Social media platforms update their image and video requirements regularly. Using the wrong dimensions results in cropped graphics, pixelated images, and lower engagement. This comprehensive 2026 guide ensures your content looks perfect on every platform.
Images
Proper dimensions prevent cropping and ensure quality display
Videos
Correct aspect ratios maximize visibility and engagement
Formats
Right file types ensure compatibility and quality
Content Type Specifications
Feed Post (Square)
Classic square post format
1080x1080px
JPG, PNG
30MB
Feed Post (Portrait)
Takes up more screen space - recommended
1080x1350px
JPG, PNG
30MB
Feed Post (Landscape)
Less common, smaller display
1080x566px
JPG, PNG
30MB
Stories
Full screen vertical format, 24hr lifespan
1080x1920px
JPG, PNG, MP4
30MB image, 4GB video
Reels
Short-form video content, high reach
1080x1920px
MP4, MOV
4GB, 90 seconds max
Profile Picture
Displayed as circle (180x180px)
320x320px
JPG, PNG
5MB
Carousel
Swipeable multi-image posts
1080x1080px
JPG, PNG
30MB per image, 10 images max
Pro Tips for Instagram
- Use 4:5 portrait ratio for maximum feed space
- Reels get 22% more engagement than regular posts
- Post when your audience is most active (check Insights)
- Use high-contrast visuals for stopping power
- Include text overlays (20% of users watch muted)
Content Type Specifications
Feed Post
Optimal for link previews
1200x630px
JPG, PNG
4MB
Feed Post (Square)
Square format alternative
1200x1200px
JPG, PNG
4MB
Stories
Full screen vertical format
1080x1920px
JPG, PNG, MP4
4MB image, 4GB video
Cover Photo
Desktop: 820x312px, Mobile: 640x360px
820x312px
JPG, PNG
100KB recommended
Profile Picture
Displayed at 170x170px
180x180px
JPG, PNG
4MB
Event Cover
Event header image
1920x1080px
JPG, PNG
4MB
Reels
Short-form video content
1080x1920px
MP4, MOV
4GB, 60 seconds max
Pro Tips for Facebook
- Link preview format (1200x630px) gets most engagement
- Facebook compresses images - use highest quality
- Video content gets 135% more organic reach
- Cover photos: keep important content centered
- Groups and community features drive high engagement
🎵TikTok
Content Type Specifications
Video (Standard)
Primary vertical video format
1080x1920px
MP4, MOV, MPEG, AVI, WebM
500MB, 10 minutes max
Profile Picture
Circular display
200x200px
JPG, PNG
5MB
Profile Header
Business account header
1125x633px
JPG, PNG
5MB
Pro Tips for TikTok
- First 3 seconds are critical - hook immediately
- Native vertical video only - no landscape reposts
- Use trending sounds for better reach
- Captions boost watch time by 40%
- Post 1-4 times daily for best algorithm performance
- Keep videos under 60 seconds for higher completion rates
🧵Threads
Content Type Specifications
Text Post
Primary content format, text-focused
N/A
Text (500 chars max)
N/A
Image Post
Carousel images in posts
1080x1350px recommended
JPG, PNG, GIF
8MB, up to 10 images
Video Post
Short-form video content
1080x1920px
MP4
1GB, 5 minutes max
Profile Picture
Pulled from linked Instagram account
Synced from Instagram
JPG, PNG
Via Instagram
Pro Tips for Threads
- Cross-post automatically from Instagram for reach
- Text-first approach - images enhance, not required
- Engage in conversations for algorithm boost
- Use for real-time updates and behind-the-scenes
- Hashtags not yet fully supported - focus on content
- Links are now clickable - great for driving traffic
Content Type Specifications
Feed Post
Link preview and image posts
1200x627px
JPG, PNG
5MB
Feed Post (Square)
Square format option
1200x1200px
JPG, PNG
5MB
Cover Photo (Personal)
Personal profile banner
1584x396px
JPG, PNG
8MB
Cover Photo (Company)
Company page banner
1128x191px
JPG, PNG
4MB
Profile Picture
Professional headshot
400x400px
JPG, PNG
8MB
Company Logo
Company page logo
300x300px
JPG, PNG
4MB
Video Post
Video content for feed
1920x1080px (landscape) or 1080x1920px (vertical)
MP4, MOV, AVI
5GB, 10 minutes max
Pro Tips for LinkedIn
- Professional headshots increase profile views by 14x
- Posts with images get 2x more engagement
- Best posting times: Tuesday-Thursday, 7-9am
- Native video gets 5x more engagement than links
- Document-style posts (PDFs) perform exceptionally well
🐦X (Twitter)
Content Type Specifications
In-Stream Photo
Optimal display in timeline
1600x900px
JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP
5MB
In-Stream Photo (Tall)
Maximum vertical dimension
1080x1350px
JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP
5MB
Header Photo
Profile banner
1500x500px
JPG, PNG
5MB
Profile Picture
Displayed as circle
400x400px
JPG, PNG
2MB
Video
Native video posts
1920x1080px or 1280x720px
MP4, MOV
512MB, 2:20 minutes (140s)
Pro Tips for X (Twitter)
- Images increase engagement by 150%
- Optimal aspect ratio is 16:9 for maximum visibility
- GIFs and memes perform exceptionally well
- Video views are auto-playing, optimize first frame
- Threads (multi-tweet posts) keep users engaged longer
🦋Bluesky
Content Type Specifications
Text Post
Primary format, microblogging style
N/A
Text (300 chars max)
N/A
Image Post
