Social Media Image Size

Social media image size is the pixel width, height and aspect ratio a platform expects for a given type of post, profile picture, cover or link preview. Images that match the expected ratio display in full. Images with another ratio are cropped, letterboxed or scaled down.

Each platform publishes its own recommendations, and they change over time as layouts change. The numbers that matter most are the aspect ratio and a minimum width; uploading at a larger size with the right ratio usually works, because the platform resizes the image. Screenshots often need extra work, since a 16:10 laptop screen rarely matches a square or vertical post.

Sizes by platform

The sizes below are widely used starting points. Check each platform's help center before publishing, since requirements change.

Use	Common size	Ratio
Instagram square post	1080×1080	1:1
Instagram portrait post	1080×1350	4:5
Stories and vertical video	1080×1920	9:16
Link preview (Facebook, LinkedIn)	1200×630	about 1.91:1
X in-feed image	1600×900	16:9

Why dimensions matter

Feeds crop images to fit their grid. A wide screenshot posted as a square loses its sides, and text near the edges disappears. Small images are scaled up and look soft. Large text in a screenshot also needs enough pixels to stay readable on a phone.

How to resize for multiple platforms

1. Start from the largest, sharpest source, ideally a 2x screenshot.
2. Place it on a canvas at the target ratio instead of stretching it.
3. Keep important content inside a central safe area.
4. Export one version per ratio, such as 1:1, 4:5, 9:16 and 1.91:1.

In a real publishing workflow

A release announcement might need a 1200×630 link preview, a 1080×1350 post and a 1080×1920 story from the same screenshot. Temposhot Custom Area presets 1:1 1000×1000 and 9:16 900×1600 capture at the right ratio from the start.

Common mistakes

• Stretching an image to a new ratio instead of cropping or padding.
• Placing text at the edges, where feeds crop.
• Uploading small, compressed screenshots that platforms compress again.

Have an image to fix right now?

Place a screenshot on a sized canvas with the Social Image Composer or check proportions with the Aspect Ratio Calculator.

Common questions

What size works on every platform?

None does. A 1:1 square is the most widely accepted single format.

Why does my image look blurry after upload?

The platform resized and recompressed it. Upload at the recommended size or larger.

Sources

• The Open Graph protocol
• Aspect ratio (image) on Wikipedia

Related resources

• Social image composer: build platform-sized images.
• Aspect ratio calculator: convert sizes and ratios.
• Capture sources: Custom Area size presets.