Social Media Image Sizes

Facebook Image Size Specifications

Facebook remains one of the largest social platforms worldwide. Using the correct image dimensions ensures your cover photos, profile pictures, and post images display crisply on both desktop and mobile, preventing unwanted cropping or blurriness.

Image TypeRecommended Size (px)Aspect RatioMax File SizeFormat
Profile Photo170 × 1701:1100 KBJPG / PNG
Cover Photo820 × 312≈2.63:1100 KBJPG / PNG
Post Image (link share)1200 × 6301.91:18 MBJPG / PNG
Post Image (square)1080 × 10801:18 MBJPG / PNG
Story1080 × 19209:164 GB (video)JPG / PNG / MP4
Event Cover1920 × 1005≈1.91:18 MBJPG / PNG
Group Cover1640 × 856≈1.91:18 MBJPG / PNG

Instagram Image Size Specifications

Instagram is built around visual content. Using the correct image dimensions ensures your posts, stories, and Reels display at maximum quality and gain better visibility in the feed. Square posts (1:1) remain classic, but portrait (4:5) posts take up more screen real estate on mobile.

Image TypeRecommended Size (px)Aspect RatioMax File SizeFormat
Profile Photo320 × 3201:1JPG / PNG
Square Post1080 × 10801:18 MBJPG / PNG
Portrait Post1080 × 13504:58 MBJPG / PNG
Landscape Post1080 × 5661.91:18 MBJPG / PNG
Story / Reels1080 × 19209:164 GB (video)JPG / PNG / MP4
Carousel1080 × 10801:18 MB eachJPG / PNG

Twitter / X Image Size Specifications

Twitter (now rebranded as X) has a fast-paced feed where optimized image sizes help your tweets stand out in the timeline. The header banner and in-stream photos are key visual elements for brand recognition.

Image TypeRecommended Size (px)Aspect RatioMax File SizeFormat
Profile Photo400 × 4001:12 MBJPG / PNG / GIF
Header Banner1500 × 5003:15 MBJPG / PNG
In-stream Photo1600 × 90016:95 MB (image) / 15 MB (GIF)JPG / PNG / GIF
Card Image800 × 4181.91:15 MBJPG / PNG

LinkedIn Image Size Specifications

LinkedIn is the world's largest professional networking platform. A polished profile photo and cover image boost personal and company branding. Note that company pages and personal profiles have different image specs and should be optimized separately.

Image TypeRecommended Size (px)Aspect RatioMax File SizeFormat
Profile Photo400 × 4001:18 MBJPG / PNG
Cover Photo1584 × 3964:18 MBJPG / PNG
Post Image1200 × 6271.91:15 MBJPG / PNG
Company Logo300 × 3001:14 MBJPG / PNG
Company Cover1128 × 191≈5.9:14 MBJPG / PNG

YouTube Image Size Specifications

YouTube is the world's largest video platform. The channel banner must adapt to screens ranging from TV to mobile, making the safe area critically important. Custom thumbnails directly impact click-through rate and video recommendations — always use a high-quality 1280×720 thumbnail.

Image TypeRecommended Size (px)Aspect RatioMax File SizeFormat
Channel Icon800 × 8001:1JPG / PNG
Channel Banner2560 × 144016:96 MBJPG / PNG
Video Thumbnail1280 × 72016:92 MBJPG / PNG
Video Resolution (1080p)1920 × 108016:9256 GBMP4 / MOV

Tip: The safe display area for YouTube channel banners is 1546 × 423 pixels (centered). Content outside this area may be cropped on smaller screens.

TikTok Image Size Specifications

TikTok is the fastest-growing short-video platform globally. Full-screen vertical (9:16) is TikTok's core format — all videos and cover images should follow this ratio to maximize mobile screen space.

Image TypeRecommended Size (px)Aspect RatioMax File SizeFormat
Profile Photo200 × 2001:1JPG / PNG
Video Cover / Video1080 × 19209:16287 MB (mobile) / 500 MB (desktop)MP4 / MOV

Pinterest Image Size Specifications

Pinterest is a visual discovery platform where vertical images (2:3) perform best in the feed. High-quality Pins earn more saves and clicks, driving sustained traffic to your website.

