Social Media Image Sizes 2026: The Complete UK Guide

Nothing kills your social media presence faster than pixelated images, awkward cropping or content that looks like it was made in 2019. The platforms change their specs constantly and keeping track of every dimension across Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook and X is a nightmare.

We have compiled every image size you need for 2026 in one place. Bookmark this page. You will use it more than you think.

When your images do not match platform requirements, bad things happen. The platform either crops your content (cutting off your logo or key message), stretches it (making everything look amateur) or compresses it so heavily that text becomes unreadable. Your audience scrolls past in milliseconds and your carefully crafted content gets ignored.

Getting dimensions right is not about perfectionism. It is about not sabotaging your own work before anyone sees it.

Instagram remains the visual platform of choice for brands, but it has more format options than ever. Here is what you need:

Profile Photo: 320 x 320 pixels minimum. Instagram displays this as a circle so keep important elements centred. Upload at higher resolution (we recommend 400 x 400) for sharper display on larger screens.

Square Posts: 1080 x 1080 pixels with a 1:1 aspect ratio. The classic Instagram format that still performs well in feeds.

Portrait Posts: 1080 x 1350 pixels with a 4:5 aspect ratio. This takes up more screen real estate in the feed, which means more attention on your content. Most brands have shifted to this format as their default.

Landscape Posts: 1080 x 566 pixels with a 1.91:1 aspect ratio. Less common now but still supported. Works for certain photography styles.

Stories and Reels: 1080 x 1920 pixels with a 9:16 aspect ratio. Full screen vertical content. Keep text and important elements within the central safe zone as interface elements cover the top and bottom.

Carousel Posts: Same dimensions as standard posts. You can mix square and portrait in the same carousel but the first image sets the aspect ratio for the thumbnail.

TikTok is primarily video but images matter for profile branding and the increasingly popular photo carousel feature.

Profile Photo: 200 x 200 pixels minimum but upload higher resolution for quality. The platform accepts up to 1080 x 1080. Displays as a circle.

Video Content: 1080 x 1920 pixels with a 9:16 aspect ratio. Anything else gets black bars which looks unprofessional and reduces engagement.

Photo Carousels: 1080 x 1920 pixels with a 9:16 aspect ratio. You can include up to 35 photos in a single TikTok carousel post. Vertical format only if you want full screen display.

Stories: 1080 x 1920 pixels. Same as video content. Maximum 15 seconds for video stories.

Business Banner: Business accounts can customise their profile banner. Use 1080 x 1920 pixels to match the platform aesthetic.

LinkedIn has become genuinely useful for content in recent years. The platform now supports carousels, video and much better image handling than before.

Personal Profile Photo: 400 x 400 pixels recommended. Maximum 8MB file size. Displays as a circle on personal profiles.

Company Page Logo: 300 x 300 pixels. Square format, maximum 3MB file size.

Personal Cover Photo: 1584 x 396 pixels with a 4:1 aspect ratio. Maximum 8MB. Note that cropping differs between mobile and desktop so check both before finalising.

Company Page Cover: 1128 x 191 pixels. The company logo overlaps on the left side so keep important elements towards the centre and right.

Square Posts: 1200 x 1200 pixels with a 1:1 aspect ratio. Works well on both desktop and mobile.

Portrait Posts: 1080 x 1350 pixels with a 4:5 aspect ratio. Takes up more feed space on mobile.

Landscape Posts: 1200 x 628 pixels with a 1.91:1 aspect ratio. Good for link previews and article shares.

Article Cover Images: 1920 x 1080 pixels. High resolution matters here as these display prominently.

Facebook still has the largest user base and the most complex array of image requirements across profiles, pages, groups, ads and stories.

Profile Photo: 170 x 170 pixels on desktop, 128 x 128 on mobile. Upload at 400 x 400 minimum for quality. Displays as a circle.

Cover Photo: 820 x 312 pixels on desktop, 640 x 360 on mobile. The display differs significantly between devices so keep critical elements centred.

Square Posts: 1200 x 1200 pixels with a 1:1 aspect ratio.

