Mello
Guide

Social Media Image Size Guide (2026)

Updated May 25, 2026

Why image size matters on social media

Every social platform displays images at specific dimensions. Upload the wrong size and the platform crops it — often badly, cutting off faces or text — or stretches it until it looks unprofessional. Sizing an image correctly before you upload puts you in control of exactly what is shown.

Below are the current recommended dimensions for the main platforms. Each links to a tool that resizes and crops any photo to that exact size, in your browser.

Instagram

Image Dimensions Tool
Square post 1080 x 1080 Instagram post size
Portrait post 1080 x 1350 Instagram portrait size
Story or Reel 1080 x 1920 Instagram story size

Portrait posts take up more feed space than square ones, which is why many creators prefer them.

YouTube

Image Dimensions Tool
Video thumbnail 1280 x 720 YouTube thumbnail size
Channel banner 2560 x 1440 YouTube banner size

The channel banner is shown at different crops on phone, desktop, and TV, so keep important elements near the center.

X (Twitter)

Image Dimensions Tool
Header banner 1500 x 500 X header size
In-feed post image 1200 x 675 X post image size

Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Pinterest

Image Dimensions Tool
Facebook cover photo 820 x 312 Facebook cover size
LinkedIn profile banner 1584 x 396 LinkedIn banner size
TikTok video 1080 x 1920 TikTok video size
Pinterest pin 1000 x 1500 Pinterest pin size

Two tips for sharp social images

  1. Start from a large source. Each tool scales your image to cover the target frame and crops the overflow, so proportions stay correct. Starting from a photo larger than the target keeps the result sharp — enlarging a small image looks soft.
  2. Mind the file size. Platforms re-compress what you upload, but a smaller starting file uploads faster. If needed, run the result through the image compressor.

Dimensions do shift as platforms redesign, but the sizes above reflect current guidance. When in doubt, a larger image at the right aspect ratio is always safer than a small one.

Frequently asked questions

A square Instagram post is 1080 x 1080 pixels; a portrait post is 1080 x 1350; a story or reel is 1080 x 1920. Portrait posts fill more of the feed, so many creators prefer them.

Tools mentioned in this guide

Instagram Post Size
Resize and crop any photo to the exact 1080 × 1080 pixels Instagram uses for square feed posts.
Image
Instagram Portrait Size
Resize and crop any photo to the exact 1080 × 1350 pixels Instagram uses for portrait (4:5) feed posts.
Image
Instagram Story Size
Resize and crop any photo to the exact 1080 × 1920 pixels Instagram uses for full-screen stories and reels.
Image
YouTube Thumbnail Size
Resize and crop any photo to the exact 1280 × 720 pixels YouTube uses for video thumbnails.
Image
YouTube Channel Banner Size
Resize and crop any photo to the exact 2560 × 1440 pixels YouTube uses for channel art banners.
Image
Twitter / X Header Size
Resize and crop any photo to the exact 1500 × 500 pixels X (Twitter) uses for profile header banners.
Image
Twitter / X Post Image Size
Resize and crop any photo to the exact 1200 × 675 pixels X (Twitter) uses for in-feed post images.
Image
Facebook Cover Photo Size
Resize and crop any photo to the exact 820 × 312 pixels Facebook uses for profile cover photos.
Image
LinkedIn Banner Size
Resize and crop any photo to the exact 1584 × 396 pixels LinkedIn uses for profile background banners.
Image
TikTok Video Size
Resize and crop any photo to the exact 1080 × 1920 pixels TikTok uses for full-screen vertical video.
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Pinterest Pin Size
Resize and crop any photo to the exact 1000 × 1500 pixels Pinterest uses for standard 2:3 pins.
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