The four aspect ratios to know
Before memorizing numbers, remember aspect ratios: the width compared with the height. Almost every social media format comes down to four of them, and the size in pixels is just a variation.
- 1:1, the square (1080 × 1080 px): Instagram’s original format, still accepted everywhere.
- 4:5, the portrait (1080 × 1350 px): the format that takes up the most space in a feed on a phone.
- 9:16, full-screen vertical (1080 × 1920 px): stories, reels, TikTok, Shorts.
- 16:9, landscape (1920 × 1080 px): YouTube videos, thumbnails, presentations.
The pixisgood generators offer these formats directly, as well as 3:4, 2:3 (poster, pin), 3:2 and 2:1 (banner). The “Free” format lets you enter any size up to 4096 pixels.
Quick reference table
| Network | Use | Size | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait post (recommended) | 1080 × 1350 | 4:5 | |
| Square post | 1080 × 1080 | 1:1 | |
| Story, reel | 1080 × 1920 | 9:16 | |
| TikTok | Video, photo carousel | 1080 × 1920 | 9:16 |
| Post image | 1080 × 1350 or 1200 × 1200 | 4:5 or 1:1 | |
| Shared link image | 1200 × 627 | 1.91:1 | |
| Profile banner | 1584 × 396 | 4:1 | |
| Post | 1080 × 1350 or 1080 × 1080 | 4:5 or 1:1 | |
| Story | 1080 × 1920 | 9:16 | |
| YouTube | Thumbnail | 1280 × 720 | 16:9 |
| YouTube | Channel banner | 2560 × 1440 | 16:9 |
| YouTube | Short | 1080 × 1920 | 9:16 |
| Pin | 1000 × 1500 | 2:3 | |
| X | Post image | 1600 × 900 | 16:9 |
| X | Profile banner | 1500 × 500 | 3:1 |
Social networks change their formats regularly: these values match the recommendations in force on the date this guide was last updated.
Instagram: think about the feed and the grid
In the feed, a 4:5 post fills more of the screen than a square: it is the most effective format for catching attention. But since 2025, the profile grid shows thumbnails in 3:4, slightly narrower: the left and right edges of your posts are cropped there. So keep the title and the subject in the central area.
In a carousel, every image takes the aspect ratio of the first one: pick a format and stick to it. For stories and reels, the vertical 9:16 frame is the rule.
Stories, reels and TikTok: the safe zones
In full-screen vertical, the interface covers part of the image: the account name and the progress bar at the top, the caption, the music and the buttons at the bottom, the “like” and “share” icons on the right. In practice, on a 1080 × 1920 image:
- leave about 250 pixels free at the top and 350 at the bottom (more on TikTok and reels, where captions are long);
- avoid the right-hand strip, about 150 pixels wide, where the buttons stack up;
- place the important text in the center, in letters big enough to be read in a second.
The background, on the other hand, can and should fill the whole frame: a gradient or a texture that runs to the edges avoids the “image stuck on a black background” look.
02Try the free toolBackgroundGrainy gradients, marble, terrain and still lifesOpen →LinkedIn, Facebook and X: landscape is no longer king
On these networks, mostly browsed on phones, vertical 4:5 or square images win over landscape. The 1.91:1 format (1200 × 627) is still the one for link previews: the image the network shows when you share an article or a web page.
Profile banners are very elongated (4:1 on LinkedIn, 3:1 on X) and partly hidden by the profile picture, at the bottom left. Use a mood visual, a texture or a pattern there rather than long text, and use the “Free” format to enter the exact size.
01Try the free toolPatternFragments, grids and offset inksOpen →YouTube and Pinterest
The YouTube thumbnail (1280 × 720) is seen very small in search results: one subject, three or four big words, strong contrast. The channel banner (2560 × 1440) displays differently depending on the screen: on a phone, only a central strip of about 1546 × 423 pixels stays visible, so that is where the essentials must go.
On Pinterest, vertical 2:3 pins get the most exposure. The generators’ 2:3 format (1080 × 1620) is a perfect fit.
A graphic designer’s tips
- Start from the format, not the image. Choose the format before composing: a visual designed as a square and then cropped to vertical always loses something.
- Export sharp. For a detailed visual (grain, fine text), export the PNG at ×2: the image stays sharp on high-resolution screens, even after the network’s compression.
- One visual, several formats. In the generators, your settings are kept when you change format: adapt the same visual to 4:5 for the feed and 9:16 for the story in two clicks.
- Movement catches the eye. A 5 to 10 second video loop stands out in a feed of still images. The generators export seamlessly looping MP4s, ready to post.
- Test on a phone. Before posting, send yourself the image and look at it at real size: that is where text that is too small shows up.
To know when to choose PNG, SVG or MP4, also read our guide PNG, SVG or MP4: which format should you choose?
08Try the free toolPlatesMicro-compositions: instruments, labels, titlesOpen →