The DPI question, settled
Instagram strips and re-encodes every upload. Browsers and the mobile app render images by pixel count, not by metadata DPI. Whether you upload 72 DPI or 600 DPI, the image looks identical on the platform — pixel dimensions decide quality.
If your file insists on a DPI tag for some reason (Photoshop export warnings), pick 72 with our 72 DPI tool.
Recommended pixel sizes (2026)
| Format | Aspect | Pixels |
|---|---|---|
| Square post | 1:1 | 1080 × 1080 |
| Portrait post | 4:5 | 1080 × 1350 |
| Landscape post | 1.91:1 | 1080 × 566 |
| Story / Reel | 9:16 | 1080 × 1920 |
| Profile photo | 1:1 | 320 × 320 (display 110) |
| Carousel slide | 1:1 or 4:5 | 1080 × 1080 / 1350 |
Resize precisely with the Image Resizer or get the right ratio first with the Aspect Ratio Calculator.
Avoid recompression artefacts
- Upload the exact pixel size from the table — don’t let Instagram resize for you.
- Save JPEGs at quality 85–95.
- Use sRGB colour space (Instagram converts everything to sRGB).
- Strip metadata if file size is borderline — our Image Compressor does this.