Instagram carousel and post sizes in 2026

Instagram's sizes are easier than they look. A few dimensions cover almost everything, and one recent change to the profile grid affects how you should crop. This is the quick reference, as of October 2026.

The sizes at a glance

Format	Size	Ratio
Portrait post (recommended)	1080 x 1350 px	4:5
Square post	1080 x 1080 px	1:1
Tall portrait (grid-friendly)	1080 x 1440 px	3:4
Landscape post	1080 x 566 px	1.91:1
Stories	1080 x 1920 px	9:16
Reels	1080 x 1920 px	9:16

For almost every photo post, 1080 x 1350 (4:5) is the right default. It takes up the most room in the feed without being cropped.

Carousel rules

• A carousel can have up to 20 slides in the Instagram app.
• The first slide sets the shape for the whole carousel. Instagram crops the other slides to match it, so give every slide the same dimensions.
• Photos and videos can be mixed in one carousel.
• Square (1:1) and portrait (4:5) are the common carousel shapes. Choose one and stick with it.

For a seamless panorama carousel, each slide is 1080 pixels wide, so the full image is 1080 times the number of slides, by 1350 pixels high. Our step-by-step guide covers it: how to split a panorama into an Instagram carousel.

The 3:4 profile grid

In 2025 Instagram changed the profile grid so that posts appear as 3:4 rectangles instead of squares. The practical effect: a 4:5 post is trimmed slightly at the left and right in the grid, by roughly 34 pixels on each side at 1080 wide. People still see the full image once they open the post.

What to do:

1. Keep the important parts, such as faces, logos and the first word of a title, near the centre of the image.
2. Don't put text right against the left or right edge of a 4:5 image.
3. If you design for the grid, a 1080 x 1440 (3:4) image fits it exactly, but this shape is newer and some scheduling tools don't support it yet. Check your tool before relying on it.

Stories and Reels

Both use 1080 x 1920 (9:16). Keep important text away from the top and bottom, where Instagram places its own interface. Reels accept a range of ratios, but vertical 9:16 fills the screen.

File and quality tips

• Export at 1080 pixels wide or more. Instagram scales feed images to fit, and sending far larger files doesn't help.
• Export as JPG for photos. Use PNG only when you need sharp graphic text.
• Keep the original proportions in your editor. Cropping inside Instagram can change them.
• Check the preview before posting. Look at both the full post and the profile grid view.

Making these sizes in layrd

layrd lets you set the shape of the canvas, add a frame, put text behind your subject, and split wide photos into carousel slides, so you don't need to work out pixel sizes by hand.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best size for an Instagram post?

1080 x 1350 pixels (4:5) is the best default for photos.

What size should carousel slides be?

Every slide should match your first one. 1080 x 1350 for portrait, or 1080 x 1080 for square.

How many photos can a carousel have?

Up to 20 in the Instagram app.

What changed with the Instagram grid?

The profile grid now shows posts as 3:4 rectangles. 4:5 posts are trimmed a little at the sides in the grid, so keep the key content centred.

Are these sizes official?

Instagram publishes recommended sizes and changes them from time to time. The figures here are widely used guidance as of October 2026, so check Instagram's help centre if you need to be certain.