When purchasers first began asking me to deal with their social media, I figured the picture half can be simple. Create one clear graphic, add it throughout platforms, and the instruments would alter every little thing robotically.
Boy, was I mistaken.
Between cropped headers, stretched thumbnails, and textual content that disappeared on cellular, it didn’t take lengthy to understand that every platform performs by its personal guidelines — they usually change typically. I spent approach an excessive amount of time backtracking, resizing, and apologizing for issues that regarded off as soon as they went reside.
Now, I hold a working listing of up-to-date social media picture sizes and construct templates for the commonest social media asset sizes my purchasers want. It helps me transfer sooner, keep away from guesswork, and hold every little thing trying skilled from feed to advert to story.
This information pulls all of that collectively—present specs, sensible ideas, advert dimensions, and instruments I exploit to make the method smoother. I’ve labored with dozens of manufacturers on natural and paid social technique, and picture sizing is among the first issues I coach groups to get proper.
Desk of Contents
Why You Should Care About Social Media Image Sizes
I used to treat image sizing like an afterthought. If the content were strong, the image would carry it, right? But after managing dozens of campaigns and cleaning up more than a few formatting issues, I’ve learned it plays a much bigger role in performance than I expected.
Here’s what I pay attention to now.
Engagement depends on visual quality.
I’ve tested posts with the exact same copy and design, but different image sizes, and the difference in click-through rate was impossible to ignore. One version looked sharp and well-fitted; the other was awkwardly cropped and lost a chunk of the message.
That drop in performance was hard to ignore—and I’m not the only one who’s noticed.
According to HubSpot’s 2025 Global Social Media Trends report, Instagram, Fb, and YouTube are the highest platforms for each engagement and lead high quality, and each one in all them is powered by visuals. In case your photographs are misaligned, off-brand, or low-res, you’re lacking alternatives earlier than your viewers even reads the caption.
Advertisements get rejected or underperform.
One of many first paid campaigns I ran by means of Meta was rejected for one thing I didn’t catch: a picture that didn’t meet their minimal width requirement. No warning, no adjustment — simply silence. I didn’t even notice it hadn’t run till I checked the analytics just a few days later.
LinkedIn could be simply as strict. I’ve seen picture advertisements quietly throttle their attain as a result of the dimensions wasn’t fairly proper, or the side ratio threw off the preview. For those who’ve ever watched a high-performing marketing campaign stall for no obvious motive, picture formatting is among the first issues to examine.
Your model seems to be inconsistent.
Cropped-off logos. Misaligned visuals. Graphics that look completely wonderful on desktop however collapse on cellular. I’ve been there and so have your clients.
These inconsistencies add up. They make your model really feel disjointed, even when the message is correct. After I began utilizing platform-specific dimensions, our visuals lastly felt constant on each display. No lacking margins. No off-brand templates. Simply clear, dependable content material that felt intentional throughout each channel.
And that issues, as a result of visuals are sometimes the primary impression your viewers will get.
Study extra about what grabs folks’s consideration on social media with our information on the most effective types of content on social media.
Social Media Picture Sizes At-a-Look
Social Media Picture Sizes by Platform
I used to attempt to get away with a one-size-fits-all method. I’d design as soon as, resize for 2 or three channels, and name it a day. That by no means labored out the way in which I hoped.
Each platform handles visuals otherwise — some crop aggressively, some downscale uploads, and others prioritize solely totally different side ratios. Now I work from an in depth spec sheet and construct every little thing with these dimensions in thoughts.
Right here’s the breakdown I hold bookmarked.
Fb Picture Sizes
- Profile: 320 x 320 px
- Cowl: 851 x 315 px
- Feed put up: 1080 x 1350 px
- Tales: 1080 x 1920 px
- Advert codecs:
- Feed: 1080 x 1080 px
- Hyperlink advert: 1200 x 628 px
- Story advert: 1440 x 2560 px
- Hyperlink preview: 1200 x 630 px
I’ve seen probably the most points right here with cowl images — what seems to be good on desktop can get oddly cropped on cellular. When unsure, heart your point of interest and hold vital particulars away from the sides.
For extra tips about optimizing your Fb visuals, check out our guide to Facebook marketing or discover HubSpot’s Facebook ad best practices.
Instagram Picture Sizes
- Profile: 320 x 320 px
- Sq. put up: 1080 x 1080 px
- Portrait: 1080 x 1350 px
- Panorama: 1080 x 566 px
- Tales and Reels: 1080 x 1920 px
- Grid thumbnail: 161 x 161 px
- Reels cowl: 420 x 654 px
- Advert codecs: similar dimensions as natural posts
For Instagram, I give attention to the vertical format since a lot of the feed is optimized for visuals which can be 4:5 or taller. Sq. nonetheless works, however portrait photographs are likely to carry out higher when it comes to attain and engagement.
