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Your Ultimate Guide To Social Media Image Sizes For Each Channel
Suhith Kumar RN - July 8, 2022 - Leave your thoughts.
Social media websites frequently change the way display and render content to their users. Social media image sizes and layouts are a big part of the updates rolled out by each channel.
The frequency of changes can make it especially challenging for social media marketers, designers, and brand custodians to have them at their fingertips.
For example, you might have designed the most on-brand Facebook cover or profile photo. It looks perfect and you can’t wait to replace the existing one. You click on “update profile picture” and upload your new image.
The result is far from desired though: the image is pixelated, stretched, and is a shadow of its original design. Why? Because the image dimensions changed in the time you designed and uploaded.
Creative, high-quality visuals are paramount to social media marketing success. With that in mind, this cheat sheet is designed to provide you with the full, updated list of social media image sizes for all channels - Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Snapchat, TikTok, Tumblr, YouTube, Twitch, and WhatsApp.
Importance of Visual Content on Social Media
As per research, colored visuals increase people’s willingness to consume a piece of content by up to 80%. If we think about it: how many times do we purchase a product just because it is visually appealing?
In one of Picmaker’s previous articles, we’ve covered the importance of visual content for the success of social media marketing campaigns.
The quality of your visual content can either persuade people or dissuade them from following your brand pages. It is often the difference between people buying your product or churning altogether.
The proverbial saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover” doesn’t apply to social media.
Your brand logo (which is often the profile photo), your cover photo (with your brand tagline), and other visual elements of your social pages encourage your audience to follow and interact with your content. They capture people’s attention and drive engagement.
Why Your Social Media Image Sizes Need To Be Right?
If a significant proportion of your social media content is made up of visuals, it’s paramount that they are visually pleasing on each channel and across devices.
Social media images need to have the right dimensions and adhere to the guidelines of each platform to make them visually pleasing. (You should also ensure that your images don’t cause copyright infringement.)
If your social media image sizes are right, they help:
- Avoid Pixelation - Pixelated images look unprofessional and might mask the intricate details of your image or design.
- Make the Entire Image Visible - Incorrect image sizes might lead to the important parts of your image (such as your brand message or a quote) being cut off.
- Drive Audience Engagement - High-quality, high-resolution images visually attract your audience and drive engagement.
Image Sizes for Each Social Media Platform
From Facebook to Twitch, we’ll give you the complete lowdown of image sizes for timeline posts, profile and cover photos, ads, and much more.
Image Sizes for Facebook
It is one platform that frequently updates image dimensions and design. So, it’s best to upload high-quality, high-res images while adhering to Facebook’s image guidelines.
You also need to be aware that Facebook does not stretch out images and visual elements but crops them.
Profile Picture: Facebook’s standard profile photo dimensions are 180x180 pixels. It displays at 170x170 pixels on desktops, 128x128 pixels on smartphones, and 36x36 pixels on feature phones.
Cover Photo: Facebook’s recommended cover photo dimensions are 851x315 pixels. It displays 820x312 pixels on desktops and 640x360 pixels on smartphones. The ideal file size is less than 100 kilobytes (KB).
Tips for Facebook Profile and Cover Photos
- Upload PNG or JPEG files to avoid image compression.
- After you upload your cover photo, do not drag to reposition the image as Facebook automatically stretches the width of your original image to fill the space.
- Profile and cover images with logos look best if they’re uploaded as PNG files.
Sizes for Facebook Posts and Timeline Photos
Timeline photos are automatically resized and formatted to a width of 500 pixels to ensure it fits the aspect ratio of 1.91:1.
The recommended size for timeline photos, also known as Shared image, is 1200x630 pixels (600x315 pixels is the minimum size) to avoid pixelation and image loading issues.
The optimal size for Facebook Shared link images is 1200x627 pixels. It’s always best to increase image resolution while scaling to avoid ending up with a low-quality image.
Image Sizes For Facebook Event Cover And Facebook Stories
1200x628 pixels is the recommended Facebook event cover image size, with an aspect ratio of 2:1.
The recommended Facebook group cover photo size is 1640x856 pixels. It displays at 1640x662 pixels on desktops and 1640x859 pixels on mobile.
Remember that the size of the event cover image cannot be changed once it has been added to an event.
1080x1920 pixels is the recommended size for Facebook Stories, which take up a full mobile screen and have an aspect ratio of 9:16.
