Instagram Profile Picture Size Guide 2026

Dora Jokkel
Last updated: August 19, 20264 min read
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Your profile picture is one of the first things viewers are going to look at on Instagram. The sizing of your Instagram profile picture needs to be spot on.
Luckily, we have an Instagram profile picture size guide. We’ve also included advice about what size to upload photos and stories.

What Instagram Profile Picture Size Should I Use?

The Instagram profile picture sits next to the profile’s Username, Page Name, and Biography.
Example of an Instagram profile picture

Uploading a profile picture is easy. But most people are unsure of what photo dimensions they should use.
The Instagram profile picture size is 320 x 320 pixels.
Instagram displays it far smaller in the app. But a low-resolution upload looks soft on your web browser.
We recommend uploading the full 320 x 320 pixels. Doing so ensures a high-quality image on both the web and on your mobile device.
A person using Instagram on their smartphone

It’s okay if you don’t resize your image to the proper Instagram profile picture size. Instagram will automatically resize the image for you. It will also apply the circular crop.
The small Instagram profile picture size makes it difficult to see the image, even in the app. To see a larger version of someone’s profile picture, you can try apps such as instadp or izuum.
Instadp and izuum provide you with the full Instagram profile picture size. They also remove the circular cropping and show the entire picture.

Choose a Suitable Instagram Profile Picture to Fit Your Image

Now that you know the official Instagram profile picture size, it’s time to think about what to show on your profile picture.
Your Instagram profile picture is like a brand’s logo. When people look at it, they should recognise it easily and quickly.
If you have an Instagram account for your business, the profile picture can be your logo or the name of your business. Or you can have a profile picture featuring you during work. For example, the profile picture can showcase you while you are shooting with a camera.
If you have a personal Instagram account, you can choose a photo of yourself for your profile.
It might be tempting to change your Instagram profile picture often. But it’s easier to find you if you keep it constant. If you are serious about your social media presence, you should have the same profile picture on different platforms.
Remember, Instagram crops your profile picture down to a small circle. There are square images that don’t look great after cropping. Make sure to find one that fits the Insta default.
A man taking a selfie on a smartphone

What Size Are Images Displayed on Your Profile?

The photo feed on your profile is the star of your Instagram view. It’s the grid of images you find below your Instagram profile picture, bio, and covers for highlighted stories.
Every image and video you share appears in your profile and photo feed. If you set your visibility to ‘private,’ non-followers will see your Instagram profile but not your feed. Only followers can see all the content you post.
Like your Instagram profile picture, the photo feed also has size requirements. But you don’t have to resize anything! The app does it for you.
For the photo feed, Instagram now displays your posts as vertical 3:4 thumbnails. It crops square and landscape images to fit that taller format.
If the automatic crop cuts off your subject, open the post’s three-dot menu and tap Adjust Preview. You can reposition the thumbnail or add a background border so the whole image fits the grid.
Image showing an Instagram feed

Instagram Aspect Ratio

For a long time, Instagram’s Aspect Ratio was square. Nowadays, you can add images of both horizontal (landscape) and vertical (portrait) orientations.
Since early 2025, every image shows as a vertical 3:4 thumbnail on your profile grid. But Instagram displays the original aspect ratio once you select a post.

Size Recommendations for Uploading Images and Videos

Square

A square Instagram picture should be 1,080 x 1,080 pixels (a 1:1 ratio). Keep in mind the profile grid shows it as a 3:4 crop.

Landscape/Horizontal

For a landscape or horizontal picture, the recommended resolution is 1,080 x 566 pixels (a 1.91:1 ratio).

Portrait/Vertical

For a portrait or vertical picture, the recommended resolution is 1,080 x 1,350 pixels (a 4:5 ratio). Instagram also accepts full 3:4 uploads at 1,080 x 1,440 pixels, which fill the profile grid exactly.

Videos

Videos in the feed are Reels now. Upload them at 1,080 x 1,920 pixels (a 9:16 ratio). The profile grid shows a 3:4 crop of the cover frame.
A close up shot of a photographer checking an Instagram page on a smartphone

Size Recommendations for Instagram Stories

Apart from your photo feed, you also have Instagram Stories. These are a collection of images or video clips that only last for 24 hours. Unless you keep them in the highlights. These appear below your Instagram profile as small circles.

  • Video to Instagram Stories – 1,080 x 1,920 pixels (a 9:16 ratio)
  • Portrait image to Instagram Story – 1,080 x 1,920 pixels
A person using instagram on a smartphone

Sizing Adverts on Instagram

Instagram now uses adverts to connect you with your viewers. You must stick to the recommended Instagram aspect ratios for these.
Using Instagram as a social media platform for a business is a great way to share your work. So don’t fall at the first hurdle of resolution.

  • Square advert – Upload your images at 1,080 x 1,080 pixels.
  • Landscape format advert – Upload at 1,080 x 566 pixels.
  • Portrait advert – Upload at 1,080 x 1,350 pixels.

When creating adverts, take note of the text size you use. Ads with little or no text overlaid on the image tend to perform better.
Three smartphone camera screens showing different Instagram stories

Conclusion: Size Matters

There are tons of specific Instagram aspect ratios to remember.
Knowing the best sizes to use will help you upload your fantastic images quickly. Since your pictures have the proper dimensions, Instagram also displays them in the best quality.
Go ahead and bookmark this guide. You’ll find it helpful in case you forget which sizes to use.
We have some great articles on taking great profile pictures. Also, how to become Instagram famous. Or best photography hashtags to check out too!
Instagram profile photo size template