If Instagram is a serious channel on your staff, HubSpot’s free Instagram template may help you construct a cohesive grid and preserve constant model visuals.
Twitter (X) Picture Sizes
- Profile: 400 x 400 px
- Header: 1500 x 500 px
- Feed put up:
- Panorama: 1600 x 900 px
- Portrait: 1080 x 1350 px
- Hyperlink preview: 1200 x 630 px
- Advert codecs:
- Single picture: 1200 x 628 px
- Sq.: 800 x 800 px
- Carousel: 800 x 418 px
I’ve had good luck with landscapes on X, however I’ve lately began testing extra portrait crops. The cellular preview area has shifted, and portrait photographs get extra display actual property when achieved appropriately.
TikTok Picture Sizes
- Profile: 200 x 200 px
- Feed, Tales, Carousel: 1080 x 1920 px
- Advert choices:
- Vertical (min): 540 x 960 px
- Carousel: 1200 x 628 px (panorama)
Most visuals listed below are full display, so I deal with TikTok like a vertical-first platform. Even the advertisements have to match that format to keep away from awkward black bars.
LinkedIn Picture Sizes
- Profile: 400 x 400 px
- Cowl photographs:
- Private: 1584 x 396 px
- Firm: 1128 x 191 px
- Feed put up: 1200 x 627 px
- Life tab:
- Hero: 1128 x 376 px
- Gallery: 900 x 600 px
- Carousel: 1080 x 1080 px
- Sponsored content material: 1200 x 627 px
For LinkedIn, model polish issues. I double-check every little thing — particularly on firm pages — as a result of even slight misalignment stands out in an expert feed.
To go deeper on optimizing LinkedIn for lead gen or model constructing, I like to recommend HubSpot’s LinkedIn publishing tips and post creation workflows.
Pinterest Picture Sizes
- Profile: 165 x 165 px
- Cowl: 800 x 450 px
- Commonplace pin: 1000 x 1500 px (2:3 side ratio)
- Carousel or advert: 1000 x 1000 or 1000 x 1500 px
- Story pins: 1080 x 1920 px
Pinterest leans closely into vertical. If I follow 2:3 for pins, I keep away from any awkward auto-cropping, particularly within the cellular feed.
Pinterest can drive a shocking quantity of referral site visitors if photographs are achieved proper. This HubSpot overview on image best practices helped form how I take into consideration vertical visuals throughout platforms, not simply on Pinterest.
YouTube Picture Sizes
- Profile: 800 x 800 px
- Banner: 2560 x 1440 px
- Protected zone: heart content material inside 1546 x 423 px
- Thumbnail: 1280 x 720 px
- Podcast thumbnail: 1280 x 1280 px
YouTube’s banner dimension could be difficult. What seems to be good on a desktop may get cropped on a TV or cellular machine. I take a look at previews on all units earlier than finalizing.
Threads Picture Sizes
- Profile: 320 x 320 px
- Feed put up: 1440 x 1920 px
- Hyperlink preview: 1200 x 600 px
- Carousel: as much as 20 photographs
Threads content material is usually cross-posted from Instagram, so I exploit the identical picture dimensions and secure zone guidelines. Portrait orientation tends to show greatest.
Snapchat Picture Sizes
- Profile: 320 x 320 px
- Geofilter: 1080 x 1920 px
- Advertisements: 1080 x 1920 px
- Banner: 375 x 278 px
With Snapchat, every little thing is constructed for the cellphone display. I hold designs easy, vertical, and clutter-free close to the highest and backside edges.
Google Enterprise Profile Picture Sizes
- Brand: 720 x 720 px
- Profile: between 250 and 750 x 750 px
- Cowl: 1024 x 576 px
- Video: 1280 x 720 px (max 30 seconds, 75 MB file dimension)
These visuals seem throughout Maps, Search, and enterprise listings, so I deal with them like front-door signage — clear, high-resolution, and brand-aligned.
Bluesky Picture Sizes
- Profile: 400 x 400 px
- Banner: 1500 x 500 px
- Feed picture: 1200 x 627 px
- Submit picture: 1080 x 1080 or 627 x 1200 px
The platform permits some flexibility, however sticking with customary side ratios (1:1 or 4:5) retains issues crisp throughout totally different screens.
Tumblr Picture Sizes
- Profile: 128 x 128 px
- Banner: 3000 x 1055 px
- Submit picture: 500 x 750 px
- Advertisements: 1280 x 1920 px
Tumblr nonetheless favors vertical imagery and posts which can be graphic-forward. I’ve seen stronger outcomes when visuals are stored gentle on textual content and optimized for cellular scrolling. It’s value testing vertical codecs right here—even legacy platforms have loyal communities.
