your multi-image tweets before posting to check that faces and text are not cut off.
Pinterest is a vertical scrolling platform. Taller pins take up more space in the feed and attract more attention. The ideal ratio is 2:3, but Idea Pins use 9:16.
Standard Pins
2:3 at 1000 x 1500 px. Pinterest truncates pins taller than 2:3 in the feed (they show with a "See more" fade). Avoid extremely long infographic pins as they no longer get full display.
Idea Pins
9:16 at 1080 x 1920 px. Supports up to 20 pages per Idea Pin. Video segments can be up to 60 seconds each.
Include a text overlay on your pins. Pinterest uses OCR to read text in images, which helps with search discovery beyond just the pin description.
LinkedIn supports images and video in the feed, with landscape being the most common format. Shared link previews use a fixed 1.91:1 ratio.
Feed Posts
Landscape (1.91:1) at 1200 x 627 px for link previews. Square (1:1) at 1080 x 1080 px works well for standalone images. Portrait (4:5) is also supported and takes more vertical space.
Videos
16:9 at 1920 x 1080 px recommended. Square (1:1) also performs well. Maximum file size is 5 GB, maximum length 10 minutes for standard accounts.
LinkedIn auto-plays videos on mute. Add captions or text overlays to communicate your message to viewers who have not turned on the sound.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
These formatting errors reduce the quality and reach of your posts
Using the Wrong Orientation
Posting landscape content on vertical-first platforms like TikTok or Instagram Stories wastes screen space. Your content appears small with large black bars above and below.
Ignoring Safe Zones
Platform UI elements (usernames, captions, buttons) cover the edges of Stories and Reels. Place text and faces in the center to keep them visible.
Uploading Low Resolution
Platforms compress everything. Starting with a low-resolution source makes the final result noticeably blurry. Always upload at the maximum recommended resolution.
Using One Size Everywhere
A single image exported at 1920 x 1080 works for YouTube but gets cropped on Instagram and looks stretched on Pinterest. Prepare separate exports for each platform.
Frequently Asked Questions
The platform will either crop your image to fit, add black bars (letterboxing or pillarboxing), or stretch it. In all cases, the result looks worse than content designed for the correct ratio. You may lose important parts of the image or have it appear smaller than other posts.
You can, but it will not look optimal everywhere. A 16:9 image works well on YouTube and X, but gets cropped to a square on the Instagram feed grid and looks small on TikTok. For best results, export your image at the recommended dimensions for each platform.
JPG works best for photographs because it produces smaller file sizes while maintaining visual quality. PNG is better for graphics, logos, and images with text because it preserves sharp edges without compression artifacts. Most platforms accept both formats.
Yes. Platforms update their specifications as screen sizes and features evolve. Instagram added 9:16 Reels support in 2020. YouTube introduced Shorts in 2021. This guide reflects current 2026 specifications, but check platform documentation when in doubt.
You can use our Aspect Ratio Calculator to find the correct dimensions for any ratio. Enter your source width or height along with the target ratio, and the calculator returns the matching dimension. For actual resizing, use image editing software like Photoshop, GIMP, or Canva.
Calculate Your Dimensions
Use our calculators to find the exact pixel dimensions for any aspect ratio