Aspect ratio determines the shape of a creative; resolution determines how many pixels are available within that shape. Both matter, but the correct choice starts with the placement because feeds, full-screen video, thumbnails and profile assets use different frames.
This guide explains the most common ratios and how to choose between them. For current pixel dimensions, file limits and source links, open the relevant page in the platform directory.
Start With the Placement
A single “social media size” does not exist. A platform can use a square profile photo, a portrait feed post, a full-screen Story and a landscape link preview at the same time.
Before opening a design file, record:
- Platform and exact placement
- Organic or advertising use
- Image, video, carousel or document format
- Required aspect ratio and pixel dimensions
- Safe zones created by interface overlays
- File type, file-size and duration limits
The placement should decide the canvas. Resizing one finished master into every ratio usually produces awkward crops, small text or empty space.
Common Aspect Ratios
1:1 — Square
Square creative remains useful for profile images, carousel cards and feed placements that need predictable rendering across desktop and mobile. It is easy to adapt across platforms, but it uses less vertical screen area than portrait creative in a mobile feed.
Keep profile artwork away from the corners because many platforms display a square upload inside a circular mask.
4:5 and 3:4 — Portrait Feed
Portrait ratios give feed creative more height without becoming a full-screen vertical asset. Meta advertising commonly uses 4:5, while some organic placements use other portrait ratios, including Instagram’s 3:4 feed support.
Do not assume that every platform or placement accepts the same portrait ratio. Check the specific card before producing a shared asset.
9:16 — Full-Screen Vertical
Stories, Reels, Shorts, TikTok video and several vertical ad placements use 9:16. A typical production canvas is 1080 × 1920, although some advertising specifications recommend a larger canvas at the same ratio.
The entire canvas is rarely a safe area. Account information, captions, interaction buttons and calls to action can cover the top, bottom or right edge. Use the safe-zone guidance attached to the relevant specification rather than placing essential text against the frame.
16:9 — Landscape Video
Long-form YouTube video, connected-TV creative, channel art and many conventional video placements use 16:9. It is appropriate when the viewing surface is horizontal, but it can appear small or letterboxed in a full-screen vertical placement.
1.91:1 — Landscape Feed and Link Media
The 1.91:1 ratio is common for link previews, landscape feed images and several advertising formats. It is useful when the destination or composition is naturally horizontal, but offers less height in a mobile feed than square or portrait creative.
2:3 — Pinterest
Pinterest’s standard Pin format uses 2:3, commonly produced at 1000 × 1500 pixels. Taller assets may be cropped in previews, so the top 2:3 area should still communicate the main idea without requiring an additional tap.
Platform Notes
Instagram and Facebook
Use the exact placement as the deciding factor. Feed, Story, Reel, carousel, collection and profile assets do not share one canvas. Organic and advertising recommendations can also differ even when the placement names look similar.
See the current Instagram specifications and Facebook specifications before exporting.
TikTok
Use 9:16 for native full-screen video placements. Pangle and other TikTok advertising inventory can use landscape or square assets, so a campaign running beyond the TikTok feed may require additional ratios.
See the current TikTok specifications for placement-specific requirements.
LinkedIn combines landscape, square, portrait and wide banner formats. A personal background image, company cover, document ad and feed image all require different treatment, so “LinkedIn creative” is not a sufficient production instruction.
See the current LinkedIn specifications.
YouTube
Use 16:9 for long-form video, thumbnails, channel art and most in-stream formats. Shorts use 9:16, while some in-feed advertising can use alternative ratios.
See the current YouTube specifications.
Start with 2:3 for a standard Pin and 9:16 for supported full-screen formats. Square, max-width and collection formats remain placement-specific alternatives rather than replacements for the standard Pin.
See the current Pinterest specifications.
Avoid These Production Mistakes
Using an arbitrary ratio: A platform may crop or pad an unsupported shape. Start with a documented ratio.
Confusing recommended and minimum dimensions: A minimum may upload successfully without being the best production canvas. Use the card’s status and notes to understand what the number represents.
Ignoring the preview crop: Profile grids, feeds and thumbnails can show a different crop from the full asset. Preview every important context.
Treating safe zones as universal: A safe zone belongs to a particular placement and canvas. Recalculate it when the dimensions change.
Judging performance from ratio alone: A larger on-screen canvas does not guarantee better results. Message, audience, offer, placement and creative quality still determine whether the asset works.
A Practical Multi-Ratio Workflow
- List every destination and placement in the brief.
- Group placements that genuinely share a ratio and safe zone.
- Design the most important placement first.
- Recompose rather than stretch for the other ratios.
- Preview at phone size and inside the platform interface.
- Export to the current file and duration requirements.
- Save direct links to the specification cards with the project files.
Choosing an aspect ratio is a placement decision, not a trend prediction. When the brief names the exact destination and the design respects that placement’s visible area, the creative is easier to review, reuse and publish correctly.