The Ultimate Social Media Image Sizes Guide for 2024: How to Optimize for Facebook, Instagram, and More

Getting the best post sizes and specifications for all social media platforms is crucial for creating impactful content. But there’s a challenge:
Individuals only remember 10% of the information presented auditorily three days later. But, there’s a solution. Pair that information with an image and individuals retain 65% of the information three days later.

Yet, images and videos are engaging, informative, and unforgettable.

Are you ready to use them to your advantage? We’ll walk you through social media image sizes 2024 best practices, so you’ll always know what image size to use for whatever social media platform you want.

Why are social media image sizes so important?

But first, why is important to know the best sizes for the social media platforms you are posting?

Effective social media images are:

1. Sized properly: Your images must be large enough for followers to see them
2. High-quality: High-quality images lead to higher engagement on social media platforms

So, when sizing images, be mindful of the size and the quality of the image.

Here’s a little test. Which image are you most likely to share, the one on the left or right?

If you guessed the one on the left, then you are correct! Colorful, high-quality images attract greater attention.

Here are a few more resources to help get you started:

• 10 Best Practices for Eye-Catching Social Media Images
• Use This Easy Facebook Cheat Sheet to Perfect Your Profile
• Content Best Practices: Create Engaging Content with Previews, Images & Videos

Facebook Image Sizes

Facebook keeps changing its design and image dimensions to improve user experience. To future-proof your brand’s content, always upload the highest-quality image. You can achieve the best results using the following file formats: 

• BMP
• DIB
• HEIC
• HEIF
• IFF
• JFIF
• JP2
• JPE
• JPEG
• JPG
• PNG
• PSD
• TIF
• TIFF
• WBMP
• WEBP
• XBM

As per Facebook’s suggestions, if you upload a PNG image, keep the file size below 1MB. Otherwise, your image may appear pixelated.

Facebook profile picture size – 180 x 180 (170 x 170 pixels on desktop)

Smile for the camera! This image represents you and your brand. Your profile photo appears everywhere: your profile page, when you comment on someone’s wall or post, and it appears in search results. On most computers, your Facebook Page’s profile picture displays at 170 x 170 pixels, 128 x 128 pixels on smartphones, and 36 x 36 pixels on feature phones.

Facebook business page profile image size: 180 x 180

Facebook business profile pictures now appear on the left side of the website. This helps users distinguish between personal pages and business profiles.

Tips for your business page profile image size:

• The image must be at least 180 x 180 pixels.
• It will appear on the page as 170 x 170 on a desktop, 128 x 128 on smartphones, and 36 x 36 on feature phones.
• The photo thumbnail appears as 32 x 32 pixels.
• Facebook crops the image to a square.

Facebook cover photo image size – 820 x 312 pixels 

The Facebook cover photo only appears on your personal or business profile page or when someone hovers over your name in a desktop browser. Most users take advantage of the cover photo by adding something related to their brand or personality. Use the cover photo to complement your profile photo.

Cover photos display at 820 x 312 pixels on computers and 640 x 360 pixels on smartphones.

They also must be at least 400×150 pixels. 

Tips for the Facebook profile and cover image size:

• Photos load fastest as an sRGB JPG file that is 851 x 315 pixels and less than 100 kilobytes in size.
• Don’t reposition your photo after uploading.
• If you’re using a logo or words, use a PNG file and keep the file size below 1MB.
• Facebook crops your profile picture to a circular shape in ads and posts but remains a square shape when users visit your Page.

Facebook Timeline photo and post image sizes – 1200 x 630 pixels

When you upload photos to your timeline, Facebook resizes and formats these automatically to be 500 pixels wide, fitting a 1.91:1 aspect ratio.

To avoid pixelation or slow load times, we recommend the following sizes:

• Minimum size: 600 x 315 pixels
• Recommended size: 1200 x 630 pixels

Tips for the Facebook timeline photo and Facebook post size:

• If you upload 2-10 images using the carousel display, size your images to 1200 x 1200, a 1:1 ratio.

Facebook event cover photo image size: 1200 x 638 pixels

Facebook Events catch your audience’s attention on Facebook by reminding them of upcoming events. Ensure your Facebook Event dimensions are perfect if you want your cover photo to attract users.

