Why is it important to use the right image sizes on social networks?

Using the right image size on Facebook is just as important as on Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter and all other social networks. Each platform has its own codes, and respecting them allows you to take full advantage of the space reserved for you when you publish.

Having the right format prevents your content from being too small or incorrectly sized, which can pixelate or distort your image. The wrong format can also cause the image to be cropped, with the result that your content may not be visible in its entirety.
Poorly shared content has a negative impact on your visual identity. In fact, it's simply a matter of spreading a an attractive, professional image for your company.

As changes are frequently made to image sizes on Facebook and other social networks, we'll be updating this article regularly throughout 2023. If there are any changes we haven't made yet, please let us know!

Image size on Facebook in 2023

The social network Facebookthe largest network in terms of number of subscribers, is an ideal platform for sharing professional content through a page dedicated to your company.
Even though Facebook's heyday may be over, we still need to keep using this social network, which is consumed differently by users than those who use Instagram, for example.

Recommended image sizes on Facebook have tendency to change regularlyt, so we must remain vigilant.

Facebook profile picture size

Let's start at the very beginning with the Facebook profile photo. Since 2022, this has been displayed as a round image on your profile, but you can add your image in square format. On computers, Facebook uses a size of 180 x 180 pixels, and on smartphones a size of 140 x 140 pixels.

However, for the best possible quality, we recommend that you add a profile photo size 360 x 360 pixels.

Facebook cover photo size

Facebook recommends that your cover photo be at least 400 pixels wide by 150 pixels high. To avoid any distortion or compression of your cover photo, we recommend uploading an image of less than 100 Kb in JPEG format. On computers, Facebook uses a size of 820 x 312 px for the cover photo, and on smartphones a size of 640 x 360 px.

For the best cover photo quality, we recommend uploading a photo of your choice. photo size: 820 x 312 px while keeping the file size down.

Please note:

• The dimensions above are for a Facebook page, for your private account integrate a photo size 851 x 310 pixels and for events and groups, discover the formats below.
  
• Also bear in mind that responsive from Facebook is very limited and make sure your cover photo looks good on your computer, tablet and smartphone.

Facebook News Feed: image size

As for publications, there is some disagreement. Historically, Facebook has tended to feature rectangular images, but this is changing to a square format.
So you can use the 1200 x 630 pixel format (which finally appears on the News Feed at 487 x 255 pixels) or the square format at 1200 x 1200 pixels.

For better visibility of your publications, we recommend that you share image size: 1200 x 1200 px (which could also be used on Instagram).

Event image size on Facebook

For your Facebook groups, the dimensions are slightly different. Facebook displays an image measuring 500 x 262 pixels.
For the best quality of your cover photo, we recommend that you add a image size: 1200 x 628 pixels. What's more, as this is a fairly common format on the social network, you can potentially recover an image that has already been shared.

Facebook group image size

For your Facebook groups, the dimensions differ slightly from other cover photos. Facebook could have made this simple, but as you can see, it's not.

For the best quality of your group cover photo, we recommend adding an image size: 1640 x 856 pixels.

Facebook image size for shared links

When you publish an external link on the Facebook News Feed, the thumbnail (image) that accompanies the link is from the size 1200 x 630 pixels.

Image size for a Facebook story

A very popular format used by all social networks, stories must present a variety of images or videos in 1080 × 1920 pixel format to take over the entire screen.

Carousel ad image size on Facebook

A Facebook Ads visual must have a minimum resolution of 600 x 600 pixels. Bearing in mind that this is an advertisement, and that the quality of the content is a real incentive to buy, we strongly recommend that you use 1080 x 1080 pixel format or 1:1 ratio. The size of the image used may not exceed 30 MB and for a video in the Facebook Carousel, it must be can weigh no more than 4 GB.

For your information, other ratios are also required for Facebook Ads, such as 1.91:1 or 9:16. These ratios depend on the location of your ads:

• News feed and In-stream videos: 1:1 ratio
• Stories and real life: Ratio 1.91:1
• Research results and articles: Ratio 9:16

Image size on LinkedIn

Unlike other social networks, LinkedIn is much more flexible when it comes to the size and formats of the images used. LinkedIn isn't quite up to speed yet when it comes to adapting images such as cover photos, so check your content carefully, especially if you're adding text and a logo to your cover photo so that it's visible on smartphones as well as computers and tablets. We recommend that you center your text content as much as possible.

