Social Media Image Sizes: A Practical Guide for Professionals

A social media post that looks fine on Facebook ad can breaks on LinkedIn, or worse, lose clarity in ads, and crop critical content in previews. This means that social media image sizes are no longer a ‘nice-to-have’ detail, but these dimensions and aspect ratios make and break designs.

This guide covers:

• the right social media aspect ratios and image sizes according to platforms
• how to repurpose content for different placements and devices with differing aspect ratios

Key Concepts — Social Media Aspect Ratios and Image Dimensions

Social Media Aspect Ratio Guide

Let’s get the fundamentals right before jumping into the details.

Image dimensions vs aspect ratios

• Image dimensions, such as 1080 × 1350 px, refer to the pixel size and determine image clarity.
• Aspect ratios describe the shape of an image, such as 1:1 or 4:5, and determine how it fits within a platform’s layout.

Both work together, but they solve different problems.

Difference between supported sizes and recommended sizes

• Supported sizes define what a platform allows you to upload.
• Recommended sizes define what displays correctly.

Uploading a supported size does not guarantee proper framing or clarity if it does not match the preferred aspect ratio.

Visual clarity across mobile-first platforms

Most social platforms prioritise mobile viewing.

• Vertical and portrait images occupy more screen space and remain clearer in scrolling feeds.
• Horizontal images often appear smaller and lose impact on mobile devices.

Avoiding unexpected crops on feed, ads, and previews

Incorrect aspect ratios trigger automatic cropping; depending on content placed in the image, automatic cropping commonly affects faces, text, logos, and CTAs. That’s why, designing in recommended ratios and sizes reduces the risk of losing key visual elements across placements.

Maintaining consistency across brands and campaigns

Consistent image sizing ensures brand visuals look uniform across platforms. It prevents layout shifts and mismatched framing when the same creative appears in different contexts. This consistency specially translates into a more aesthetically pleasing grid.

How incorrect sizing impacts reach, engagement, and credibility

Poorly sized images reduce visual clarity and disrupt presentation. Cropped visuals and compressed assets definitely lower engagement and weaken brand perception, especially if you are in a competitive business where other brands fill up feeds.

Recommended Read: AI image generators for social media

Platform-Wise Social Media Image Sizes — 2026 Edition

1. Instagram Image Sizes

Instagram Aspect Ratio Guide

Feed Post

• Recommended: 1080 × 1080 px (1:1) or 1080 × 1350 px (4:5)
• Appears in feed and profile grid
• Common mistake: designing only for square, ignoring portrait performance

Carousel Post

• Same sizes as feed posts
• All slides must use the same ratio
• Common mistake: mixing aspect ratios in one carousel

Story

• Recommended: 1080 × 1920 px (9:16)
• Appears full screen
• Common mistake: placing text too close to top and bottom UI areas

Reel Cover

• Recommended: 1080 × 1920 px
• Cropped to 4:5 in feed preview
• Common mistake: designing only for full vertical without safe zones

2. Facebook Image Sizes

Facebook Social Media Aspect Ratio Guide

Feed Post

• Recommended: 1080 × 1080 px or 1080 × 1350 px
• Cropped differently on desktop and mobile
• Common mistake: uploading low-resolution images

Story

• Recommended: 1080 × 1920 px
• Full-screen vertical
• Common mistake: ignoring UI overlays

Cover Photo

• Recommended: 851 × 315 px
• Displays differently on mobile vs desktop
• Common mistake: centering text instead of using safe zones

Ad Placements

• Sizes vary by placement
• Common mistake: reusing organic post images for ads

3. LinkedIn Image Sizes

Linkedin Social Media Aspect Ratio Guide

Feed Post

• Recommended: 1200 × 627 px or 1080 × 1080 px
• Used for organic posts and shared links
• Common mistake: overly tall images that crop in preview

Carousel Document

• Recommended: 1080 × 1080 px per slide
• Ideal for presentations and storytelling
• Common mistake: using low-contrast text

Company Page Banner

• Recommended: 1128 × 191 px
• Cropped aggressively on smaller screens
• Common mistake: placing logos near edges

Sponsored Ads

• Follow LinkedIn ad-specific guidelines
• Common mistake: ignoring ad-specific aspect ratios