Facebook recommends that you leave approximately 14% (~250 pixels) of the top and bottom of the image free without text and logo to ensure you don’t cover these elements with call-to-action (CTA).
Facebook Ad Image Sizes and Specs
Image Sizes for Facebook Feed Ads: Should be at least 1080x1080 pixels, with a minimum size of 600x600 pixels. The aspect ratio should be between 1.91:1 and 1:1. The maximum file size should not exceed 30 megabytes (MB).
Image Sizes for Facebook Marketplace Ads: Should be 1080x1080 pixels, with an aspect ratio of 1:1. The maximum file size should not exceed 30 MB.
Image Sizes for Facebook Search Ads: Should be 1080x1080 pixels (minimum size is 600x600 pixels), with an aspect ratio of 1.91:1 to 1:1. The maximum file size should not exceed 30 MB.
Image Sizes for Facebook Messenger Inbox Ads: Should be at least 1080x1080 pixels (254x133 pixels is the minimum size), with an aspect ratio of 1:1. The maximum file size should not exceed 30 MB.
Image Sizes for Facebook Messenger Stories Ads: Should be at least 1080x1080 pixels with an aspect ratio of 9:16. The minimum width is 500 pixels.
Image Sizes for Facebook Sponsored Messages: Should be 1080x1080 pixels, with an aspect ratio of 1.91:1 to 1:1. The maximum file size should not exceed 30 MB.
Image Sizes for Facebook Instant Articles Ads: Should be 1080x1080 pixels, with an aspect ratio of 1.91:1 to 1:1. The maximum file size should not exceed 30 MB.
Image Sizes for Facebook Right Column Ads: This is a desktop-only ad format and should be at least 1080x1080 pixels (minimum size is 254x133 pixels), with an aspect ratio of 1:1.
The recommended size and aspect ratio for Facebook Sponsored Messages should be the same as Search ads.
Image Sizes for Instagram
Instagram being a visual platform offers brands a variety of options, in terms of image dimensions, to capitalize on its features. Horizontal and vertical images are supported along with square images which were the signature feature of Instagram.
Image Sizes for Instagram Profile and Feed Photos
320x320 pixels is the recommended size for Instagram profile photos, which, while having square dimensions, are displayed in circles. Therefore, ensure that the key aspects of your image appear at the center for maximum visibility.
Unlike your profile photo, all feed photos will be cropped as a square.
Instagram landscape photo dimensions: 1080x566 pixels is the recommended size for landscape photos whose aspect ratio is 1.91:1.
Instagram portrait photo dimensions: 1080x1350 pixels is the recommended size for portrait photos whose ideal aspect ratio is 4:5. Photos with bigger aspect ratios - say 4:6 or 9:16 - will need to be cropped to fit the supported aspect ratio.
Instagram square photo dimensions: 1080x1080 pixels is the standard dimension for square images whose aspect ratio is 1:1.
Points to remember:
- Photos with a resolution lower than 320 pixels will be scaled up to 320 pixels.
- Instagram retains the original size of your photos as long as their width is 1080 pixels and their height is between 566 and 1350 pixels.
- Aspect ratios should be between 1.91:1 and 4:5.
Image Sizes for Instagram Thumbnails
161x161 pixels is the display size of Instagram thumbnails. The recommended width is 1080 pixels.
Bonus tip: It’s better to upload images with a high resolution to avoid pixelation.
Instagram Stories image size: 1080x1920 pixels is the recommended resolution with an aspect ratio of 9:16.
Points to remember:
- Photos that deviate from the aspect ratio of 9:16 might display with odd cropping and zooming effects.
- The resolution and aspect ratio for Instagram Reels are the same as IG Stories.
Instagram Carousel image sizes
Instagram landscape carousel: 1080x566 pixels; 1.91:1 aspect ratio
Instagram portrait carousel: 1080x1350 pixels; 4:5 aspect ratio
Instagram square carousel: 1080x1080 pixels; 1:1 aspect ratio
IGTV Sizes
1080x1920 pixels is the resolution, while the aspect ratio is 9:16. The ideal IGTV cover size is 420x654 pixels, with 16:9 as the aspect ratio.
Pro tip: Ensure that the IGTV Cover graphics occupy the title safe area as part of the Instagram preview feature.
Image Sizes for Instagram Ads
Square: 1080x1080 pixels
Landscape: 1080x566 pixels
Points to remember:
- 320 pixels is the minimum width of ad images, while the maximum width is the standard 1080 pixels.
- The supported aspect ratios are between 1.91:1 and 4:5.
