Image sizes for Instagram, WhatsApp and YouTube: a practical reference
Every platform crops and compresses images in its own way. Uploading at the right shape and size is the easiest way to keep faces and text where you want them.
Shape matters more than size
Platforms resize everything you upload, so a few extra pixels rarely matter. What does matter is the aspect ratio, the shape of the image. Upload a wide photo where a square is expected and the app will crop off the sides, sometimes cutting through a face or a line of text. Preparing the image in the right shape lets you decide what stays in frame.
The figures below are widely used recommendations. Platforms change their layouts from time to time, so treat them as sensible targets rather than official guarantees.
| Placement | Ratio | Recommended size |
|---|---|---|
| Square post | 1:1 | 1080 × 1080 |
| Portrait post | 4:5 | 1080 × 1350 |
| Landscape post | 1.91:1 | 1080 × 566 |
| Story or Reel | 9:16 | 1080 × 1920 |
Portrait 4:5 takes up the most space in the feed, which is why many creators prefer it. In the profile grid, posts are shown as cropped previews, so keep the subject near the centre. To split one wide image across several grid tiles, use the Instagram grid maker; to fit any photo to these sizes without losing edges, use resize image for Instagram.
WhatsApp profile photo (DP)
WhatsApp shows profile pictures as a circle cut from a square image. Anything in the corners of the square is hidden in the circle. A square of around 500–640 pixels is plenty; larger files are reduced anyway. Keep your face centred with some space around the head so the circular crop does not cut off the top. The WhatsApp DP resizer previews the circle and can fit a full photo inside the square without cropping.
YouTube channel banner
YouTube asks for a banner of 2048 × 1152 pixels or larger, and 2560 × 1440 is the common recommendation, at most 6 MB. The tricky part is that different devices show different parts of it. Only the central "safe area" is visible everywhere, including on phones: YouTube gives it as 1235 × 338 pixels on the 2048 × 1152 minimum, which works out to about 1544 × 423 pixels on a 2560 × 1440 banner. Put your channel name and any text inside that strip, and treat everything else as background that may be cropped on some screens. The YouTube banner resizer overlays the safe area so you can check.
Keep quality after upload
- Upload at the recommended width; much larger images get compressed harder.
- Avoid tiny text. It becomes unreadable after the platform's compression and on phone screens.
- Export as high-quality JPEG for photos and PNG for graphics with text.
- Do not upload a screenshot of a photo; export the photo itself.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best size for an Instagram post?
1080 × 1350 pixels (4:5 portrait) uses the most feed space. 1080 × 1080 is the classic square.
Why is my WhatsApp DP cut off?
WhatsApp displays a circle from a square photo, so the corners and edges are hidden. Centre your face and leave space around it, or fit the photo inside a square first.
More guides
- How to compress an image to an exact size in KB
- Photo and signature size for online application forms: a checklist
- JPG, PNG, WebP, AVIF or HEIC: which image format should you use?
- KB, MB, pixels and DPI: image size explained simply
- All guides
Paul Digital guides are written from hands-on testing of the tools on this site and are reviewed when platforms or formats change. Requirements set by exam boards, governments and apps vary and change over time, so always check the official instructions for your case. Spotted an error? Email askpaulonline@gmail.com.