Social media heavily favors photo and video content over text alone. However, every social media platform requires a different aspect ratio. In this article, we'll cover the different image sizes, video sizes, and aspect ratios for YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and more.

What Are the Most Common Aspect Ratios on Social Media?

The most common video aspect ratio is 9:16, alongside 1:1 and 4:5 for images.

Excluding YouTube videos (16:9 ratio), vertical 9:16 videos are the most widely used aspect ratio on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram Reels and Stories, Facebook Reels, X (Twitter), YouTube Shorts, and even Pinterest. Vertical videos first emerged in 2011 on Snapchat before TikTok made the trend boom several years later. Now, almost all social media platforms support or require a vertical 9:16 ratio. For images, there is a popular mix of both 1:1 (for square images) and 4:5 ratios (for vertically-orientated images).

To help navigate all image and video aspect ratios, please use the below infographics as a baseline.

For more case-by-case and in-depth answers you can navigate to each social media section via the table of contents.

• Common Aspect Ratios on Social Media in 2024
• YouTube Aspect Ratios
• TikTok Aspect Ratio
• Instagram Aspect Ratios
• Facebook Aspect Ratios
• X (Twitter) Aspect Ratios
• Pinterest Aspect Ratios
• Reddit Aspect Ratios
• Lemon8 Aspect Ratios
• How to Change a Video or Image Size

YouTube Aspect Ratios

YouTube Main Channel

It's best practice to stick to an aspect ratio of 16:9 for YouTube's Main Channel.

If you’re using an especially narrow or tall video, YouTube will generally add black padding to the sides. However, if you’re using a vertical 9:16 video, YouTube will crop it on the top and bottom to 4:5 when viewed on the mobile app.

• YouTube video length: up to 15 minutes for all users; up to 12 hours for verified users
• YouTube video aspect ratio: 16:9
• YouTube video size limit: 256 GB

YouTube Shorts Aspect Ratio

While you can upload videos in square (1:1) and landscape (16:9) aspect ratios, vertical (9:16) is the only format that fits perfectly without black bars above and below the content.

• Shorts video length: between 15 and 180 seconds (3 minutes)
• Shorts aspect ratio: 9:16
• Shorts video size limit: 10 MB

YouTube Image Sizes

There are only a few places to upload images on YouTube: as a thumbnail image for a video, as part of a Community post, or as your channel cover photo. The image dimensions for each are different.

• YouTube Thumbnail Size: 1280 x 720 pixels.
• YouTube Community Post Image: 1:1
• Channel Cover Photo Size: 2560px by 1440px. This will ensure sure your channel art displays clearly on multiple devices and isn't grainy or pixelated.

You can make your own YouTube art using Kapwing and generate cover photos and profile images that are completely unique to your channel.

YouTube video ad specs:

• YouTube ads video length: varies by campaign
• YouTube ads aspect ratio: 16:9, 9:16
• YouTube ads video size limit: 256 GB

If you're creating YouTube video ads, the specs vary depending on the video formats you choose. There are three main video formats for YouTube video ads:

1. Skippable video ads: As the name implies, skippable video ads allow viewers to skip ads after 5 seconds.
2. Non-skippable video ads: These ads must be watched in their entirety before a video will resume playing. They are typically mid-roll video ads.
3. Bumper video ads: Bumper video ads are any non-skippable video ad that plays before a video. Viewers must watch the ad in its entirety before the video will begin playing. These are not long-form video ads, as they can only be up to six seconds long.

TikTok Aspect Ratio

Unlike all other social media platforms, TikTok is a one-size-fits-all platform. It's a vertical video-only platform, meaning all your videos should be 9:16.

One thing to keep in mind with TikTok, though, is how the user interface will overlap with your content. Like Instagram Reels, the Like, Comments, Follow, and Share buttons as well as the video caption and your profile image obscure a significant portion of the screen.

Read our 2024 guide on TikTok video sizes for more information.

• TikTok video length: up to 30 minutes (for some users)
• TikTok aspect ratio: 9:16 or 16:9
• TikTok video size limit: 72 MB
• TikTok Videos: up to 30 min for certain creators (your choice of 15s, 60s, 3min, 10min, 15 min, or 30 min if you're in the Beta testing program).
• TikTok Live: No hard limit given by TikTok, but they recommend no longer than 30 minutes. If you're streaming with your TikTok Stream Key, though, you can take that recommendation with a grain of salt as video game streams are generally expected to be longer.
• TikTok Stories: Up to 3min (your choice of 15s, 60s, or 3min); only last for 24 hr

Instagram Aspect Ratios

Instagram Image Sizes

The two suitable image aspect ratios are 4:5 (portrait 1080 x 1350 pixels) and 1:1 (square 1080 x 1080 pixels).

A collection of images (you can add up to 10) posted in a carousel must follow the same aspect ratio requirements. When you post multiple photos on Instagram at the same time, they all have to have the same aspect ratio or Instagram will crop them. To share multiple photos of different sizes on Instagram without cropping, you should resize them first.