Picture Sizes for Paid Social Advertisements
Advert specs could be barely totally different from natural posts, even after they seem related within the feed. I’ve realized to double-check picture dimensions earlier than launching any marketing campaign. It helps keep away from rejections, scaling points, and blurry visuals that eat into efficiency.
Right here’s what I hold readily available when constructing artistic for paid social.
Fb and Instagram (Meta)
Widespread advert codecs:
- Feed: 1080 x 1080 px (1:1)
- Hyperlink advertisements: 1200 x 628 px (1.91:1)
- Tales and Reels: 1080 x 1920 px (9:16)
- Carousel: 1080 x 1080 px (1:1)
Specs to remember:
- Max file dimension: 30 MB
- Accepted codecs: JPG or PNG
- Protected zone for tales: Keep away from inserting key content material within the prime 250 px and backside 340 px
- Fb recommends leaving 14% padding on prime and 20% on the underside for Tales/Reels
Twitter (X)
Widespread advert codecs:
- Single picture: 1200 x 628 px (1.91:1)
- Sq.: 800 x 800 px (1:1)
- Carousel: 800 x 418 px (1.91:1) or 800 x 800 px (1:1)
Specs to remember:
- Max file dimension: 5 MB (photographs) or 15 MB (GIFs on desktop)
- Accepted codecs: JPG, PNG, GIF
- Advisable to keep away from inserting textual content too near the sides—cropping can fluctuate throughout cellular and internet
Widespread advert codecs:
- Sponsored content material: 1200 x 627 px (1.91:1)
- Carousel advertisements: 1080 x 1080 px (1:1)
- Vertical advertisements (cellular): 720 x 900 px (4:5)
Specs to remember:
- Max file dimension: 5 MB
- Accepted codecs: JPG, PNG, non-animated GIF
- Minimal width: 200 px
- LinkedIn crops photographs otherwise on cellular vs. desktop, so heart key visuals and duplicate
TikTok
Widespread advert codecs:
- Full-screen in-feed video: 1080 x 1920 px (9:16)
- Carousel: 1200 x 628 px (panorama), 640 x 640 px (sq.)
Specs to remember:
- Min picture dimension: 540 x 960 px
- Max file dimension: 500 KB (photographs), 500 MB (video)
- Format: JPG, PNG for photographs
- Protected zones: Go away ~150 px padding on the prime and backside to keep away from UI overlays
Widespread advert codecs:
- Commonplace Pin: 1000 x 1500 px (2:3)
- Carousel: 1000 x 1000 px or 1000 x 1500 px
- Procuring advert: Identical specs as customary pins
Specs to remember:
- Max file dimension: 20 MB
- Accepted codecs: JPG, PNG
- Keep away from inserting textual content close to the highest 270 px or backside 790 px—these areas typically get cropped in-feed
- Pins taller than 2:3 could also be downranked within the algorithm
YouTube
Widespread advert codecs:
- Thumbnail: 1280 x 720 px (16:9)
- Companion banner (desktop-only): 300 x 60 px
- In-video overlay: 480 x 70 px
Specs to remember:
- Max file dimension: 2 MB (thumbnails)
- Format: JPG, PNG, GIF
- YouTube recommends retaining thumbnails below 2 MB with minimal textual content
- Maintain topic centered—cropping can fluctuate by display dimension and machine
Here’s a quick guide from HubSpot on image requirements for social posts.
Instruments and Templates for Social Media Belongings
I’ve used every little thing from Photoshop to Paint in a pinch, however over time, I’ve constructed a go-to stack of instruments that simplify sizing, designing, and reformatting social media graphics. These are the instruments I return to repeatedly, particularly after I have to resize or reformat social media asset sizes rapidly and constantly.
Canva
If I’m constructing one thing from scratch or want a fast resize, Canva is the primary place I am going. Their templates are already optimized by platform, and the drag-and-drop editor makes it simple to keep up model consistency. I particularly like the power to create customized folders for every consumer or marketing campaign.
- Constructed-in templates for feed posts, tales, advertisements, banners, and extra
- Resize instrument for reformatting one design throughout platforms
- Free and Professional variations obtainable
Pixlr
Once I want to wash up a picture or crop one thing rapidly, I exploit Pixlr. It’s a light-weight browser-based instrument with simply sufficient picture modifying options to get the job achieved, with out feeling overwhelming.
- Good for quick edits, crops, or overlays
- Helps layering, transparency, and filters
- Free to make use of, with superior options behind a paywall
Adobe Specific
Adobe Specific is nice after I want extra design flexibility with out leaping into Photoshop. It’s quick, web-based, and comes with a rising assortment of pre-sized templates for all main platforms.
