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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteThere is no single social media picture size that works everywhere. Choose dimensions for the specific placement—such as a profile photo, feed post, Story, link preview or banner—then protect important text and subjects from cropping. The table below is a practical starting point: YouTube and some LinkedIn placements have specifications confirmed in platform help, while most other figures come from Hootsuite’s September 2026 cross-platform guide and should be checked in the current upload preview.
Social media image sizes at a glance
Dimensions below are width × height in pixels. Aspect ratio describes the image’s shape; matching that shape to the placement can matter as much as having enough pixels. Unless noted otherwise, the Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok and general LinkedIn figures are secondary-guide starting points, not universal platform mandates.
| Platform and placement | Starting dimensions | Aspect ratio | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instagram profile picture | 320 × 320 | 1:1 | Displayed as a circle in Hootsuite’s guide; keep the logo or face away from the corners. |
| Instagram square feed image | 1080 × 1080 | 1:1 | Preview the current grid and feed presentation; grid crops can differ from the original post. |
| Instagram landscape feed image | 1080 × 566 | about 1.91:1 | Keep text and subjects inside the intended crop. |
| Instagram portrait feed image | 1080 × 1350 | 4:5 | Confirm the current placement accepts the full portrait frame. |
| Instagram Stories and Reels | 1080 × 1920 | 9:16 | Keep key content clear of interface overlays near the top and bottom. |
| Facebook profile picture | 196 × 196 | 1:1 | Check the circular presentation and current account display. |
| Facebook cover image | 851 × 315 | about 2.70:1 | Check the current Page presentation on desktop and mobile before finalizing. |
| Facebook square feed image | 1080 × 1080 | 1:1 | Preview the post in its actual placement. |
| Facebook Stories and Reels | 1080 × 1920 | 9:16 | Leave room for interface overlays. |
| X profile picture | 400 × 400 | 1:1 | Check the circular crop. |
| X header image | 1500 × 500 | 3:1 | Preview the header where it appears; keep essential content away from edges. |
| X landscape image | 1280 × 720 | 16:9 | Check the preview crop in the current interface. |
| LinkedIn profile picture | 400 × 400 | 1:1 | Preview the profile image in its circular display. |
| LinkedIn Page post with a URL | 1200 × 627 | 1.91:1 | LinkedIn’s placement-specific recommendation. On desktop, images under 200 pixels wide appear as a thumbnail on the left; mobile display can include white padding. |
| LinkedIn portrait feed image | 720 × 900 | 4:5 | Placement affects how an image is shown; preview it before posting. |
| LinkedIn cover placement | 1128 × 191 | about 5.91:1 | A secondary-guide reference only. LinkedIn’s Page cover specification varies by module, so identify the exact placement first. |
| LinkedIn article cover | 1920 × 1080 | 16:9 | LinkedIn recommends this size for article covers and says the cover is cropped to 16:9. |
| TikTok vertical image/ad format | 1080 × 1920 | 9:16 | The profile-picture figure in the secondary guide is 20 × 20; do not treat it as a useful design canvas without checking TikTok’s current upload interface. |
| YouTube channel banner | 2560 × 1440 recommended; 2048 × 1152 minimum | 16:9 | Keep important content inside the safe area described below; preview computer, mobile and TV views. |
How to choose the right size
Start with the placement, not the platform name
A profile image, post image, URL preview and cover image are different jobs, even when they belong to the same account. First identify where the asset will appear and what shape the platform expects there. For example, LinkedIn’s 1200 × 627 recommendation applies to a Page post with a URL; it is not a general LinkedIn profile-background measurement.
Match the aspect ratio before increasing resolution
Aspect ratio is width divided by height. A 16:9 graphic placed in a tall 9:16 Story has the wrong shape even if it contains plenty of pixels, so the service may crop it, add padding or otherwise present it differently. Create a separate canvas for a materially different shape rather than relying on one oversized image to fit every placement.
Build in a safe area
Keep logos, faces and essential words away from edges that may be cropped or covered by controls. Circular avatars cut off square-image corners. Stories and Reels have interface overlays. Covers can shift between devices. Previewing is especially important for text-led designs, where a modest crop can change the meaning.