Instagram Video Sizes

Instagram video size for in-feed video is 4:5 (portrait 1080px by 1350px). The aspect ratio then varies for Stories and Reels.

• Instagram video length: up to 60 minutes
• Instagram video size limit: 4 GB

Instagram Stories Aspect Ratio

Instagram Stories ratio is 9:16 (1080px by 1920px).

You can share different image and video aspect ratios to Instagram Stories if you choose. For instance, if your media is too small, you can zoom in to fill up the screen or leave it in the middle with a colorful background. If the media is larger than 1080 x 1920, you will need to apply a crop or zoom out.

Instagram Reels Aspect Ratio

Reels is a vertical video platform, so all Instagram Reels must have an aspect ratio of 9:16 (1080px by 1920px).

Something to keep in mind with Instagram Reels: the user interface can cover some of the content in your video. The Like, Comment, and Save buttons on the right side of the screen — as well as the caption and your own personal profile picture — obscure 25%-30% of the screen. You can use a tool like Safe Zones to see where the UI will cover your video to make sure important elements like subtitles are still visible.

• Instagram Feed videos: 15-minute mobile uploads; 60-minute desktop uploads
• Instagram Stories: up to 60 seconds
• Instagram Reels: up to 90 seconds (your choice of 15, 30, 60, or 90 seconds)
• Instagram Live: up to 60 minutes

Instagram Threads video specs

• Threads video length: up to 5 minutes
• Threads aspect ratio: any

Although you’ll see a lot of reposted TikToks and Reels on Threads, Threads doesn’t limit video uploads to a 9:16 aspect ratios and supports all of the following video aspect ratios:

• Portrait (3:4) A 3:4 aspect ratio will take up most real estate vertically and horizontally in the Threads feed. This is also the most common image size for Instagram.
• Square (1:1) A 1:1 aspect ratio will still take up a fair amount of screen horizontally, but you lose some vertical real estate.
• Landscape (16:9) While landscape videos are supported on Threads, they can look small in fullscreen mode. Turning your phone won’t expand the video to take up the whole screen, which is somewhat frustrating. As a workaround, you could rotate your video and upload it with a 9:16 aspect ratio and a quick caption asking viewers to flip their phones.
• Tall (9:16) A 9:16 aspect ratio on Threads will always be left-adjusted in the feed, leaving a somewhat awkward blank space on the right side of the screen. Viewers can still tap to view it in fullscreen mode, though.

Facebook Aspect Ratios

Facebook Profile Pictures

The minimum image size for a Facebook profile image is 400 x 400 pixels. Anything lower resolution than that will start to look pixelated and grainy.

And remember, Facebook profile pictures display differently depending on how you're accessing Facebook — through the Facebook mobile app, via a mobile browser, or on your desktop browser.

We also recommend sticking to a 1:1 aspect ratio, which is a square photo. Profile images display as either a square or a circle, so starting with a square photo is the best way to ensure a seamless crop. You can also add a frame to your Facebook Profile image to make your photo stand out, emphasize a key message, or capitalize on a trend.

Facebook Cover Photo Dimensions

There is a wide variety of cover photo options on Facebook, and they all have different sizes.

• Facebook Profile Cover Photo: 1125 x 633 px; 2.7:1
• Facebook Business Page Cover Photo: 1200 x 674 px; 16:9
• Facebook Group Cover Photo: 1920 x 1005 px; 1.91:1
• Facebook Event Image Cover Photo: 1920 x 1005 px; 1.91:1

Facebook Image Sizes

Facebook supports vertically oriented images, landscape images, and square images. That means the square and vertical images you would post to Instagram (1:1 and 4:5 respectively) will work on Facebook. No matter what orientation you go with, the minimum image size recommended is 600 x 315 pixels.

Facebook Video Sizes

Facebook video in the main feed supports 16:9 and 1:1 video. Anything taller will have automatic padding added to the sides, so your whole video will be visible.

Facebook Reels, like Instagram Reels, support only 9:16 video.

Facebook Watch, though, is the opposite. All videos are padded to fit a 16:9 frame. If you'd prefer to add your own background instead, you can resize your video to 16:9 and add a solid-color background before uploading.

• Facebook video length: up to 4 hours
• Facebook aspect ratio: 16:9 recommended
• Facebook video size limit: 10 GB

For video ads, Facebook has reported that 47% of the value in a video is seen in the first 3 seconds of your advertisement. In short, get your message across. Fast.

X (Twitter) Aspect Ratios

X (Twitter) Image Sizes

You can tweet images with aspect ratios between 2:1 and 1:1 for desktop. On mobile, you have the additional options of 3:4 and 16:9. X (Twitter) rolled out these new dimensions in 2021 and the same dimensions apply in 2024.

When you post multiple images in a single tweet, just keep in mind that the image preview will crop differently depending on how many images you post. You can tweet up to four videos and images in a single post.