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Image dimensions for LinkedIn account

LinkedIn uses 400 x 400 pixel images on its platform, but that doesn't mean you can't exceed this size.

Of course, we recommend that you are perfectly square but you can use a format that will up to 8MB for enhanced rendering.

As for the cover photo of your personal LinkedIn account, it is displayed at 1548 x 396 pixels, but as for the profile photo, you can use an image with a maximum weight of 8MB.

Image dimensions for a LinkedIn page

As far as the LinkedIn professional page is concerned, the dimensions are only not the same as your private account.

For your company profile photo, this is 300 x 300 pixels and the cover photo is 1125 x 191 pixels.

The two types of images below and their sizes are similar and respect a ratio of 1.91:1 whether you publish this through your private account or through your LinkedIn page:

• External links shared on LinkedIn have a recommended thumbnail size of 1200 x 627 pixels.
  
• The size of images published in a blog post on LinkedIn must be 1200 x 627 pixels.

Image size on Instagram and video formats

InstagramThe social network of choice for young (and not so young) people, and for quality content. If there's one social network where you need to be particularly careful about the content you publish, it's this one. There are several possible publication formats on Instagram, even if, as you'll see below, we recommend eliminating one of the formats that, in our experience, doesn't work well in terms of visuals on this platform. So, respect the size of images on Instagram, take care of your content, use the right hashtags... and that'll already be a good start!

There's also different techniques allowing you to show certain elements of your publications on the News Feed and hide them on your feed (personal "wall"), as on our Lead Agency account.

Follow our account Instagram Lead Agency to find our many tips in short format.

Instagram profile picture size

The format of your profile photo on your Instagram account should be square and displayed at 110 × 110 pixels, but we recommend that you add a image size: 320 x 320 pixels.

Be careful: the image of your profile photo is round, so remember to center the elements and leave enough space so that your logo (for example) isn't cut off.

Size for different photo formats on Instagram (feed)

It is possible to use different image formats and videos on the Instagram News Feed: landscape, square and portrait.

For each of these formats, it is highly recommended to respect the width 1080 pixels to obtain a better quality rendering.

• Instagram landscape format: 1080 x 566 pixels
• Instagram square format: 1080 x 1080 pixels
• Instagram portrait format: 1080 x 1350 pixels

We recommend that you do not not use (if possible) landscape format on Instagram, which takes up considerably less space on the News Feed and therefore gives you less visibility.

Size for Instagram stories

For Instagram stories, we recommend using the image size 1080 x 1920 pixels and therefore use a 9:16 ratio.

You should use the same format for classic stories as for advertising stories.

Size for highlight thumbnails on Instagram

Want to highlight and keep stories visible for longer than 24 hours?
Then you can put them in "top stories" and categorize them according to the topics you want.

Each subject can then have a thumbnail that appears at the top of your profile in 161 x 161 pixel format, which we recommend you import at 1080 x 1080 pixel format.

Image size on YouTube

How to size images on Youtube ? Well, let's face it, this isn't the social network with the most of them. Pay attention to your profile photo and cover photo, as well as the format of your video thumbnails, and you'll be good to go!

YouTube profile picture size

The Youtube profile photo is rather small, measuring 98 x 98 pixels, but we recommend that you include a Youtube profile photo of the same size as your profile photo. size 800 x 800 pixels with a maximum weight 6MB. Be sure to center important elements such as your logo.

Most image types are accepted except Gif's.

YouTube cover photo size

The Youtube cover photo must respect a 16:9 ratio and preferably minimum 2048 x 1152 pixels with an image weight of maximum 6MB.

Please note: the cover photo must respect the dimensions of a smartphone, tablet, computer or TV. Take into account the rendering when integrating your photo, and adapt your Youtube cover photo if necessary.

YouTube video size

For Youtube videos, the size is quite simple: you need to respect the 16:9 ratio with a size 1280 x 720 pixels to comply with High Definition.

We also recommend that videos intended for sale respect a larger format than conventional videos: 1920 x 1080 pixels.

Image size on Twitter

You use or plan to use Twitter to publish content? Here are a few image formats for you to consider create an attractive profile and in accordance with the platform rules.

Twitter profile picture size

The minimum size for a profile photo on Twitter is 200 x 200 pixels, but we recommend adding a 400 x 400 pixel image with a weight of maximum 2MB.

Twitter cover photo size

For the Twitter cover photo, we recommend using a 1500 x 500 pixel format.
Please note that your Twitter cover photo will appear differently depending on the device you're using.