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Official dimensions and safe areas for YouTube and LinkedIn
YouTube channel banner
YouTube recommends a 2560 × 1440 px banner for best display across devices. Its guidance gives 2048 × 1152 px as the minimum at 16:9; at that minimum size, keep text and logos within a 1235 × 338 px safe area. The file limit is 6 MB. The same banner is cropped differently on computer, mobile and TV, so design on the full canvas, place essential content in the safe area and preview the result on multiple device views.
LinkedIn Page post with a URL
For a custom image attached to a LinkedIn Page post with a URL, the platform recommends a 1.91:1 ratio (1200 × 627 pixels). This is a link-preview placement, not a rule for every LinkedIn image. LinkedIn also notes that images narrower than 200 pixels appear as a thumbnail on the left, and that mobile display can include white padding rather than the same crop used on desktop.
LinkedIn article cover
LinkedIn’s article-cover guidance recommends 1920 × 1080 pixels and says the cover is cropped to 16:9. Keep the important part of the artwork inside that frame; do not use the Page-post link-preview dimensions as a substitute.
Which dimensions are recommendations, and which are starting points?
The YouTube banner figures and the LinkedIn Page URL-post and article-cover figures above are platform guidance for those named placements. The Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok and other general cross-platform measurements are Hootsuite’s September 2026 reference values. They are useful canvases to begin with, not proof that every account, device or placement enforces those exact numbers. Conflicting and placement-specific values are particularly relevant for Instagram grid crops, Facebook covers and LinkedIn banners.
When official guidance for the exact placement is not available, use the platform’s current upload preview and help information for the account type you are publishing to. The interface is the final check: look at the crop on the intended surface and verify that text, logos and faces remain visible before posting.
A reliable workflow for preparing images
- List the placements. Separate profile pictures, feed posts, Stories/Reels, URL previews, banners and article covers into distinct deliverables.
- Choose a canvas for each shape. Use the relevant row above as a starting dimension, then check the platform’s current help or upload screen for that specific placement.
- Place essential content centrally. Respect any explicit safe-area measurement and allow extra breathing room where crops or interface overlays may vary.
- Export and inspect. View the file at its intended aspect ratio and check for clipped text, unreadable details or unwanted padding.
- Preview in context. Use the actual account’s composer or preview, including different device views where available. Revise the crop before publication if a focal point is obscured.
Check how a page looks before capturing it
A screenshot can help review a webpage or landing page as it appears in a browser, but it does not establish a social platform’s image specification or replace that platform’s post preview. If you need a record of a page displaying your image, capture the page at the relevant viewport and separately confirm the asset inside the social network’s composer.
Or skip the browser setup
For a webpage screenshot, ScreenshotNeo provides a one-call API. Put your API key in place of YOUR_API_KEY; the response is saved as a WebP file. See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for request options.
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Common sizing problems and fixes
- The edges or corners disappear: the placement may crop the image or display it as a circle. Reposition key content inward and check the current preview.
- A banner looks different on mobile and desktop: the same wide canvas may be cropped differently across views. For YouTube, use the documented safe area and inspect computer, mobile and TV previews; for other banners, check the current Page or profile preview.
- A link image becomes a small thumbnail: on LinkedIn Page URL posts, images under 200 pixels wide appear as a left-side thumbnail. Use the recommended 1200 × 627 canvas for the custom image and verify the result in the composer.
- A post looks padded on mobile: LinkedIn says mobile images for Page URL posts can display with white padding. Check the mobile preview instead of assuming it will match desktop.
- A Story loses text beneath controls: keep text and the main subject away from top and bottom interface areas, then inspect the Story/Reel preview.
- A graphic fits one placement but not another: the placements likely use different aspect ratios. Export a separate crop rather than stretching or shrinking the original indiscriminately.
- A guide’s size conflicts with the upload interface: broad tables are starting points, and platform rules can vary by placement or account type. Follow the current platform help and preview for the exact destination.
FAQ
Can I use one image size for every social platform?
One source design can be adapted, but separate crops are usually needed when placements have different aspect ratios or safe areas.
Should I follow a secondary guide or the upload preview?
Use a secondary table to plan a canvas, then treat the current platform help and placement preview as the final check, especially for text or logos.
Are these dimensions guaranteed not to change?
No. Platform interfaces and specifications can change; verify volatile placements when preparing assets for publication.
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