Social media image sizes cheat sheet
By Mehroz Shabir · Updated 15 October 2026
Uploading at the wrong size makes platforms crop or blur your image. Here are the sizes that work on each platform, and where to keep your text so it isn't hidden.
All sizes at a glance
| Platform | Image | Size (pixels) | Shape | Resize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Square post | 1080 × 1080 | 1:1 | Resize | |
| Portrait post | 1080 × 1350 | 4:5 | Resize | |
| Story / Reel | 1080 × 1920 | 9:16 | Resize | |
| Link preview / landscape post | 1200 × 630 | 1.91:1 | Resize | |
| Cover photo | 851 × 315 | about 2.7:1 | Resize | |
| YouTube | Thumbnail | 1280 × 720 | 16:9 | Resize |
| Channel banner | 2560 × 1440 | 16:9 | Resize | |
| Profile banner | 1584 × 396 | 4:1 | Resize | |
| Profile photo | 400 × 400 | 1:1 | Resize | |
| X (Twitter) | Header | 1500 × 500 | 3:1 | Resize |
| Standard pin | 1000 × 1500 | 2:3 | Resize | |
| TikTok / Shorts | Cover / full screen | 1080 × 1920 | 9:16 | Resize |
| WhatsApp / Telegram | Profile picture | 500 × 500 | 1:1 | Resize |
Safe zones: where text gets hidden
- Stories, Reels and TikTok: the top 250 px or so is covered by your name and progress bar, and the bottom 350 px by captions and the reply box. On Reels and TikTok, the right edge holds the like and share buttons.
- YouTube banner: only a central area of about 1546 × 423 px shows on every device, including phones.
- LinkedIn and X banners: your profile photo covers the bottom-left corner.
- Facebook cover: phones crop the left and right edges.
- YouTube thumbnail: the video length badge covers the bottom-right corner.
- Profile pictures are shown as circles almost everywhere, so the corners are never seen.
Crop or add a border?
When your photo is a different shape from the target, you have two choices in our resizer:
- Crop to fill fills the whole frame and trims the edges. Best for photos where the subject is in the middle.
- Fit with white border keeps the whole image and adds space around it. Best for logos, screenshots and group photos where nothing can be cut.
Keeping images sharp
- Start big, finish small. Resizing a large photo down stays sharp; enlarging a small one makes it blurry.
- Use PNG for text and logos, JPG for photos. Platforms compress JPGs more, so fine text can look rough.
- Watch file-size limits. If an upload fails, run the image through the 500 KB or 1 MB compressor.
Platforms update their layouts and recommended sizes from time to time. These sizes work at the time of writing; check each platform's help centre if something looks off after uploading.
Questions
What is the best size for an Instagram post?
1080 × 1080 for square posts or 1080 × 1350 for portrait posts, which take up more of the feed.
What size is a YouTube thumbnail?
1280 × 720 pixels (16:9), at least 640 px wide, saved as JPG, PNG or GIF under YouTube's upload limit.
Why does my image look blurry after uploading?
Usually because it was smaller than the size the platform shows it at, so it was stretched. Start from a larger image and resize it down.