For two photos, both images are 8:9. For 3 photos, the first photo is 8:9, while the second and third are 16:9. For 4 photos, all photos are 16:9 again.

X (Twitter) Video Sizes

Recommended video resolutions for best results are: 1280 x 720 (landscape), 720 x 1280 (portrait), and 720 x 720 (square).

• X video length: 140 seconds
• X video aspect ratio: 16:9, 1:1, 3:4
• X video size limit: 512 MB

Pinterest Aspect Ratios

Pinterest supports both video and image pins, as well as live video and vertical video similar to TikToks or Instagram Stories.

Pinterest Image Sizes

Pinterest recommends keeping images to a 2:3 aspect ratio; anything taller than that gets cut off. Shorter than that, and you're not taking advantage of the available real estate to grab viewers' attention.

For the best resolution across devices, aim for 1000 x 1500 pixels.

Always keep in mind that the width of Pins is locked, regardless of app or platform, so it’s always best to use the tallest possible dimensions. The closer you are to 2:3 (or 1:2 on desktop), the more attention your pin can attract.

Pinterest Idea Pins Sizes

Idea Pins are Pinterest's answer to vertical, full-screen video and image. The aspect ratio for Idea Pins is 9:16, although you can post videos and images that are smaller.

Pinterest Video Pins

Just like a standard Pinterest image, video Pins should stay in the 2:3 aspect ratio. This will take up the maximum space on screen, giving the visual content in your Pin the best chance to shine.

Reddit Aspect Ratios

There are no dimension limits on Reddit, but there are some guidelines to keep in mind.

In “Card” view, if your pictures are a bit taller than a square, Reddit will add side padding, up to a ratio of 16:9. If they’re taller than that, Reddit will add a “See Full Image” button and crop the bottom portion of your picture.

For people using Reddit’s “classic” view, all images are cropped to 5:4. So it may be a good idea to make sure that all the most important parts of your picture are visible in a 5:4 frame.

Lemon8 Aspect Ratios For Images and Videos

The newbie on the block, Lemon8's popularity has been rising since November 2024 when TikTok announced an integration with the app, allowing users to sign in to both platforms with one username.

Lemon8 prefers the aspect ratio of 3:4, ideal for vertical photos and videos. Luckily, this is the standard aspect ratio for most visual platforms today. The maximum length of a Lemon8 video is 60 seconds. 

Requirements:

• Aspect Ratio for Images and Videos: 3:4️
• Maximum Video Length: 60 seconds

If your video isn't in a 3:4 aspect ratio, it's better to resize the video before you upload it using Kapwing's quick and easy tool.

How to Change Your Photo and Video Dimensions

Now that you know the image sizes and aspect ratios for all social media platforms, you can start creating content optimized to each unique channel. The easiest way to do that is by using a resizing tool.

Note: The following instructions work for resizing any photo or video. For this example, we'll be resizing an image, but you can use the same steps to resize a video, too.

How to Resize an Image or Video using Kapwing

Head to Kapwing's Resize Image Tool and click "Choose an image" to open the editor.

To upload your content, either paste a link to your photo or use the "Click to upload" button and find it in your file browser. You can also use the Google Photos or Google Drive integration to import your image from the cloud.

You'll see the uploaded image(s) in the Media tab on the left sidebar. Select the image you want to resize to add it to the canvas by hovering over it with your mouse then clicking on the blue plus button that appears.

To resize, click the "Crop" button in the right side edit menu.

You can select custom to freely crop the edges of your image or choose from any of the preset crop options. These will automatically crop your photo to one of the most common aspect ratios on social media.

If you don't have that memorized, no worries (that's a lot of info to remember, we get it). Simply hover over a preset with your mouse to see which platforms the aspect ratio corresponds to.

When you click on a preset, you will be able to see the crop preview and drag or stretch the image within the preview so that it shows what you want the final image to look like. When you're happy with it, either hit Enter on your keyboard or click the "Crop" button a second time.

Now you'll see the new cropped image, but there may be some blank, white space showing around the edges. To remove these, click the dark gray background behind the image preview to select the canvas. Click the "Remove padding" button in the right side edit menu under the Expand Padding header.

This will automatically match the size of the canvas to the size of your image, removing the white background.

If you don't want to crop your image, click the background and click the "Resize Canvas" button instead. This will allow you to resize the background without changing the image itself.

Choose a preset of the most common social media image sizes to automatically resize. You can also choose from a blurred background or a solid color background.

Your final image will be the correct aspect ratio for whichever platform you want to post on without cropping out any of the original photo.

Whichever method you choose, when you're happy with how it looks, click the export button to export the current version. You'll see a list of all recent exports in the right side of the editor. Click the "Download" button next to the version you want to save to your device.

For more articles like this with helpful tips, tricks, and tools for navigating social media in 2024, visit our Resources Library or check out our YouTube channel.