Tips for the Facebook event cover photo image size:

• It’s a 2:1 ratio at 1200 x 638 pixels.
• You can’t edit the size of the main event photo after adding it to an event.

Facebook panorama or 360 image sizes:

30,000 pixels in any dimension, less than 135,000,000 pixels in total size

Tips for the Facebook panorama or 360 image sizes:

• It’s an aspect ratio of 2:1.
• Image sizes can be up to 45 MB for JPEGs or 60 MB for PNGs.
• If you share a panoramic photo wider than 100 degrees, Facebook may convert it to a 360 photo automatically.
• Use JPEGs for 360 photos and ensure the file size isn’t larger than 30 MB for the best quality and load times.

Facebook shared link image sizes: 1200 x 628 pixels

Sharing a link on Facebook is an excellent method for promoting your business. It’s very similar to posting a shared image, but you have even more options. You may use a small square image to the left and text on the right to create a shared link, or you may use a large rectangular image on top with text underneath.

Tips for Facebook shared link image sizes:

• The recommended dimensions are 1200 x 628 pixels.
• Square photos must be a minimum of 154 x 154 pixels in the feed and 116 x 116 on the page.
• Rectangular photos must be a minimum of 470 x 246 pixels in the feed and 484 x 252 pixels on the page.
• Facebook scales photos under minimum social media dimensions. To achieve the best results, increase your image resolution at the same scale as the minimum image size.

Facebook stories image sizes: 1080 x 1920 pixels

Facebook stories update your audience on what you’re doing or thinking about right now. It’s the perfect way to market an upcoming event or share a promotional discount.

Tips for Facebook Stories image size: 

• A Facebook story fills the entire phone screen with an aspect ratio of 9:16.
• Don’t choose an image with a width smaller than 500 pixels.
• If your story has text, we recommend leaving about 14% of the top and bottom of the image text-free (about 250 pixels). This way, users can see the text.

Facebook Fundraiser image sizes: 800 x 300 pixels

With Facebook, you can create a fundraiser campaign for your own causes or charitable organizations. Cover photos for fundraisers vary from Facebook cover photos with a minimum size of 400 x 150.

Facebook ads image sizes:

There are many Facebook ad variations so we’ll review each below:

• Facebook feed ads: some text
  • Minimum file size: 600 x 600 pixels
  • Recommended: 1080 x 1080 pixels
  • Aspect ratio: 1.91:1 to 1:1. 
  • Maximum file size: 30 MB
• Facebook Right Column ads: (DESKTOP-ONLY ADS)some text
  • Minimum file size: 254 x 133 pixels
  • Recommended: 1080 x 1080 pixels
  • Aspect ratio: 1:1
• Instant Articles ads: some text
  • Recommended: 1080 x 1080 pixels
  • Aspect ratio: 1.91:1 to 1:1.
  • Maximum file size: 30 MB.
• Facebook Marketplace ads: some text
  • Recommended: 1080 x 1080 pixels
  • Aspect ratio: 1:1
  • Maximum file size: 30 MB
• Facebook Search ads: some text
  • Minimum file size: 600 x 600 pixels
  • Recommended: 1080 x 1080 pixels
  • Ratio: 1.91:1 to 1:1
  • Maximum file size: 30 MB
• Sponsored Messages ads: some text
  • Recommended: 1080 x 1080
  • Ratio: 1.91:1 to 1:1
  • Maximum file size: 30 MB
• Messenger Inbox ads: some text
  • Minimum size: 254 x 133 pixels
  • Recommended: 1080 x 1080 pixels
  • Aspect ratio: 1:1
  • Maximum file size: 30 MB

Helpful article: Find out how to use Facebook ad manager.

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Instagram Image Sizes

Instagram is the leading image-sharing platform, allowing both horizontally and vertically-oriented images. It supports square images, but they’re less popular now than when Instagram was launched. Your profile photo should be recognizable, so users know who you are.

If you are looking specifically for Instagram post sizes, we also have the article for you: Instagram Post Size Guide

Instagram profile picture size: 320 x 320 pixels

Like your Facebook profile picture, your Instagram profile picture represents you and your brand. Profile photos display at 110 x 100 pixels, but image files store at 320 x 320 pixels.