- Preferrred for branded campaigns or content material that wants polish
- Simple-to-use animation and video options
- Helps JPG, PNG, and clear backgrounds
Adobe Specific additionally makes it simple to format movies for various platforms, which is changing into extra vital as social feeds lean extra closely into short-form video. For those who’re keeping track of the place video is headed this yr, HubSpot’s Social Media Video Trends report presents a useful take a look at what’s performing and why.
Hubspot Social Media Templates
For constant branding throughout platforms, I depend on HubSpot’s free social media image templates. These are particularly helpful after I’m onboarding a brand new model or remodeling a content material calendar, they usually’ve saved me hours when resizing social media belongings throughout channels.
- Consists of editable templates for Fb, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Pinterest
- Sized to match present platform necessities
- Appropriate with Canva and different design instruments
For those who‘re utilizing HubSpot’s Advertising Hub, you may also handle and publish immediately by means of the Social Inbox tool, which helps hold content material and picture belongings organized in a single place.
Ideas for Higher Picture Optimization
Sizing your photographs appropriately is a good begin, however absolutely optimizing them requires just a few further steps. These are the ways I now use as a default when prepping social media visuals.
- Cell-first design: Most engagement occurs on telephones. I all the time take a look at how visuals look in cellular previews and alter spacing, font sizes, and placement accordingly.
Professional tip: I take a look at each picture in preview mode throughout desktop and cellular earlier than publishing. It takes 30 seconds, and it’s caught extra points than I can depend.
- Protected zones matter: For tales, reels, and advertisements, I go away room on the prime and backside — normally round 250 to 340 pixels — to make sure that buttons, logos, or UI overlays don’t cowl up something vital.
- Use JPG for images, PNG for logos: I follow JPGs for images as a result of they’re lighter and cargo sooner. For logos, icons, or any design factor with transparency, PNGs hold issues sharp and clear.
- Keep constant throughout platforms: Even when the specs change, the model components don’t. I exploit the identical coloration palette, typography, and format construction to construct recognition, no matter the place the picture seems. I comply with the identical method for web site visuals, too, retaining picture sizes constant so every little thing masses cleanly and appears sharp throughout touchpoints. This text on website image sizes is one I come again to typically.
- Evaluate AI-generated photographs manually: Instruments like Adobe Firefly or Canva’s AI helpers can velocity up manufacturing, however I all the time evaluate outputs fastidiously. They often miss model tips or crop issues in bizarre methods. AI is nice for drafts, however polish nonetheless issues.
And authenticity is what wins. In truth, 76% of marketers say their most relatable, calmly produced content material performs higher than polished campaigns, which implies your visuals don’t must be fancy, simply appropriately sized and true to your model.
Why Picture Sizing Is Well worth the Effort
It took just a few campaigns — and various resizing regrets — earlier than I understood simply how a lot picture sizing impacts efficiency. As soon as I began tailoring visuals to every platform’s specs and aligning them with appropriate social media asset sizes, I observed sharper photographs, stronger engagement, and much fewer points with paid advertisements.
One marketing campaign nonetheless involves thoughts. We had been selling a product launch and created a single picture to make use of throughout each channel. On the desktop, it regarded nice. However on cellular, our CTA was cropped. After swapping in a correctly sized portrait model, click-throughs jumped 27% in a single day.
The repair was simple. The outcomes weren’t one thing we might have achieved with guesswork.
And we’re not the one ones shifting focus. Practically two-thirds of marketers now prioritize high quality over amount, which implies that each picture must do its job. Getting the dimensions proper is among the best methods to make sure it does.
It’s a small step that makes a giant distinction. And as soon as you’re employed it into your course of, it’s onerous to think about going again.
Wish to skip the guesswork and dimension your social media photographs proper the primary time? Download our free image template pack to create platform-ready belongings in minutes.
FAQs
Have questions? Listed below are just a few of the commonest ones I hear from groups attempting to get their photographs proper the primary time.
What dimension ought to social media photographs be?
Social media picture sizes fluctuate by platform, however probably the most generally used dimensions are 1080 x 1080 pixels for sq. posts, 1080 x 1350 for portrait posts, and 1080 x 1920 for tales or full-screen vertical content material.
What’s the most effective side ratio for social media?
The perfect side ratios are 1:1 for sq. feed posts, 4:5 for portrait photographs, and 9:16 for tales, reels, and different vertical codecs.
Ought to I exploit JPG or PNG for social posts?
Use JPG for images and full-image backgrounds as a result of they load sooner. Use PNG for graphics, logos, or photographs that want transparency or sharper strains.
What occurs if I add the mistaken dimension?
In case your picture is the mistaken dimension, it might be cropped, compressed, or rejected by the platform. This may make your put up look unprofessional and negatively influence efficiency. That’s why I all the time take a look at picture previews earlier than publishing.
Editor’s observe: This put up was initially printed in March 2020 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.