- Not more than 30 hashtags can be used for Instagram ads that appear on users’ feeds.
Image Sizes for Instagram Stories Ads
1080x1920 pixels is the recommended resolution for IG Stories ads. A recommendation from Instagram: “Consider leaving roughly 14% (250 pixels) of the top and bottom of the image free from text, logos, or other key creative elements to avoid covering them with the profile icon or call-to-action.”
Image Sizes for Twitter
According to Twitter, tweets with visual content are 3x more likely to receive engagement than plain tweets. In addition, they also get more likes and retweets, to go along with higher click-through rates, than tweets that lack visual content.
It should, therefore, go without saying that incorporating visual content into your tweets is paramount.
Twitter profile photo size: The recommended size is 400x400 pixels. 200x200 pixels is the minimum required image size. Also, the file size should not exceed 2 MB.
Twitter header photo size: The recommended size is 1500x500 pixels and header images are cropped to a 3:1 aspect ratio. It should also be remembered that the way header images are displayed differs based on the device and browser used.
Image Sizes for Twitter In-stream Photos
This feature allows users to share and view photos directly on their feeds without clicking a link.
1600x900 pixels is the recommended size for Twitter in-stream photos, while the minimum size is 600x335 pixels. The recommended aspect ratio on desktops is between 2:1 and 1:1, while it is 2:1, 3:4, and 16:9 on mobile devices. JPEG, PNG, and GIF are the supported formats.
Image Size for Twitter Card
Any tweet containing a URL is recognized by Twitter. It then generates a Twitter card from the URL’s meta tags and displays it on the timeline.
120x120 pixels is the minimum image size of a Twitter card. Users can make use of the card validator to preview how their Twitter card will appear on their followers’ feeds.
Image Sizes for Twitter Ads
Website Card Image: For an aspect ratio of 1.91:1, 800x418 pixels is the recommended image size. 800x800 pixels is the recommended size of images for an aspect ratio of 1:1. The maximum supported file size is 20 MB.
Single and Multi-image Tweets: It’s best to include large images for this type of ad, but the minimum recommended image size is 600x335 pixels.
Carousels and App Card Image: 800x800 pixels for 1:1 aspect ratio and 800x418 pixels for 1.91:1 aspect ratio. The maximum file size is 20 MB for carousels that have between two and six image cards, and 3 MB for app card images.
Conversation and Direct Message Cards: 800x418 pixels for a 1.91:1 aspect ratio. The maximum supported file size is 3 MB.
Image Size for Twitter Fleets
Fleets are currently a mobile-only feature and the recommended image size is 1080x1920 pixels.
Image Sizes for LinkedIn
LinkedIn posts that are accompanied by images receive a 2x higher comment rate, while custom image collages also help boost engagement. It’s a no-brainer then that social media marketers must pair their LinkedIn posts with images - all while sticking to the recommended image sizes for the best results.
Image sizes for LinkedIn Profile Photos
400x400 pixels is the recommended image size for profile photos, although the platform supports photos as large as 7680x4320 pixels (with 8 MB as the maximum file size). Remember that large images help future-proof them for any changes to image dimensions and aspect ratios.
LinkedIn Cover Photo Size: 1584x396 pixels is the recommended size of LinkedIn cover photos whose aspect ratio must be 4:1.
Points to Remember:
- Ensure that the image file size is less than 8 MB
- Cropping for cover photos is different on mobile and desktop devices, so make sure the key parts of the image are displayed as intended before finalizing the design.
Image Sizes for LinkedIn Company Pages
Logo Size: 300x300 pixels
Square Logo: A minimum of 60x60 pixels
Cover Image Size: 1128x191 pixels
Image Sizes for LinkedIn Life Tab
Life Tab Company Photos Image Sizes: 900x600 pixels
Life Tab Main Image Size: 1128x376 pixels
Custom Module Image Size: 502x282 pixels
Points to Remember:
- Make sure your images are in JPEG, PNG, and GIF formats
- Make sure the aspect ratio is 1.91:1
- Images with dimensions 1200x628 pixels are ideal, including for LinkedIn Showcase pages
Image Size for LinkedIn Blog Posts
1200x627 pixels is the recommended image size for LinkedIn blog posts, while the aspect ratio should be 1.91:1. Ensure the minimum width of images is 200 pixels; images with a width less than 200 pixels will display as thumbnails to the left of the post.
