Instagram photo sizes and how to make a split grid post
Ever posted a photo to Instagram and had the top and bottom cut off, or seen it come out soft? Instagram displays photos inside fixed aspect ratios, so matching the ratio and size before you post keeps your image looking the way you intended.
Common ratios and sizes
| Use | Ratio | Recommended size (px) |
|---|---|---|
| Square post | 1:1 | 1080 x 1080 |
| Portrait post | 4:5 | 1080 x 1350 |
| Landscape post | 1.91:1 | 1080 x 566 |
| Stories and Reels | 9:16 | 1080 x 1920 |
A width of 1080 pixels is the usual target. Much larger images get scaled down and recompressed, and much smaller ones get stretched and look blurry. The app's display can change, so check how your post is cropped in your profile grid after uploading.
Resize many photos to the same size
In a carousel, every image follows the ratio of the first one, so mixed ratios get cropped. Pick an Instagram preset in Batch Resize to convert many photos to the same size at once.
- Crop to fill: fills the frame and trims the overflow.
- Pad with color: keeps the whole photo and fills the gaps with a color. Good when nothing may be cut.
You can add a watermark in the same pass, which is handy for accounts that post their own work.
Choose the important part yourself
Automatic center cropping can cut off a face or a product. In the Image Cropper, pick 1:1 or 4:5 and move the box over exactly the area you want.
Making a 3 or 9 tile grid
Splitting one image across several posts makes it look like one large picture on your profile. In the Image Splitter, choose the 3x1 (one row) or 3x3 (nine tiles) preset and download the pieces as a ZIP.
Post the tiles in reverse order
Instagram shows your newest post at the top left. Upload the tiles starting from the last one so the picture lines up. For a 3x3 grid, post the bottom right tile first and the top left tile last.
Your profile grid may not display posts as perfect squares, so post one tile first and check how it is cropped before uploading the rest.
Final checks
- Keep text away from the edges. Different phone screens may cover the outer area.
- If you want to make sure no location data remains, run your photos through the EXIF viewer too.