When you post, tap the expand icon at the bottom left of the preview. Instagram then keeps the photo’s own shape, as long as it’s somewhere between 1.91:1 landscape and 3:4 portrait (ClearCrowds, 9to5Mac). A photo that’s taller or wider gets cropped, so crop it to one of those shapes first in your phone’s own photo editor. You don’t need another app.
Post a single photo without cropping
- Tap + and pick the photo.
- If the preview looks cut off, tap the expand icon at the bottom left. The photo goes back to its full shape (ClearCrowds).
- Tap Next, edit if you like, and share.
The steps are the same on iPhone and Android.
Carousels with photos of different sizes
By default, a carousel crops every photo to the shape of the first one (Kapwing). To avoid that, tap the resize icon at the bottom left and choose Mixed, which keeps each photo’s original shape. The other options are Portrait (4:5) and Square (Kapwing). In a Mixed carousel, landscape photos show with borders around them (Lindsey Gamble). Choose before you post, because the crop can’t be changed afterwards (Buffer).
Shapes and sizes that fit
| Shape | Ratio | Size in pixels |
|---|---|---|
| Square | 1:1 | 1080 x 1080 |
| Portrait | 4:5 | 1080 x 1350 |
| Tall portrait | 3:4 | 1080 x 1440 |
| Landscape | 1.91:1 | 1080 x 566 |
| Stories and Reels | 9:16 | 1080 x 1920 |
Sources: Hootsuite, and DivePhotoGuide for 3:4.
3:4 is the shape most phone cameras shoot, and Instagram added it for photos and carousels in May 2025 (9to5Mac). Some guides still list 4:5 as the tallest option (Hootsuite), so if a 3:4 photo still gets cropped in your app, crop it to 4:5.
Crop to the right shape on your phone
iPhone. The Camera shoots 4:3 by default, which is 3:4 when you hold the phone upright (TechRadar). For other photos, open Photos > Edit > Crop, tap the aspect ratio icon at the top, pick a shape such as 3:4 or Square, choose vertical, and tap Done (iPhone Life).
Android (Google Photos). Open the photo, tap Edit > Crop > Aspect ratio and pick a shape. Auto frame can also extend the background with AI instead of cutting the photo (Google Photos Help).
Apps that add white borders were the old way to fit a tall or wide photo into a square. Now that portrait photos fit, you rarely need one.
How your photos look on your profile
Since January 2025, the profile grid shows posts as vertical rectangles instead of squares (Engadget), in a 3:4 shape (Buffer). To change how a post looks there, tap the three dots on the post, choose Adjust preview and drag the photo (Kapwing).
FAQ
Why does Instagram crop my photo?
It’s taller than 3:4 or wider than 1.91:1, or it’s in a carousel that follows the first photo’s shape.
What size should an Instagram photo be?
1080 x 1440 (3:4) or 1080 x 1350 (4:5) for portrait photos, 1080 x 1080 for square and 1080 x 566 for landscape.
Can I post a landscape photo without cropping?
Yes, up to 1.91:1. Anything wider gets cropped.
What about videos?
Stories and Reels are 9:16. For length limits, see how long a Reel can be on Instagram.