Why resize before you upload
Every social network shrinks and re-compresses what you upload. Instagram, for example, displays posts at a maximum of 1080 pixels wide; if you upload a 4000-pixel photo, it is scaled down on their servers with settings optimised for speed rather than quality. Uploading an image that is already the right size and shape means the platform has less to do, and your picture keeps more of its sharpness.
The other benefit is control over framing. If your image does not match the placement’s aspect ratio, platforms crop it automatically, usually from the centre, sometimes cutting off heads or text. Resizing first lets you choose: crop deliberately, or keep everything and add padding.
Size reference
| Placement | Size (px) | Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Instagram post, square | 1080 × 1080 | 1:1 |
| Instagram post, portrait | 1080 × 1350 | 4:5 |
| Instagram Story / Reel, TikTok | 1080 × 1920 | 9:16 |
| Facebook / LinkedIn link image | 1200 × 630 / 1200 × 627 | 1.91:1 |
| Facebook cover | 851 × 315 | ~2.7:1 |
| X post image | 1600 × 900 | 16:9 |
| X header | 1500 × 500 | 3:1 |
| LinkedIn banner | 1584 × 396 | 4:1 |
| YouTube thumbnail | 1280 × 720 | 16:9 |
| YouTube banner | 2560 × 1440 | 16:9 |
| Pinterest pin | 1000 × 1500 | 2:3 |
File size limits
Getting the dimensions right is only half the job; platforms also cap file sizes. YouTube thumbnails must be under 2 MB, X accepts images up to 5 MB, and LinkedIn and Facebook reject or heavily re-compress very large uploads. Images at the recommended dimensions saved as JPG at quality 90 are usually well under these limits. If one is not, run it through the image compressor with a target size, which keeps the dimensions and lowers the quality just enough to fit.
Safe zones
Some placements are shown differently on phones and desktops. YouTube banners show only the central 1546 × 423 area on all devices, Facebook covers are cropped at the sides on mobile, and Stories place buttons over the top and bottom 250 pixels or so. Keep text and faces near the centre for these, and use “Fit and pad” if the whole image must remain visible. For round profile pictures, try the circle crop tool.