4. X (Twitter) Image Sizes

In-Feed Image

• Recommended: 1080 × 1080 px or 1280 × 720 px
• Cropping varies by post context
• Common mistake: using tall images that crop awkwardly

Header Image

• Recommended: 1500 × 500 px
• Appears differently across devices
• Common mistake: placing text too low

5. Pinterest Image Sizes

Standard Pins

• Recommended: 1000 × 1500 px (2:3)
• Tall pins perform better
• Common mistake: using square pins only

Idea Pins

• Vertical formats preferred
• Common mistake: horizontal layouts

6. YouTube Image Sizes

Video Thumbnail

• Recommended: 1280 × 720 px (16:9)
• Most visible entry point
• Common mistake: low-contrast designs

Community Post Image

• Recommended: 1080 × 1080 px
• Appears in feed
• Common mistake: ignoring mobile preview

Recommended Read: YouTube Shorts aspect ratio guide

7. TikTok Image Sizes

Video Cover

• Recommended: 1080 × 1920 px
• Cropped in feed preview
• Common mistake: placing text near edges

Profile and Previews

• Square formats work best
• Common mistake: using horizontal images

8. Thread Image Sizes

Feed Image

• Recommended: 1080 × 1350 px (4:5) or 1080 × 1080 px (1:1)
• Appears in the main Threads feed and profile

Best Practices for Scaling Designs Across Platforms (2026)

• Design for aspect ratio first, then resolution
• Prioritise vertical formats
• Keep text and logos inside safe zones
• Export at native platform sizes to reduce compression
• Design once, adapt smartly instead of resizing blindly

Ads vs Organic Content

Ad placements crop differently from organic posts. Stories, ads, feed ads, and carousel ads each apply different constraints. Reusing organic exports for ads often leads to performance drops due to hidden CTAs or cropped visuals.

What happens with social media images during different campaigns?

Social Media Campaigns

Campaign visuals need multiple exports before publishing. Image sizes define how a single creative is translated into platform-ready formats without unexpected cropping or layout shifts during rollout.

Product Launches

Launch assets require different image sizes for announcements, teasers, and highlights. Correct sizing keeps the product fully visible while preserving spacing for pricing, features, and labels.

Brand Awareness Content

Ongoing brand posts reuse the same visual system. Image sizes keep logos, color blocks, and typography consistently visible across repeated posts and devices.

Paid Advertising

Ad creatives must match strict placement requirements. Image sizes determine how text, imagery, and calls to action appear inside approved ad formats without rejection or truncation.

Creator and Influencer Assets

Creator visuals move across platforms with different framing rules. Image sizes adjust to maintain centering and readability of faces, products, and gestures.

Multi-Brand Social Media Management

Shared templates need platform-specific dimensions. Image sizes allow the same design system to scale across brands without rebuilding assets for each account.

Content Repurposing

High-performing visuals often move from one platform to another. Image sizes convert existing assets into new formats while preserving composition and intent.

Workflow Tips for Teams Managing Multiple Brands

• Keep a single, agreed size guide for all platforms so designers, marketers, and freelancers work from the same specs.
• Create reusable templates per platform to avoid redesigning layouts and to keep brand visuals consistent.
• Use clear file names and version tracking to prevent mix-ups between platforms, formats, and brand variants.
• Build workflows that generate correctly sized assets automatically, reducing manual resizing and production errors.

Recommended Read: ImagineArt workflows

Common Mistakes Professionals Still Make in 2026

• One export for every platform

  Reusing a single image causes cropping issues and weak performance across feeds and ad placements.

• No mobile preview checks

  Skipping mobile previews leads to hidden text, cut logos, and poor visual hierarchy on smaller screens.

• Text placed too close to edges

  Platform UI elements often cover edges, making important text unreadable or partially hidden.

• Manual resizing instead of workflows

  Manual resizing slows teams down and increases errors compared to automated, workflow-based systems.

Create Social Media Assets with ImagineArt

Design once and generate platform-specific image sizes without manual resizing. ImagineArt helps teams to start from a single visual direction and produce correctly sized assets for feeds, stories, ads, and previews across platforms.

Frequently Asked Questions