Image Size for LinkedIn Stories
Resolution: 1080x1920 pixels
Aspect ratio: 9:16
File types: JPEG and PNG
Image Sizes for LinkedIn Ads
Logo Size for Company Ads and Spotlight Ads: 100x100 pixels
Sponsored Content Images: 1200x627 pixels; aspect ratio 1.91:1
Sponsored Content Carousel Images: 1080x1080 pixels; aspect ratio 1:1
Custom Background Image Size for Spotlight Ads: 300x250 pixels
Image Sizes for Pinterest
Pinterest is a discovery and visual search engine where getting your image sizes spot on is key to help your pins perform better.
Image Size for Pinterest Profile Photo: Your profile photo will be displayed in a circle with the recommended size being 165x165 pixels.
Image Size for Pinterest Profile Cover Photo: A minimum of 800x450 pixels is the recommended size for Pinterest profile cover photo. Here, use a landscape photo with an aspect ratio of 16:9 instead of a portrait photo.
Image Sizes for Pinterest Pins
Recommended: 1000x1500 pixels
Square Pins: 1000x1000 pixels
Recommended Aspect Ratio: 2:3
Maximum file size: 20 MB
Points to Remember:
- Pinterest accepts JPEG and PNG image files.
- Images on Pinterest are cropped from the bottom, which you should bear in mind if you’re creating pins with aspect ratios other than the recommended 2:3.
- 236 pixels is the fixed width of pins on the feed.
Image Sizes for Pinterest Collection Pins
Recommended: 1000x1500 pixels or 1000x1000 pixels
Recommended Aspect Ratio: 1:1 (aspect ratio of 2:3 also supported)
Maximum File Size: 10 MB
Points to Remember:
- The aspect ratios of all images must be the same
- JPEG and PNG image files are accepted
- Collections appear as a single main image, above a trio of smaller images
Image Sizes for Pinterest Ads and Carousels
Carousel Pins and Ads: 1000x1500 pixels or 1000x1000 pixels is the recommended resolution; aspect ratio should be either 1:1 or 2:3. A maximum of five images can be part of a carousel.
Shopping Ads: The recommended resolution is 1000x1500 pixels with a recommended aspect ratio of 2:3.
App Install Ads: The recommended resolution is 1000x1500 pixels with a recommended aspect ratio of 2:3.
Image Sizes for Tumblr
- Tumblr Profile Photo Size
- Recommended: 128x128 pixels
- Avatar and Minimum Size: 64x64 pixels
- Size of Tumblr Banner
- Recommended: 3000x1055 pixels
- Minimum Size: 640x360 pixels
- Dashboard View Image
- Maximum size: 1280x1920 pixels
- Minimum size: 500x750 pixels
- Tumblr Images in Text Post or Shared Link
- Display size of thumbnail images part of links is 130x130 pixels
- Images part of text posts will have a display width of 125 pixels
- Image Sizes for Tumblr Photo Set
- Single image: Each photo has a width of 500 pixels
- Two images: Each photo has a width of 245 pixels
- Three images: Each photo has a width of 160 pixels
- Image Size of Tumblr Audio Post: 169x169 pixels
Recommended Image Size of Tumblr Ads: 1280x1920 pixels
Image Sizes for YouTube
YouTube, we know, is a video-sharing platform and the second-largest search engine after Google. But what about the images?
Image elements - such as video thumbnails, channel art, and channel profile photo - are paramount to boost your video views, gain subscribers and grow your channel’s popularity.
Size of YouTube Profile Photo: 800x800 pixels is the recommended size of YouTube channel profile photo, which will render at a resolution of 98x98 pixels and display as a circle (and not as a square).
Points to Remember:
- Ensure that the key aspects of your YouTube profile photo are centered for maximum visibility.
- JPEG, PNG, GIF, and BMP image files are supported.
Size of YouTube Banner: 2048x1152 pixels is the minimum recommended resolution with an aspect ratio of 16:9. The maximum allowed image file size is 6 MB.
YouTube Thumbnail Size: 1280x720 pixels, with a minimum width of 640 pixels and an aspect ratio of 16:9. The file size limit is 2 MB and the supported file formats are JPEG, PNG, and GIF.
WATCH: How to Create YouTube Thumbnails That Drive Clicks to Your Video
Size of YouTube Video: Videos must be 1280x720 pixels in resolution to meet YouTube’s high-definition (HD) requirements, with 16:9 as the aspect ratio.
