Instagram Photo Sizes: Crop Feed Posts Without Losing the Subject

Choose a format for the placement

A 4:5 portrait uses more vertical feed space while remaining easy to scan. A 1:1 square is flexible for grids and simple layouts. A 9:16 canvas suits full-screen Stories and Reel covers, but interface elements can occupy the top and bottom edges.

For consistent working files, export feed portraits at 1080 × 1350, squares at 1080 × 1080, and full-screen vertical images at 1080 × 1920. Preview inside Instagram because visible framing can evolve.

1. Open the highest-quality original.
2. Select the ratio for one specific Instagram placement.
3. Zoom only enough to fill the crop frame.
4. Place the face or product away from vulnerable edges.
5. Apply the crop and confirm its dimensions.
6. Export a separate file before preparing another placement.

Build a safe composition

Keep eyes, product labels, and text within a generous central area. Leave breathing room above hair and around hands. For profile photos, imagine the square becoming a circle and avoid placing important detail in its corners.

Check quality after cropping

Cropping removes pixels. If the selected area is very small, exporting it at a large size cannot restore missing detail. Inspect the result at 100%, use restrained sharpening, and return to the original if the subject looks soft.