Landscape Posts: 1200 x 630 pixels with a 1.91:1 aspect ratio. Standard for link shares.

Portrait Posts: 1080 x 1350 pixels with a 4:5 aspect ratio.

Stories: 1080 x 1920 pixels with a 9:16 aspect ratio. Same as Instagram Stories.

Event Cover: 1200 x 628 pixels. Appears at 500 x 262 in feed but upload at higher resolution.

Group Cover: 1640 x 856 pixels. Displays differently on mobile so test before publishing.

X has simplified some of its image handling but still has specific requirements for optimal display.

Profile Photo: 400 x 400 pixels. Displays as a circle at various sizes across the platform.

Header Image: 1500 x 500 pixels with a 3:1 aspect ratio. The profile photo overlaps on the left side.

Landscape Posts: 1200 x 675 pixels with a 16:9 aspect ratio. The standard format for most content.

Square Posts: 1080 x 1080 pixels with a 1:1 aspect ratio.

Portrait Posts: 1080 x 1350 pixels with a 4:5 aspect ratio.

In-Stream Images: Images in timeline display at a maximum width of 506 pixels. Upload higher resolution for quality when users click to expand.

YouTube requirements extend beyond video to thumbnails and channel branding which significantly impact click-through rates.

Channel Profile Photo: 800 x 800 pixels. Displays as a circle at various sizes.

Channel Banner: 2560 x 1440 pixels. The safe area for text and logos is 1546 x 423 pixels in the centre. Content outside this area may be cropped on different devices.

Video Thumbnails: 1280 x 720 pixels with a 16:9 aspect ratio. Minimum width 640 pixels. This is arguably the most important image on YouTube as it directly affects whether people click your videos.

Community Posts: 1200 x 1200 pixels for square images. The platform supports various aspect ratios but square performs consistently.

Pinterest rewards vertical content more than any other platform. Long pins get more visibility and saves.

Profile Photo: 280 x 280 pixels. Displays as a circle.

Standard Pins: 1000 x 1500 pixels with a 2:3 aspect ratio. The optimal format for most content.

Long Pins: 1000 x 2100 pixels. Extended format that performs well for infographics and step-by-step content.

Square Pins: 1000 x 1000 pixels. Less common but supported.

Board Covers: 800 x 450 pixels. Create cohesive board aesthetics with consistent cover images.

For fast reference when you are creating content:

Stories and Reels (all platforms): 1080 x 1920 pixels, 9:16 aspect ratio

Square posts (most platforms): 1080 x 1080 pixels, 1:1 aspect ratio

Portrait posts (feed optimised): 1080 x 1350 pixels, 4:5 aspect ratio

Landscape posts (link shares): 1200 x 630 pixels, 1.91:1 aspect ratio

Profile photos (all platforms): 400 x 400 pixels minimum, square format

Dimensions are only half the battle. File format and compression also affect how your images display.

JPG: Best for photographs and images with gradients. Keep quality at 80% or above for social media.

PNG: Best for graphics, logos and images with text. Larger file sizes but sharper edges and transparency support.

File size limits: Most platforms accept up to 8MB but smaller files load faster. Aim for under 1MB where possible without sacrificing quality.

Colour space: Use sRGB colour space. Some platforms convert other colour spaces which can shift your colours unexpectedly.

Rather than manually resizing every image, several tools can automate the process:

Canva: Has preset dimensions for every social platform. Create once, resize automatically.

Adobe Express: Similar functionality with Adobe ecosystem integration.

Figma: More powerful for teams creating content at scale. Templates can be shared and updated centrally.

Native scheduling tools: Platforms like Buffer, Hootsuite and Later often handle resizing automatically when you upload content.

Platform requirements change regularly. Instagram tweaked their aspect ratio support three times in 2025 alone. We update this guide whenever platforms announce changes so bookmark it and check back.

If you would rather not think about image sizes at all, that is what we do. SuperHub handles social media management for businesses across the UK, including all the tedious technical details that make content actually perform. Get in touch if you want someone else to worry about pixels.