YouTube Outro Size: The ideal size for YouTube outros, also known as YouTube end cards, is 1920x1080 pixels. Ensure that you maintain an aspect ratio of 16:9 for best results with YouTube outros when they are viewed on mobile devices.
Image Sizes for Snapchat
As a platform, Snapchat suits people who like to exchange photos and videos with friends and others they know on the platform. However, brands have found success through Snapchat ads and geofilter.
Ad Size: Snapchat ads can either be static images or short, animated videos to promote a business. These are smartphone ads that occupy an entire screen and, therefore, must be larger and vertical visuals. 1080x1920 pixels is the recommended image size for Snapchat ads.
Snapchat Geofilter Size: Snapchat geofilters are an effective way to get a target audience to share a business name. Brands can create a geofilter as part of an event or an ad campaign and sponsor it. That way, Snapchat users can add them to their snaps and share them with their friends. 1080x1920 pixels is the recommended image size for Snapchat geofilter.
Image Sizes for TikTok
TikTok is a short video-sharing platform where users can create and share 15-second videos on a topic of their choice.
The minimum upload size of TikTok profile photo is 20x20 pixels, though it’s better to upload a high-quality image to future-proof your visuals.
TikTok's video size is 1080x1920 pixels with the ideal aspect ratio for TikTok videos being 1:1 or 9:16.
Image Sizes for WhatsApp
WhatsApp is a popular instant messaging application that allows people to exchange messages, share photos and videos, and make voice and video calls. If you've been using CCaaS for customer communication, it can be easy to get around."
Profile Image: WhatsApp profile images should ideally be 500x500 pixels, with the image in JPEG or PNG file format. WhatsApp recommends that the picture is at least 192x192 pixels. Ensure that you use a square image, which will be displayed as a circle, for WhatsApp.
Square Post to Send Image size: 800x800 pixels is the recommended size for WhatsApp Square Post to Send Images, which are displayed as squares in the small previews on chat.
Story to Share Image size: 750x1334 pixels is the recommended size for WhatsApp Story to Share Images, which are displayed to friends and contacts for 24 hours before disappearing.
Image Sizes for Twitch
Twitch is a video streaming, interactive platform where gamers, musicians, entertainers, and others provide live broadcasts for viewers and channel fans to watch and engage with.
Size of Twitch Profile Photo: The recommended size of Twitch profile photo is 800x800 pixels with an aspect ratio of 1:1. The Twitch profile photo must be square, even though it’s displayed as a circle.
Twitch Profile Banner Size: 1200x480 pixels is the recommended size of Twitch profile banner, which can be JPEG, PNG, or GIF. For maximum visibility on different browsers and a variety of widths and resolutions, ensure that your graphics and branding are orientated to the left as stretching happens on the right-hand side.
Size of Twitch Video Player Banner (Offline Banner): The recommended size of Twitch video player banner, also known as offline banner, is 1920x1080 pixels with an aspect ratio of 16:9.
Avatar Size: 1600x1600 pixels is the recommended size of Twitch avatar, which should have an aspect ratio of 1:1.
Panel Size: 320x160 pixels is the recommended size of Twitch panel, with an aspect ratio of 2:1.
Twitch Thumbnail Size: The recommended size of Twitch thumbnail is 1280x720 pixels, with an aspect ratio of 16:9.
Conclusion
In today’s digital age, social media is often the first point of contact for prospective customers with a brand. Visual content is a big part of social channels. In addition, for brands, it is key to building a good relationship with their audience, driving engagement, and driving business growth in the long run.
We recommend that social media marketers, designers, brand managers - and others for whom this is relevant - bookmark this article to stay on top of the latest, updated social media image sizes for Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Tumblr, Twitch, and WhatsApp.
Getting your social media image sizes right is key to avoiding pixelated photos, future-proofing them, and displaying full photos across devices and all screen sizes. To future-proof your images, ensure that you upload them in the highest possible resolution.
Picmaker’s Resize feature is a great way to check if your images meet the dimension requirements for each social media platform we’ve covered in this article. All you need to do is upload your visual to Picmaker’s dashboard and click on the Resize button to check the actual size of your visual. The same feature also allows you to resize a visual for any social platform - in a single click. It’s the fastest solution to ensure your social media images are correctly sized for the best results.
Additional reading: 7 Reasons Picmaker is Better Than Canva (and Why You Should Choose It
Feature Update: How to Present Your Graphic Design Work to Your Client
7 Sure-Shot Tips to Energize Your Social Media Content Creation
