Why Aspect Ratios Matter on Social Media
Every social media platform uses a specific display grid. Upload an image with the wrong proportions and the platform auto-crops it — often cutting off faces, text, or the focal point of your composition. Getting the aspect ratio right before posting ensures your content looks intentional and professional.
2025 Social Media Image Dimensions Cheat Sheet
- Feed post (square): 1080 × 1080 px (1:1)
- Feed post (portrait): 1080 × 1350 px (4:5) — takes up more screen space
- Feed post (landscape): 1080 × 566 px (1.91:1)
- Stories / Reels: 1080 × 1920 px (9:16)
- Profile photo: 320 × 320 px
YouTube
- Thumbnails: 1280 × 720 px (16:9)
- Channel banner: 2560 × 1440 px (safe zone: center 1546 × 423 px)
- Profile photo: 800 × 800 px
- Feed post (link): 1200 × 630 px (1.91:1)
- Feed post (square): 1080 × 1080 px
- Cover photo: 851 × 315 px (desktop) / 640 × 360 px (mobile)
- Feed post: 1200 × 627 px (recommended)
- Profile banner: 1584 × 396 px
- Company logo: 300 × 300 px
TikTok
- Video cover / profile: 200 × 200 px
- Video: 1080 × 1920 px (9:16)
How to Crop Images for Social Media
- Open the Image Cropper.
- Upload your image.
- Select the aspect ratio preset that matches your target platform (1:1 for Instagram square, 16:9 for YouTube thumbnail, etc.).
- Drag the crop box to frame your subject correctly.
- Click Crop & Download.
Pro Tip: Shoot Vertically for Maximum Flexibility
If you're taking photos specifically for social media, shoot in portrait orientation (vertical). A 9:16 vertical image can be cropped to 4:5, 1:1, or 16:9 without losing the main subject. A landscape photo can't easily crop into vertical formats without losing most of the image.