Every major platform crops, compresses, and displays images slightly differently, which is exactly why an image that looks perfect in one place can appear awkwardly cropped or blurry in another. The specific numbers shift periodically as platforms redesign their feeds, but the underlying logic behind them stays fairly stable.

Commonly recommended dimensions as of 2026

  • Instagram feed posts: 1080×1350 (4:5 portrait) is now the primary recommended format, having overtaken the older 1:1 square as the platform's default; 1080×1080 square still displays correctly.
  • Instagram/Facebook Stories & Reels: 1080×1920 (9:16 vertical), the standard across most short-form vertical formats.
  • Facebook link-preview images: roughly 1200×630.
  • X (Twitter) in-feed images: landscape or square both perform reliably; link-card previews commonly use around 1200×628.
  • LinkedIn feed images: roughly 1200×1200; link previews around 1200×627.

A width of 1080 pixels is a safe general starting point across nearly every platform, with the exact aspect ratio (square, 4:5, or 9:16) mattering more than hitting an exact pixel count.

Why aspect ratio matters more than pixel count now

Most platforms will automatically scale an uploaded image to fit their display requirements, but they can't invent the correct crop for you — an image with the wrong aspect ratio gets cropped in whatever way the platform's algorithm decides, which can cut off a face, a logo, or important text. Designing directly at the target aspect ratio, rather than uploading an arbitrary size and hoping the automatic crop looks right, is the more reliable approach.

Why these numbers change, and what to do about it

Platforms adjust their recommended and enforced dimensions every so often as they redesign feeds or introduce new formats — sometimes a small tweak, occasionally a bigger shift like Instagram's move toward prioritizing portrait over square. Treat any specific number, including the ones above, as a snapshot rather than a permanent fact, and it's worth a quick check of the platform's current official guidance before a size-sensitive campaign, rather than relying purely on a saved reference from months earlier.

A practical workflow for multi-platform posting

Rather than designing a separate image from scratch for every platform, many publishers design once at a flexible source resolution (often 1080×1350 or larger) and keep the important content — faces, logos, key text — within a safely centered area, so the same source image can be cropped down to a square, a 4:5, or a 16:9 without losing anything critical. This "design for the tightest crop" habit avoids needing entirely separate artwork per platform for routine posts.

Using a preview tool before publishing

Because platforms crop and display images somewhat differently across feed, profile, and story placements, previewing exactly how an image will be cropped before publishing avoids the common surprise of an important detail landing right at the edge of a crop. Many scheduling and design tools include a built-in safe-zone preview for this reason, showing which portion of an image is guaranteed to stay visible across a platform's various crop variations, rather than relying on trial and error after a post has already gone live.

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Frequently asked questions

What's a safe general-purpose image size for most platforms?

1080 pixels wide is a widely used safe starting point, with 4:5 (1080×1350) working well as a flexible default across Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn feed posts as of 2026.

Why did Instagram change from square to portrait as its default?

Portrait (4:5) images take up more vertical screen space on mobile feeds than square (1:1) images, and Meta's own guidance has shifted toward recommending portrait for that reason, though square images still display correctly.

How often do social media image size requirements change?

Small adjustments happen fairly often as platforms tweak their feeds, while bigger shifts (like a new default aspect ratio) tend to happen less frequently, maybe once or twice a year per platform — worth rechecking before a major campaign rather than assuming last year's numbers still apply. A quick habit that helps: bookmark whichever source you trust for current specs, and treat any saved reference, including this one, as due for a recheck every few months.