Tips for Instagram profile picture sizes:

• It must be square to maintain a 1:1 aspect ratio.

Instagram post image sizes: (your feed)

Visual representation is everything when it comes to Instagram. And pro-tip: when you take a photo in the Instagram application, the images have a higher resolution.

• Landscape: 1080 x 566 pixels
• Portrait: 1080 x 1350 pixels
• Square: 1080 x 1080 pixels
• Supported aspect ratios: Between 1.91:1 and 4:5
• Recommended image size: 1080 pixels wide and 566-1350 pixels tall.

Tips for Instagram image size for posts:

• For the highest-quality photo, try to upload images at 1080 pixels wide.
• If you try to share an image over 1080 pixels, Instagram will size it down to 1080 pixels.
• Use a phone with a high-quality camera.
• If you share a photo with a resolution lower than 320 pixels, Instagram sizes it up to 320 pixels.
• If your image sits between 320 and 1080 pixels wide, Instagram will keep that photo at its original resolution as long as its aspect ratio is between 1.91:1 and 4:5 (or a heigh between 566 and 1350 pixels with a 1080 width).

Instagram thumbnail image sizes:

Anytime a user visits your profile, they’ll see your images presented as a thumbnail preview row. These are smaller versions of your larger images and videos. When clicked, they expand to the proper size for users to view, like, and comment on.

• Display size: 161 x 161 pixels
• Recommended upload size: 1080 pixels wide

Tips for Instagram thumbnail image sizes:

• Instagram stores versions of the thumbnails as large as 1080 x 1080.
• To future-proof your images, upload the largest possible images.

Instagram Story image sizes: 1080 x 1920 pixels

About 500 million users interact with Instagram daily. And of those, 86.6% of users post stories every day, giving you and your business the chance to intimately connect with your audience. You can upload new or old content whenever and wherever you want.

• Minimum display size: 600 x 1067
• Recommended display size: 1080 x 1920
• Aspect ratio: 9:16

Tips for Instagram Stories image sizes:

• It uses an aspect ratio of 9:16. If you don’t use this ratio, the story might have inconsistencies in cropping, zooming, or spacing.
• Uploading images with smaller pixel sizes means the story loads faster for users.
• Instagram Reels uses this sizing.

Instagram Reels sizes: 1080 x 1920 pixels

Instagram reels are an interesting new way to showcase your work on social media. These videos typically show a short series of photos set to music, often with a title and call-to-action at the end.

• Display size: 1080 x 1920 pixels
• Cover photo size: 1080 x 1920 pixels
• Aspect ratio: 9:16

Tips for Instagram Reels size:

• Instagram crops Reels at 1:1 image within your profile feed and 4:5 image in your home feed.

Instagram ads image sizes: 

• Landscape: 1080 x 566 pixels
• Square: 1080 x 1080 pixels
• Minimum width: 320
• Maximum width: 1080
• Aspect ratios: between 1.91:1 and 4:5

Tips for Instagram ads size:

• An Instagram ad cannot have more than 30 hashtags, but you can add more hashtags in the image’s comments section.
• Instagram recommends a maximum of 125 characters with a 40-character headline.

X/Twitter Image Sizes

Leaving a trail of breadcrumbs in its wake is social media giant Twitter. Tweets with visual content have three times more engagement than text-only posts which is why you must optimize your images for Twitter.

X/Twitter Profile image sizes: 400 x 400 pixels

Your Twitter profile represents you and your brand so you must make your best impression using the highest quality image possible. Users can view your Twitter profile photo on your profile page, in your user’s Twitter feed, and in the “Who to Follow” box.

• Display size: 400 x 400 pixels
• Maximum file size: 2 MB
• Recommended image file types: JPG, GIF, or PNG

Twitter Header photo image sizes: 1500 x 500 pixels

Your Twitter header photo is the equivalent of your Facebook cover photo and spans across the top of your Twitter profile page. It’s larger than your profile so it’s recommended to use the highest resolution possible.

