Skip to content

Guides

Social Media Image Sizes: Official Specs by Platform

By PostMediaAI4 min read

The safest social media image sizes come from each platform’s own help pages, because third-party cheat sheets go out of date. Below are the sizes and ratios Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest and YouTube publish today, each linked to its source, plus practical advice for sizing one visual for several channels. Where a platform does not publish a clear number, we say so rather than guess.

Quick answer: for most feed posts, a vertical 4:5 image at 1,080 pixels wide works on Instagram and LinkedIn; use 2:3 for Pinterest, 16:9 for YouTube thumbnails and 9:16 for full-screen vertical video.

Instagram

  • Feed photos are shared at up to 1,080 pixels wide. Photos between 320 and 1,080 pixels wide keep their resolution if the ratio is supported; larger photos are scaled down to 1,080 wide (Instagram Help).
  • Supported ratios run from 1.91:1 landscape to a portrait limit. One version of Instagram’s help page gives 4:5 (1,080 by 1,350 pixels) and another gives 3:4 (1,080 by 1,440 pixels) (Instagram Help, Instagram Help on Facebook). 4:5 is the safe choice while both appear.
  • Images published through Instagram’s API must be within 4:5 to 1.91:1, at most 1,440 pixels wide and 8 MB, in JPEG (Meta developer docs).
  • Reels are vertical, full-screen video; see Instagram’s Reel size page for current ratios (Instagram Help).

LinkedIn

  • Post photos must be at least 552 by 276 pixels; LinkedIn recommends 1,080 pixels wide. Ratios can range from 3:1 to 4:5, and uploads are limited to 5 MB (LinkedIn Help).
  • Multi-photo posts can include up to 20 photos and render at a maximum ratio of 4:5 (same source).
  • Custom images on a page post with a URL: a 1.91:1 ratio, 1,200 by 627 pixels (LinkedIn Help).
  • LinkedIn Page logo: 400 by 400 pixels recommended; Page cover image: 1,512 by 256 pixels recommended; PNG or JPEG up to 3 MB (same source).

Pinterest

  • Image Pins: a 2:3 ratio, 1,000 by 1,500 pixels, is recommended; Pins taller than 2:3 may be cut off in feeds (Pinterest Create, Pinterest Business Help).
  • Video Pins: 9:16 at 1,080 by 1,920 pixels for full-screen video, between 4 seconds and 5 minutes long (Pinterest Help).
  • Pin titles: up to 100 characters; descriptions up to 800 characters (same source).

YouTube

  • Video thumbnails: 16:9. YouTube’s current help recommends 3,840 by 2,160 pixels with a minimum width of 640 pixels; on mobile the file limit is 2 MB, on desktop 50 MB (YouTube Help).
  • Shorts thumbnails: 9:16, recommended 2,160 by 3,840 pixels (same source).
  • Shorts: square or vertical videos up to three minutes (YouTube Help), uploaded at up to 1080p (YouTube Help).
  • Video titles: up to 100 characters (YouTube Help).

TikTok, Facebook, X and others

TikTok is a vertical, full-screen format; check its upload requirements for current specs (TikTok Support). Meta publishes recommended minimum image sizes for Facebook and Instagram ad placements, such as 1,080 by 1,080 pixels for Facebook Feed at 1:1 (Meta Business Help); these are ad specs, but they are a reasonable floor for organic posts too. For X, Threads, Bluesky and community channels, we did not find a single official recommended post-image size, so use a 1,080-pixel-wide square or 4:5 image and preview it before posting.

One visual, many channels

If you post the same visual everywhere, design it once at a high resolution and export a few crops:

  1. Start with a large canvas, at least 2,000 pixels on the long side.
  2. Keep the subject and any text in the center, away from the edges.
  3. Export a 4:5 version for Instagram and LinkedIn feeds.
  4. Export a 2:3 version for Pinterest.
  5. Export a 9:16 version for Stories, Reels, TikTok and Shorts covers.
  6. Export a 16:9 version for YouTube thumbnails and link previews.
  7. Preview each one on a phone before scheduling.

Common sizing mistakes

  • Text too close to the edges, where crops and app buttons cover it.
  • Landscape images posted into vertical feeds without a new crop.
  • Small text that cannot be read on a phone.
  • Uploading low-resolution files that the platform enlarges.
  • Relying on an old cheat sheet instead of the platform’s help page.

Sizing and editing images in PostMediaAI

PostMediaAI includes AI image generation and the Advanced Picture Editor, so you can generate or upload a visual, adjust it and reuse it from the shared media library (PostMediaAI features). Attach it to the post for each channel you choose and schedule it on one calendar across 30+ channels. For creating the visuals themselves, see our guide to the AI image generator for social media, and for text lengths, see social media character limits.

FAQ

What is the best image size for Instagram posts?

Instagram shares photos at up to 1,080 pixels wide. A vertical 4:5 image at 1,080 by 1,350 pixels is a safe choice for feed posts; Instagram’s help pages also mention a 3:4 portrait option.

What size should LinkedIn post images be?

LinkedIn recommends photos 1,080 pixels wide, with ratios from 3:1 to 4:5 and a 5 MB upload limit. Link post images on company pages use 1,200 by 627 pixels.

What is the best Pinterest pin size?

Pinterest recommends a 2:3 ratio at 1,000 by 1,500 pixels for image Pins, and 9:16 at 1,080 by 1,920 pixels for full-screen video Pins.

What size is a YouTube thumbnail?

YouTube recommends a 16:9 thumbnail at 3,840 by 2,160 pixels with a minimum width of 640 pixels. Shorts thumbnails use 9:16.

Related guides: How to Auto Post to Instagram (and Reels) and How to Schedule LinkedIn Posts: Profile and Company Page.

Sources

← All articles

Related reading