The Ultimate Guide to Resizing Images for Social Media (2026)
Glimpse: Stop your photos from being blurry or badly cropped. This guide gives you the exact dimensions for Instagram, Facebook, and X, plus a simple workflow to resize your images perfectly every time using browser-based tools.
You've taken the perfect photo. You upload it to Instagram, and the app awkwardly cuts off your friend's head. You try to set a new Facebook banner, and it comes out blurry and stretched. We've all been there.
Every social media platform is a battle for attention, and a badly resized image is the fastest way to lose. Platforms have very specific, and different, "rules" for image sizes. If your image doesn't fit, the platform will automatically (and badly) crop or compress it for you.
This guide is your simple cheat sheet. We'll cover the most important sizes for 2026 and, most importantly, show you the *workflow* to resize any photo perfectly.
The Secret: Aspect Ratio vs. Dimensions
- Dimensions are the exact size in pixels (e.g., 1080px wide by 1350px high).
- Aspect Ratio is the *shape* of the image (e.g., 4:5 or "portrait").
This is the secret: **Social media cares more about the aspect ratio than the dimensions.** If you get the *shape* right, the platform won't crop your image. We use the dimensions as a high-quality target.
Social Media Image Size Cheat Sheet (2026)
1. Instagram Image Sizes
Instagram is all about vertical images. The more screen space you take up, the better.
- Square Post (1:1 Ratio): 1080 x 1080 px. The classic.
- Portrait Post (4:5 Ratio): 1080 x 1350 px. (Recommended Best) This is the tallest image you can post, taking up the most screen space.
- Landscape Post (1.91:1 Ratio): 1080 x 566 px. (Use this sparingly, as it's the smallest).
- Stories & Reels (9:16 Ratio): 1080 x 1920 px. This is the standard "phone screen" shape.
2. Facebook Image Sizes
Facebook is more flexible, but cover photos are notoriously tricky.
- Cover Photo (Desktop): 851 x 315 px. Be careful: this image gets *cropped* on mobile. Always keep text and faces in the center "safe zone."
- Profile Picture: Upload a 1080 x 1080 px square. It will be shown as a circle, so make sure your face is centered.
- In-Feed Post: 1200 x 630 px (a 1.91:1 ratio) is the standard for shared links. A 1:1 square (1080x1080) also works great.
3. X (Twitter) Image Sizes
X is optimized for landscape and square images in the feed.
- Header Photo: 1500 x 500 px. Like Facebook, this has a "safe zone." Your profile picture will block the bottom-left corner, so keep important info away from there.
- Profile Picture: 400 x 400 px (will be shown as a circle).
- In-Feed Image Post (16:9 Ratio): 1600 x 900 px is ideal for a single, high-quality landscape image. A 1:1 square also works well.
✅ The 2-Step Workflow for Perfect Social Media Images
So how do you turn your 4000 x 3000 phone photo into a perfect 1080 x 1350 Instagram post? Don't just upload it! Follow this 2-step process.
Step 1: Crop to the Right Shape (Aspect Ratio)
Before you resize, you must get the *shape* right. Use your phone's built-in photo editor (or any basic editor) and crop your image to the correct aspect ratio.
- For an Instagram Portrait post, choose the 4:5 crop preset.
- For a square post, choose the 1:1 or "Square" crop preset.
Step 2: Resize & Compress with EasyImageCR.in
Now, upload your newly cropped (but still large) image to EasyImageCR.in.
- In the "Width (px)" box, type your target dimension. For our 4:5 post, type 1080.
- Make sure the "Maintain Ratio" box is checked.
- The "Height (px)" box will automatically fill in with 1350. This is how you know you did it right!
- For the best quality and size, select the WEBP format and set "Quality" to 85-90%.
- Click "Resize & Download".
You now have a file that is the exact pixel dimensions, the perfect aspect ratio, and highly compressed for a fast upload. It's guaranteed to look perfect with no blurry artifacts or bad crops.
The "One-Size-Fits-Most" Pro Tip
Tired of making 5 different images? While platform-specific is always best, the **4:5 Portrait (1080 x 1350 px)** is the clear winner for engagement.
It displays perfectly on Instagram, and it looks fantastic in the Facebook mobile feed, taking up far more space than a standard landscape link. If you're going to optimize for just one, choose the 4:5 portrait.
Don't let the platforms ruin your pictures. By taking 30 seconds to **Crop, then Resize,** you can take full control of your content and ensure your images look as professional as you are.
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