The Ultimate 2026 Instagram Image Size Guide (Posts, Stories & Reels)

Summary: Instagram is ruthless about cropping. If your photo isn't the exact right shape, you lose pixels (and quality). This guide breaks down the three "Golden Ratios" for 2026 and how to resize your photos instantly to fit them.

You took an amazing landscape photo. You go to post it on Instagram, and... disaster. The app zooms in, cutting off the beautiful scenery on the sides. Or you upload a Story, and it's blurry with ugly borders.

To master Instagram, you don't need a better camera—you need to master Aspect Ratios. The platform heavily favors images that fill the screen vertically.

1. The "Feed Post" (Stop Using Square!)

For years, Instagram was all about the 1:1 Square (1080 x 1080 px). While that still works, it is no longer the best choice.

Why? Because a 4:5 photo is taller. It takes up significantly more vertical space on your follower's phone screen compared to a square. More screen real estate means your photo is more immersive, grabs more attention, and statistically gets more likes.

How to get it: Don't rely on Instagram's cropper. Use our tool and click the "4:5" crop button to perfectly center your shot before you upload.

2. Stories and Reels (The Full Screen)

Stories and Reels are designed to fill the entire mobile display. Anything less looks unprofessional.

Warning: Keep your text and stickers away from the very top and bottom edges (the "safe zone"). The top 250px and bottom 250px are often covered by the Instagram interface (username, message box).

3. Profile Picture (The Tiny Circle)

Your profile picture is small (displaying at only 110 x 110 pixels), but you should upload a higher quality version.

Remember, Instagram cuts this into a circle. Make sure your face or logo is dead-center with plenty of space around the edges.

✅ The "White Border" Hack

What if you *really* want to post a wide landscape photo without cropping it? If you upload it directly, it will be tiny.

The pro move is to add white borders to the top and bottom to turn your landscape photo into a 4:5 or Square shape.

How to do it on EasyImageCR:

Upload your photo.
Open the "Edit Tools" menu.
Use the "Border Width" slider to add a white frame until the image shape looks right.
Download and post!

By taking 10 seconds to crop your photos to 4:5 or 9:16 *before* you open Instagram, you ensure your content looks crisp, professional, and intentional.