Social Media Image Sizes for 2026: Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, X
By the DocEpic team · Updated · 3 min read
Upload a picture in the wrong shape and the platform crops it for you, often cutting off a head, a logo or half your text. Upload one that is too small and it looks blurry on large screens. The fix is simple: crop it to the size each platform expects before you post. This guide lists the sizes that matter for Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook and X, what each platform hides, and how to make a picture fit in one step.
Image sizes at a glance
These are the sizes in the Exact size list of our Crop Image tool; the links open it with the size already chosen.
| Platform and use | Size in pixels | Shape |
|---|---|---|
| Instagram square post | 1080 × 1080 | 1:1 |
| Instagram portrait post | 1080 × 1350 | 4:5 |
| Instagram Story, Reel cover | 1080 × 1920 | 9:16 |
| YouTube thumbnail | 1280 × 720 | 16:9 |
| YouTube channel banner | 2560 × 1440 | 16:9 |
| LinkedIn profile banner | 1584 × 396 | 4:1 |
| LinkedIn shared image | 1200 × 627 | about 1.91:1 |
| Facebook cover photo | 1640 × 624 | about 2.6:1 |
| X (Twitter) header | 1500 × 500 | 3:1 |
| Profile pictures (all platforms) | Square, at least 400 × 400 | 1:1, shown as a circle |
Platforms change their layouts from time to time. If an upload looks cut off, check the platform's own help page for its current size.
Crop to an exact size in one step
A general resizer either stretches your picture or leaves it the wrong shape. Crop Image does both steps together: the crop box keeps the shape of the size you choose, and the result is scaled to exactly those pixels.
- Open Crop Image, or the page for your platform from the table, and add your picture.
- Choose the size under Exact size — for example YouTube thumbnail. Its pixels, here 1280 × 720, show below the list.
- Move and resize the box over the part you want to keep. Nothing is stretched: the box always has the right shape.
- Pick JPG for photos or PNG for graphics with text, and download.
What each platform hides
Most platforms put something on top of your picture or show it differently on phones, so keep faces, text and logos away from the edges:
- Instagram shows posts in the profile grid cropped to a portrait rectangle, and covers the top and bottom of Stories with your name and the reply bar.
- YouTube places the video length in the bottom right corner of thumbnails, and shows only the middle strip of a channel banner on phones and computers — the full image appears only on TVs.
- LinkedIn covers the lower left of the banner with your profile photo.
- Facebook shows covers wider on computers than on phones, which cut off the sides.
- X covers the lower left of the header with your profile picture.
Keep the file small and sharp
Most platforms recompress what you upload, so start with a sharp picture at the full size above rather than a small one. YouTube thumbnails must be under 2 MB: if a PNG is larger, save it as JPG or shrink it with Compress Image. For a different size that isn't in the list, use Resize Image with your own width and height.
Questions people ask
What is the best Instagram post size?
1080 × 1350 pixels (4:5 portrait) takes up the most space in the feed. 1080 × 1080 (square) works for any photo.
What size is a YouTube thumbnail?
1280 × 720 pixels in 16:9, under 2 MB, as JPG, PNG or GIF.
What size is a LinkedIn banner?
1584 × 396 pixels. Keep important text to the right and centre, as your profile photo covers the lower left.
Will cropping lower the quality?
Not if the picture is larger than the size you choose: it is scaled down, which keeps it sharp. A small picture scaled up to a large size can look soft.
Is my picture uploaded?
Crop Image works in your browser for most pictures. Only very large or special files, such as TIFF images, are processed on our server, in memory, and never stored.