Image TypeRecommended Size (px)Aspect RatioMax File SizeFormat
Profile Photo165 × 1651:1JPG / PNG
Standard Pin (vertical)1000 × 15002:320 MBJPG / PNG
Square Pin1000 × 10001:120 MBJPG / PNG

WhatsApp Image Size Specifications

WhatsApp is the most widely used messaging app globally. Profile photos are cropped to a circle, so use a square image with the subject centered. The Status feature works like Instagram Stories and uses the 9:16 vertical format.

Image TypeRecommended Size (px)Aspect RatioMax File SizeFormat
Profile Photo500 × 5001:1JPG / PNG
Status1080 × 19209:1616 MBJPG / PNG

Quick Reference Summary — Key Sizes at a Glance

The table below summarizes the most commonly used image dimensions across 8 major social media platforms for quick lookup and comparison.

PlatformProfileCover / BannerPost / ContentStory / Vertical
Facebook170×170820×3121200×6301080×1920
Instagram320×3201080×10801080×1920
Twitter / X400×4001500×5001600×900
LinkedIn400×4001584×3961200×627
YouTube800×8002560×14401280×720 (thumbnail)
TikTok200×2001080×19201080×1920
Pinterest165×1651000×1500
WhatsApp500×5001080×1920

Social Media Image Best Practices

1. Always Use Recommended Dimensions Uploading images below the recommended resolution forces platforms to stretch or compress them, resulting in blurriness. Always design at or above the minimum recommended size.
2. Keep Key Content in the Safe Zone Cover photos and banners are cropped differently across devices. Place important text and visual elements in the center to prevent them from being cut off on mobile or tablet.
3. Use PNG for Logos and Icons PNG supports transparency and lossless compression, making it ideal for logos, icons, and text-heavy graphics. Use JPG for photographs to keep file sizes manageable.
4. Compress Images Before Uploading Large files slow down page loads and hurt user experience. Use tools like TinyPNG or Squoosh to compress images before uploading, balancing quality and file size.
5. Resize for Each Platform Individually Don't use the same image across all platforms. Each platform displays images at different aspect ratios, so a single image won't look right everywhere. Batch-cropping tools can speed up the workflow.
6. Test on Both Mobile and Desktop Over 80% of social media traffic comes from mobile devices. After uploading, always check how images appear on a phone — especially cover photos and profile picture cropping.
7. Maintain Consistent Brand Visuals Use the same profile photo, color palette, and font style across all social platforms to build brand recognition and user trust.
8. Stay Updated on Platform Changes Social media platforms periodically update their image specifications. Check official documentation regularly to ensure you're using the latest recommended sizes.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Should I use JPG or PNG for social media images?

Use JPG for photographic content (landscapes, portraits, product photos) — file sizes are smaller and compression artifacts are barely noticeable. Use PNG for logos, icons, screenshots, or any image requiring sharp edges or transparency. Some platforms also accept WebP, which offers a good balance of quality and file size.

Why do my uploaded images look blurry?

The most common cause is uploading images at a resolution below the platform's recommendation. Social platforms stretch small images to fill the display area, degrading quality. Another cause is over-compression — JPG quality below 70% typically produces noticeable artifacts. Always design at the exact recommended pixel dimensions.

How can I batch-resize images for multiple platforms?

Online design tools like Canva and Adobe Express have built-in templates for each platform's dimensions and support one-click export to multiple sizes. For bulk processing, command-line tools like ImageMagick or Sharp (Node.js) can be scripted for automation.

Does DPI matter for social media images?

Social media images are displayed on screens, so DPI (dots per inch) is irrelevant — pixel dimensions are what matter. A 72 DPI image and a 300 DPI image with identical pixel dimensions look exactly the same on screen. DPI only matters for print.

How often do platforms update their image size specs?

There is no fixed schedule. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram typically redesign their UI 1-2 times per year, which may include changes to image specs. We recommend checking official documentation quarterly. The data on this page is current as of 2026, and we continuously track the latest specifications.