• Display size: 1500 x 500 pixels
• Maximum file size: 2 MB
• Aspect ratio: 3:1

Tips for your X/Twitter Profile and Header photo image sizes:

• Use the maximum file size.
• Header images display depending on the monitor and browser you use.

X/Twitter In-Stream Photos and Shared Links image sizes: 1200 x 628 pixels

Users can attach photos to any Tweet. The crop and display vary depending on whether or not you’re attaching a single photo, multiple photos, or sharing a link.

But thanks to #Twittercropisgone gate of 2021, there are no longer unfavorable auto-crops for vertical images. Images with irregular dimensions may still crop, but for images with a 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratio, you won’t need to worry about centering.

• Display sizes: some text
  • Image from a Tweet with shared link: 1200 x 628 pixels
  • Single-image Tweet: 1200 x 675 pixels 
  • Two-image Tweet: 700 x 800 pixels
  • Three-image Tweet: some text
    • Left image: 700 x 800 pixels
    • Right image: 1200 x 686 pixels
  • Four-image Tweet: 1200 x 600some text
    • Note: you can upload only four photos per Tweet
  • Aspect ratio: 16:9some text
    • If tweeting from Twitter iOS or Android, you can edit images.
  • Maximum file size: 2 MB for photos, 5 MB for animated GIFS on mobile, and 15 MB on a mobile browser.

X/Twitter ads image sizes:

• Single and multi-image tweets: some text
  • Minimum size: 600 x 335 pixels
  • Use larger images for the best results
• Website card images: some text
  • 800 x 800 pixels 
  • Aspect ratio: 1.91:1 or 1:1 for 800×800
  • Maximum file size: 20 MB
• App card image: some text
  • Aspect ratios: 800 x 800 for 1:1, and 800 x 418 for 1.91:1
  • Maximum file size: 3 MB
• Carousels: some text
  • Aspect ratios: 800 x 800 for 1:1, and 800 x 418 for 1.91:1
  • Maximum file size: 20 MB for 2-6 image cards
• DM (Direct Message) cards: some text
  • Aspect ratio: 800 x 418 for 1.91:1
  • Maximum file size: 3 MB
• Conversation card: some text
  • Aspect ratio: 800 x 418 for 1.91:1
  • Maximum file size: 3 MB

Helpful resources: How to Find out What’s the Best Time to Post on Twitter for YOUR Business?

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TikTok Image Sizes

TikTok is a social media app where users can share short videos of themselves. The app is especially popular with younger users and has been downloaded over 800 million times. TikTok videos are typically set to music and feature creative editing and special effects. Move away Instagram, TikTok is taking the social media landscape by storm.

TikTok Profile Photo image sizes: 200 x 200 pixels

Like other social media platforms, users can upload a profile image to their accounts. This allows users to feature their personalities through branding.

20 x 20 is the minimum upload size, but we recommend a high-quality photo for future-proofing your posts.

• • • Display size: 200 x 200 pixels
    • Image types: JPG, GIF, or PNG

TikTok Video size: 1080 x 1920 pixels

Use an aspect ratio of 1:1 or 9:16.

LinkedIn Image Sizes

LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network, with over 810 million users in more than 200 countries worldwide. It’s the best social networking channel to source employees or find a job. Pairing your LinkedIn posts with images increases engagement (comments and shares), so you should learn LinkedIn’s image best practices to have the edge.

LinkedIn Personal Profile image sizes: 300 x 300

Your profile image represents you and your brand. Ideally, choose an image of yourself that shows your shoulders and above. This way, others can recognize you in your photo.

• Minimum display size: 300 x 300 pixels
• Maximum file size: 10 MB
• Image file types: JPG, GIF, PNG

Tips for LinkedIn Personal Profile image sizes:

• LinkedIn allows photo sizes up to 7680 x 4320 pixels.
• It allows files up to 10 MB, so we recommend using the largest file size to future-proof your profile.

LinkedIn Cover Photo image sizes: 1584 x 396

LinkedIn recently added this feature to personal profiles to give them a customized, Facebook-like feel. Ideally, use images related to your brand and the message you want to portray.

