Design · 4 min read
Social Media Image Sizes and Design Tips
Every platform crops differently, and the exact pixel sizes change often. What changes far less is the handful of aspect ratios that cover nearly every format.
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The ratios that matter
Square (1:1, such as 1080 × 1080) works on almost every feed. Portrait 4:5 (1080 × 1350) takes up more of the screen in Instagram and Facebook feeds. Vertical 9:16 (1080 × 1920) is for stories, Reels, Shorts, and TikTok. Landscape 1.91:1 (1200 × 630) is for link previews, and 16:9 for YouTube thumbnails and X images.
Safe zones
Platforms overlay buttons, captions, and profile names on the edges, especially in vertical video. Keep text and faces inside the middle of the frame, away from the top and bottom 15% or so of stories, and test how the feed crops a portrait image in the grid view.
Designing for a scrolling thumb
Posts are seen small and for a second. Use one clear message, large type, and strong contrast. Limit text to a few words, and keep brand colours and fonts consistent so people recognise your posts before they read them.
One design, many sizes
Design once with a flexible layout, then resize into each ratio and adjust positions rather than starting over. Export as PNG for graphics with text and JPEG for photos, at the exact pixel size — platforms re-compress anything larger.