Every social platform recompresses what you upload, but the dimensions and aspect ratios you send still matter. The wrong aspect ratio gets cropped or letterboxed. The wrong dimensions get scaled up, and scaled-up images look soft. Here is what to upload to each platform today.
| Placement | Dimensions | Aspect ratio | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feed square | 1080 × 1080 | 1:1 | JPG |
| Feed portrait | 1080 × 1350 | 4:5 | JPG |
| Feed landscape | 1080 × 566 | 1.91:1 | JPG |
| Story / Reel | 1080 × 1920 | 9:16 | JPG / MP4 |
| Profile picture | 320 × 320 | 1:1 (circle crop) | JPG |
TikTok
| Placement | Dimensions | Aspect ratio | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video | 1080 × 1920 | 9:16 | MP4 |
| Cover image | 1080 × 1920 | 9:16 | JPG |
| Profile picture | 200 × 200 | 1:1 | JPG |
YouTube
| Placement | Dimensions | Aspect ratio | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video thumbnail | 1280 × 720 | 16:9 | JPG / PNG |
| Channel banner | 2560 × 1440 | 16:9 | JPG / PNG |
| Channel logo | 800 × 800 | 1:1 | PNG |
| Shorts cover | 1080 × 1920 | 9:16 | JPG |
| Placement | Dimensions | Aspect ratio | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feed photo | 1200 × 630 | 1.91:1 | JPG |
| Cover photo | 1640 × 859 | 1.91:1 | JPG |
| Profile picture | 320 × 320 | 1:1 | JPG |
| Story | 1080 × 1920 | 9:16 | JPG |
X (Twitter)
| Placement | Dimensions | Aspect ratio | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-feed photo | 1600 × 900 | 16:9 | JPG |
| Header | 1500 × 500 | 3:1 | JPG |
| Profile picture | 400 × 400 | 1:1 | JPG |
| Placement | Dimensions | Aspect ratio | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feed photo | 1200 × 627 | 1.91:1 | JPG |
| Cover (personal) | 1584 × 396 | 4:1 | JPG |
| Cover (company) | 1128 × 191 | 5.9:1 | JPG |
| Profile picture | 400 × 400 | 1:1 | JPG |
Your own website
There is no single right answer here, but a few rules of thumb help:
- Hero images: 1600–2000px wide, served as AVIF or WEBP.
- Blog photos: 1200px wide, WEBP at quality 82.
- Thumbnails: 400px wide, WEBP at quality 75.
- Always serve the right size for the slot — do not ship a 4000px image into a 600px slot.
Frequently asked questions
Why are my Instagram photos blurry?+
Instagram caps display width at 1080px. Upload at exactly 1080px wide, JPG quality 90, and you avoid double-compression.
What is the safe area for Stories and Reels?+
Keep important content within the centre 1080 × 1420 area of the 1080 × 1920 canvas. The top and bottom are covered by UI.
Should I upload PNG or JPG to social?+
JPG for photos. PNG only when you need transparency or sharp text. Either way, the platform recompresses on upload.