• Display size: 1584 x 396
• Maximum file size: 4 MB
• Image file types: JPG, PNG, GIF

LinkedIn Company Logo image sizes: 300 x 300

LinkedIn showcases this logo for your company’s page in the same place as your personal profile, in the upper right corner. The image preview also appears in the “Companies you may want to follow” section in a user’s feed. This image represents your company, so you must use a high-quality photo.

• Display size: 300 x 300 pixels
• Minimum: 300 x 300 pixels
• Maximum file size: 4 MB (square)
• Image file types: PNG, JPG, GIF

LinkedIn Company Cover Image: 1128 x 191

Unlike your personal profile, the company cover image fills the entire top space of the business profile. This way, businesses have more space to add more to their images.

• Display size: 1128 x 191 pixels
• Maximum file size: 4 MB
• Image file types: PNG, JPG, GIF

LinkedIn Shared Link Image or Link image sizes: 1200 x 627

These are the images you share either to your blog post or your personal or company’s page.

• Display size: 1200 x 627
• Image file types: JPNG, JPG, GIF

Tips for your company page image sizes:

• Stick to an aspect ratio of 1.91:1.
• Use more than the minimum 200 pixels wide.
• When posting images, we recommend using PNG or JPG file types.
• This sizing also applied to LinkedIn Showcase pages.

LinkedIn Life Tab, Main Image, and Company Photos:

LinkedIn’s Life Tab provides users with an in-depth view of a company’s day-to-day employee experiences. Currently, you can upload two types of images: one that serves as a hero image and a horizontal scrolling gallery of additional company images beneath.

• Main image display size: 1128 x 376
• Company photo display size: 900 x 600
• Image file types: JPNG, JPG, or GIF

Note: The life tab only appears on the mobile app and not the mobile browser version of LinkedIn. Therefore, display sizes vary by device.

LinkedIn ads image sizes:

• Company logo ads: some text
  • 100 x 100 pixels
• Spotlight logo ads: some text
  • 100 x 100 pixels
• Spotlight custom background: some text
  • 300 x 250 pixels
• Sponsored content images: some text
  • 1200 x 627 pixels
• Sponsored content carousel images: some text
  • 1080 x 1080 pixels

Pinterest Image Sizes

Pinterest is a social media site where users can create and share collections of pictures. It’s an online pinboard for photos; you can pin anything from an interesting article to a home decor idea to a recipe to a photo of your child. With Pinterest, users can create “boards” (collections) of related images and post new pins on an ongoing basis.

Photos are the lifeblood of Pinterest, so it’s important to optimize them.

Pinterest profile image size: 165 x 165

Pinterest allows you to choose your profile image using Facebook, Twitter, or email. If you select your Facebook or Twitter profile photo, Pinterest pulls the profile image from the social channels.

If you’re using email, or want to use a different photo, you can upload a square picture, and Pinterest resizes it to fit. Use the largest image, if possible.

• Display sizes: 165 x 165 pixels
• Maximum file size: 10 MB
• Image file types: JPG and PNG

Tips for your Pinterest profile image sizes: 

• Pinterest displays your profile photo as a circle.

Pinterest image size for Pins: 

When pinning an image to your board, Pinterest limits the image’s width but not the length, allowing you to upload a square photo or one that can expand vertically. Include large photos as they add the greatest value.

• Display sizes: 1000 x 1000 pixels (square pins only) or 1000 x 1500 pixels (rectangular pins)
• Maximum file size: 20 MB
• Aspect ratio: 2:3 to 1:3.5
• Image file types: JPG and PNG

Tips for Pinterest Pin image sizes: 

• Expanded pins are at least 600 pixels wide. To maintain the aspect ratio, we recommend a height of 900 pixels.
• On a user’s feed, pins display at a fixed width of 236 pixels.
• To create pins with a different aspect ratio, Pinterest crops images from the bottom.

Pinterest board display image sizes:

Creating boards is one of the most vital actions you can perform on Pinterest. Make sure your photos are of the correct dimensions. You must choose a photo that is both interesting and relevant to the subject matter of the board.

