Uploading the wrong image size costs you: too small and your image looks pixelated, too large and it loads slowly. Every platform has specific requirements. This guide gives you every dimension you need for 2026, plus tips on getting the best result when resizing.
Resizing vs Compressing: What Is the Difference?
These two operations are often confused but they do different things:
Resizing changes the pixel dimensions of the image. A 4000x3000 photo resized to 1000x750 will have exactly 750,000 pixels instead of 12,000,000. The image is physically smaller and the file size drops significantly.
Compressing reduces file size without changing pixel dimensions. A 1920x1080 image can be compressed from 3MB to 400KB while staying at 1920x1080 pixels. You cannot see the difference on screen.
For web publishing, do both: resize to the maximum display size, then compress. Our Image Resizer handles resizing, and our Image Compressor handles compression.
Halving the width and height of an image reduces file size by about 75%. A 4000x3000 photo at 8MB becomes roughly 2MB at 2000x1500, and 0.5MB at 1000x750.
Why Image Dimensions Matter
- Pixelated images happen when you display an image larger than its pixel dimensions. A 200x200 photo stretched to fill a 800x800 area looks blurry.
- Slow loading happens when your image is much larger than it needs to be. A 5000px wide photo on a blog post that displays at 800px is sending 6x more data than necessary.
- Rejection by platforms - some platforms reject uploads above a certain file size or pixel dimension. LinkedIn profile photos must be under 8MB, for example.
Platform Dimensions Reference Guide 2026
Use our free Image Resizer to resize to any of these dimensions instantly.
| Platform / Use | Recommended Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Post (Square) | 1080 x 1080 px | 1:1 ratio |
| Post (Portrait) | 1080 x 1350 px | 4:5 ratio, more screen space |
| Post (Landscape) | 1080 x 566 px | 1.91:1 ratio |
| Story / Reel | 1080 x 1920 px | 9:16 ratio, full screen |
| Profile photo | 320 x 320 px | Displayed as circle |
| Profile photo | 400 x 400 px | Min 200x200, max 8MB |
| Background banner | 1584 x 396 px | 4:1 ratio |
| Post / Share | 1200 x 627 px | 1.91:1 ratio |
| Company logo | 300 x 300 px | Square |
| Twitter / X | ||
| Profile photo | 400 x 400 px | Displayed as circle |
| Header / Banner | 1500 x 500 px | 3:1 ratio |
| In-tweet photo | 1200 x 675 px | 16:9 ratio recommended |
| Profile photo | 170 x 170 px | Upload at least 400x400 |
| Cover photo | 820 x 312 px | Appears at 820x312 on desktop |
| Post photo | 1200 x 630 px | Optimal for feed |
| YouTube | ||
| Thumbnail | 1280 x 720 px | 16:9 ratio, max 2MB |
| Channel art | 2560 x 1440 px | Safe area: 1546x423 |
| Profile photo | 800 x 800 px | Displayed as circle |
| TikTok | ||
| Profile photo | 200 x 200 px | Displayed as circle |
| Video thumbnail | 1080 x 1920 px | 9:16 vertical |
| Profile photo | 500 x 500 px | Displayed as circle |
| Web / Email | ||
| Email signature | 600 px wide max | Keep under 100KB |
| Blog post image | 800 - 1200 px wide | Height varies by crop |
| Hero / banner | 1920 px wide | Compress well, keep under 200KB |
| Thumbnail / card | 300 - 400 px wide | Keep under 30KB |
General Web Image Guidelines
When you do not have a specific platform to target, follow these general rules:
- Hero images: 1920px wide maximum. Most screens are 1440px or narrower. Compress to under 200KB.
- Blog article images: 800-1200px wide. Compress to under 100KB for fast loading.
- Thumbnails and cards: 300-400px wide. Compress to under 30KB.
- Icons: Use SVG where possible. If raster, 64x64 to 128x128px.
Tips for Resizing Without Quality Loss
Always resize down, not up. Enlarging an image beyond its original pixel dimensions creates a blurry result because the tool has to invent pixels that were never there. If you need a larger version, start from a higher resolution original.
Keep the aspect ratio locked. Squeezing an image to different width and height proportions distorts it. Our resizer locks the ratio by default so you can change one dimension and the other updates automatically.
Use the right format after resizing. Resize first, then choose JPG for photos or PNG for graphics. After resizing, run the result through our Image Compressor for the smallest possible file.
Test on mobile. What looks right on a 27" desktop monitor may be too small on a phone screen. Most social platforms will handle responsive display for you, but for your own website, test at 375px width (iPhone SE).
How Resizing Affects File Size
File size scales roughly with the square of the dimension change. Examples:
- Halve width and height (50%) → file size reduces by approximately 75%
- Reduce to 25% of dimensions → file size reduces by approximately 94%
- Reduce width by 30% (keeping ratio) → file size reduces by approximately 51%
This is why our Image Resizer shows you the before and after dimensions and file size. Even a modest resize makes a big difference to file size.
Use the "By File Size" tab in our resizer if you have a specific target in KB. Enter your target, click Resize, and the tool automatically finds the right dimensions to hit it.