Images attached to posts
2000x2000px max
JPG, PNG, GIF
1MB per image, 4 images max
Profile Picture
Circular display
1000x1000px recommended
JPG, PNG
1MB
Banner Image
Profile header banner
3000x1000px recommended
JPG, PNG
1MB
Pro Tips for Bluesky
- Growing alternative to X - early adopter advantage
- Tech and media communities very active
- Custom feeds (algorithms) let users curate experience
- Decentralized - your content is portable
- No video support yet - focus on images and text
- Starter packs help new users find your content
Content Type Specifications
Standard Pin
Recommended pin format
1000x1500px
JPG, PNG
32MB
Square Pin
Works but gets less visibility
1000x1000px
JPG, PNG
32MB
Long Pin
Maximum height before truncation
1000x2100px
JPG, PNG
32MB
Video Pin
Vertical video format
1000x1500px
MP4, MOV, M4V
2GB, 15 minutes max (recommend 6-15s)
Idea Pin
Multi-page story format
1080x1920px
JPG, PNG, MP4
20 pages/frames max
Profile Picture
Circular display
165x165px
JPG, PNG
10MB
Pro Tips for Pinterest
- Vertical pins get 60% more engagement
- Include text overlay with value proposition
- Add detailed descriptions with keywords for SEO
- Pins have a long lifespan - create evergreen content
- Rich Pins (product, recipe, article) get 2x more engagement
📺YouTube
Content Type Specifications
Video (Standard)
Standard HD video format
1920x1080px
MP4, MOV, AVI, FLV, WMV
256GB, 12 hours max
Shorts
Vertical short-form content
1080x1920px
MP4, MOV
256GB, 60 seconds max
Thumbnail
Custom video thumbnail
1280x720px
JPG, PNG
2MB
Channel Banner
Desktop: 2560x1440px, TV: 2560x1440px, Mobile: center 1546x423px safe area
2560x1440px
JPG, PNG
6MB
Profile Picture
Channel avatar (98x98px display)
800x800px
JPG, PNG, GIF
4MB
Community Post Image
Images for community tab
1080x1080px or larger
JPG, PNG, GIF
16MB
Pro Tips for YouTube
- Thumbnails should have high contrast and readable text
- First 15 seconds determine if viewer stays
- Custom thumbnails get 30% more clicks
- YouTube Shorts can drive subscribers to long-form content
- End screens and cards increase session time
Universal Best Practices
- ✓Design at highest resolution - Use platform's max recommended size
- ✓Export in RGB color mode - All social platforms use RGB, not CMYK
- ✓Test on mobile first - 80%+ of social media views are mobile
- ✓Use vertical formats - 9:16 gets maximum screen real estate
- ✓Add text overlays - Many users watch videos muted
- ✓Compress strategically - Balance file size and quality
- ✗Never upscale low-res images - Results in pixelation and blur
- ✗Don't ignore safe zones - Corners get cut off on mobile
- ✗Avoid landscape video - Gets tiny display on mobile feeds
- ✗Don't rely on link previews - Upload custom images instead
- ✗Never use copyrighted content - Risk takedowns and bans
- ✗Avoid tiny text - Unreadable on mobile screens
- 1. Start with master SVG - Scales to any size perfectly
- 2. Export platform-specific sizes - Use templates or automation
- 3. Optimize file sizes - TinyPNG, Squoosh, or ImageOptim
- 4. Test on actual devices - Don't rely on desktop preview
- 5. Archive source files - Keep PSD/AI/Figma for future edits
- Threads & Bluesky growth - New platforms gaining mainstream adoption
- AI disclosure required - All platforms now require AI content labeling
- Vertical video dominates - Reels, Shorts, and TikTok prioritized
- Higher quality standards - 4K video becoming expected for monetization
- Authenticity valued - Raw, unpolished content outperforms polished
- Accessibility required - Captions, alt text now essential for reach
Quick Reference Cheat Sheet
| Platform | Feed Post | Stories | Profile | Cover/Header |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080x1350px (4:5) | 1080x1920px (9:16) | 320x320px | — | |
| 1200x630px | 1080x1920px | 180x180px | 820x312px | |
| TikTok | 1080x1920px (video) | — | 200x200px | 1125x633px |
| 1200x627px | — | 400x400px | 1584x396px | |
| X (Twitter) | 1600x900px | — | 400x400px | 1500x500px |
| 1000x1500px (2:3) | 1080x1920px | 165x165px | — | |
| YouTube | 1920x1080px (video) | 1080x1920px (Shorts) | 800x800px | 2560x1440px |
| Threads New | 1080x1350px | — | Via Instagram | — |
| Bluesky New | 2000x2000px max | — | 1000x1000px | 3000x1000px |
About the Author
Sarah Mitchell
Senior Graphic Designer & Vector Specialist
Sarah Mitchell is a graphic designer and vector conversion expert with over 10 years of experience helping businesses, e-commerce sellers, and creative professionals optimize their digital assets. She has converted over 50,000 images to SVG format and specializes in logo vectorization, print-ready graphics, and scalable web assets. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from Rhode Island School of Design and has worked with brands ranging from Etsy sellers to Fortune 500 companies.
Areas of Expertise:
Credentials:
- • BFA Graphic Design, Rhode Island School of Design
- • Adobe Certified Expert (ACE) - Illustrator
- • 10+ years professional design experience
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