• Display size: 222 x 150 pixels (large thumbnail) or 55 x 55 (small thumbnail)

Pinterest Story Pins image sizes:

• Display size: 1080 x 1920 pixels
• Aspect ratio: 9:16
• Maximum file size: 20 MB

Pinterest image sizes for ads and carousels:

• App install ads
• Carousel pins and ads
• Shopping ads

YouTube Image Sizes

YouTube is a video-sharing social network where users can upload, view, and share videos. Founded in 2005, YouTube has become one of the most popular websites on the internet. Today, it is the second-largest search engine after Google. And because of its vast reach, it’s important to size your images properly.

YouTube Channel Profile image sizes: 800 x 800 pixels

You can select different profile image borders with YouTube, but your dimensions stay consistent. Select a profile image before you select your border.

• Display size: 800 x 800 pixels
• Image file types: JPG, GIF, BMP, PNG

Tips for your YouTube Channel Profile image sizes:

• Center the subject of the photo.
• Animated GIFs won’ work.
• Photos render at 98 x 98 pixels.

YouTube banner image sizes: 2048 x 1152 pixels (minimum)

Use channel art to add flare to your YouTube profile. Anything to entice users to click that “Subscribe” button!

• Recommended display size: 2560 x 1440 pixels, Safe for mobile and web (without text or logo cropping) 1546 x 423 pixels
• Maximum file size: 4 MB
• Image file tyles: JPG, GIF, BMP, or PNG

Note: Users access YouTube in various ways using different devices so you must review your profile across multiple devices to ensure the legibility of text or logo text.

YouTube video sizes: 1280 x 720 (minimum HD)

If you don’t upload videos, why bother having a YouTube channel? Videos are the only way to establish your platform presence.

• Aspect ratio: 16:9
• Smaller videos with a 4:3 aspect ratio will be pillarboxed

Google My Business Image Sizes

Google My Business is a free service provided by Google allowing business owners to track, view, and manage their online presence across all of its platforms. It includes a dashboard that provides business owners with statistics about their Google rankings and traffic and a Google Map that displays their location in real-time.

Types of Google My Business images:

• Company logo
• Cover photo
• Business photo: different from your company logo, these photos showcase your business and its products or services.

Google My Business image sizing:

• Recommended display size: 720 x 720 pixels, 250 x 250 pixels minimum
• Maximum file size: 5 MB
• Image file types: JPG or PNG

Frequently Asked Questions about Social Media Image Sizes:

What size is a Facebook profile picture?

A Facebook profile picture should be 180 x 180 and will appear on the page as 170 x 170 on desktops and 128 x 128 on smartphones.

What size is a Facebook cover photo?

Facebook cover photos should be 820 x 312 pixels with a minimum size of 400 x 150 pixels.

What is the Instagram aspect ratio for an image?

Anywhere between 1.91:1 and 4:5.

What are the Pinterest image sizes?

Pinterest image sizes are 165 x 165 pixels for a profile photo, 800 x 450 pixels for a profile cover photo, pins are either 1000 x 1500 or 1000 x 1000 pixels, and story pins are 1080 x 1920 pixels.

What are the YouTube image sizes?

The YouTube thumbnail size should be 800 x 800 pixels, banner images should be 2048 x 1152 pixels, and video size should be 1280 x 720 pixels.

Why are social media image sizes so important?

Images can help communicate your message more effectively, while the wrong image can detract from what you’re trying to say. In addition, the size of your images is also crucial. If they’re too small, they may be challenging to see, and if they’re too large, they may take up too much space on the screen. That’s why it’s so important to take the time to choose the right image sizes for your social media posts. By doing so, you can ensure that your images are both effective and visually appealing.

What size should social media images be?

Social media image specs vary depending on the social media platform you’re using. For example, on Twitter, images should be 1024×512 pixels. For Facebook, the ideal image size is 1200×630 pixels. And on Instagram, images should be 1080×1080 pixels. By using the correct size images, you can ensure that your photos look their best and that your followers can see them.

Is there a social media resizer you recommend?

We recommend using Canva or Adobe Illustrator to create social media images tailored to each platform.

Conclusion

Images are the best to communicate your brand’s message. They break up the text, provide information, and are more engaging than just words on a screen. Not only that, but they also help you remember the information you shared better. We’ve provided some best social image practices for your social media posts, so follow these guidelines to make sure your images look great and get the most engagement possible.

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