Instagram Profile Photo Requirements in 2024 (+FREEBIES)

Instagram Profile Photo Requirements: Everything You Need to Know

Learn about the most important Instagram profile photo requirements in order to choose proper profile pictures. Also, find out more about photo feed, stories, pictures upload and Instagram ads.

Instagram Profile Picture Size

Your profile image on Instagram is highly important for attracting new subscribers. It is some kind of a trademark of your personality and your page.

The correct profile pic or logo size for Instagram will allow you to maintain the interest of your subscribers and encourage more and more people to follow your profile. Use such a logo picture not only for Instagram but for other social networks too to help your potential subscribers recognize you immediately.

The optimal size is 110px x 110px. The maximum resolution is 180px x 180px.

• Learn more about how to take a good profile picture.

Username

Your username must be recognizable too. Besides, it should be used in all your social media profiles. If someone uses the same name as you, refresh it, adding some slogan.

Your profile name is your URL. This means that it needs to be quite short (should not exceed 30 characters).

Page Name

It is placed under your username. Write something important about yourself.

You will have only 150 characters. Therefore, you should create an interesting slogan or present the most vivid and memorable facts of your biography to the public.

Devote time to choosing the name of your page. Use your creativity to come up with something special and truly outstanding, not resembling other profiles.

• View more photography quotes you can use as your page name.

Cover Photo Size

Your Instagram cover is a collage of your best images, which is automatically selected by the application. It includes a 410 x 410 miniature and six smaller, 205 x 205 pixels, miniatures.

Instagram icon dimensions are 161 x 161 pixels for videos and images. Clicking on these icons, the user will see a larger version of the image (612 x 612).

The maximum image size depends on your device and software. For example, if you shoot with a regular camera phone, you can upload only 612 x 612 pixels pictures.

However, if you use the Instagram camera, you may upload 2,048 x 2048 pixels images. The difference is very noticeable.

• Find out how to have a successful Instagram profile.

Photo Feed

Your Instagram circle profile picture size will be downsized to 40 x 40 pixels in your photo feed. All your images are displayed in 612 x 612 pixels’ size.

As I’ve already mentioned, the maximum picture size can be 2048 x 2048 pixels. If you upload pictures with higher resolution, they will be downsized automatically.

When viewing these pictures in Lightbox (application for viewing photos), the maximum resolution is 612 x 612 pixels.

You can upload 3-15 seconds videos to your profile. Their size should not exceed 640 x 640 pixels. All images and videos you add to your page are displayed in your photo feed.

If you want to hide a part of the content from outsiders, enable private visibility.

• Check out top Instagram photographers whose photos have always been of high quality.

Instagram Aspect Ratio

Instagram images are displayed in square form. This format resembles instant photography and the era of Polaroid photographs, which were incredibly popular at the time.

Currently, Instagram photo size is not limited by any aspect ratio, which means you can add images in both landscape and portrait orientation. However, they will be displayed as square thumbnails.

When you click on a picture, it will be shown with its real aspect ratio.

Uploading Images

The quality of your images plays an important role in attracting new subscribers. In fact, the application reduces the dimensions of Instagram profile photo and other pictures automatically.

You should upload larger and qualitative photos to make the thumbnail version of the image look good. If you upload a smaller picture, you will immediately see how significantly its quality decreases.

If we talk about square images, the Instagram photo size in 2024 should be at least 1080 pixels from the shortest side. It will guarantee the best quality.

However, I recommend you to upload higher resolution images, for example, 2048 x 2048 pixels photos.

Instagram portrait dimensions are 1080 x 1350 pixels. However, such pictures will be displayed in 600 x 749 pixels’ size in the application.

The recommended resolution for landscape (or any horizontal images) is 1080 x 566 pixels. Although, you can upload pictures with a smaller size (600 x 400 pixels).

• Read about these popular Instagram photo ideas to make your account more vivid.

Stories

When working on the quality of your account, you should remember not only about Instagram profile photo requirements but also about such an important thing as stories. These are images or short videos that are stored in your profile for 24 hours.

Timeline video resolution is 640 x 640 pixels. It should last no less than 3 and no more than 60 seconds. Video clips for stories should have 750 x 1334 pixels resolution and last no more than 10 seconds.

The size of timeline portrait pictures is 1080 x 1350 pixels. Portrait images for stories should have 1080 x 1920 pixels resolution.

Adverts on Instagram

Use adverts to get more followers on Instagram. Do not forget about the importance of the Instagram photo size ratio. Upload a 1080 x 1080 image for square advertising, even if it will be displayed as a 640x640 picture.

Landscape format images should have 1080 x 566 pixels’ resolution. They will be displayed as 640 x 400-pixel photographs in the application.

Be careful, do not use too much text in images with your advertising (no more than 20%).

IGTV Video Resolution

The new video-oriented application IGTV was greeted skeptically by many users at first. However, it gained great popularity later. The video in the application is shown only in a vertical orientation.

According to Instagram dimensions in 2024, the ideal aspect ratio is 9:16. You must upload the 1080 × 1920 pixels’ video to get the best quality. Videos from the main Instagram feed are reduced to a 4:5 ratio.

For example, if you upload the 1080 × 1920 pixels video, you will get 1080 × 1350 pixels resolution.

Keep Your Instagram Profile Picture on Brand

Today, more and more businessmen start an Instagram page to increase popularity and attract more clients. So, if you decided to bring your business to the next level and create an Instagram page, first of all, you need a qualitative logo.

It will help your business be recognized by customers. Use such apps as Logo Maker for iOS or for Android to create awesome design and attract more clients.

However, you may also use a headshot as a profile picture. As a rule, shooters, motivators and coaches do so to show that their page is really personal. In such a way, they make followers get acquainted with the person they subscribe to and want to follow.

• Check out these headshot poses to take an ideal Instagram profile picture.

Using Props in Your Instagram Profile Picture

For example, if you are a shooter, it’s better to have a camera in the frame. In case you are a dietician, incorporate some healthy food.

The point is that your profile image should show your personality and your main activity at the same time. In such a way, your Instagram profile picture will help followers figure out what services you are offering.

Let Your Logo or Headshot Be the Focus

As you know, profile photos on Instagram are very little and you can’t zoom them in on the smartphone.

First of all, it should fill as much of the circle as possible. Moreover, it’s better when the logo is clear and readable.

However, if you decide to use a headshot as a profile picture you should also pay attention to details. Your face must be clearly seen or you should be located at the forefront.

You know your followers should recognize you without any difficulties so try to choose the image that perfectly fits Instagram icon dimensions.

Get Your Instagram Picture Aesthetic Right

Believe it or not, aesthetics also belongs to Instagram profile photo requirements. In other words, your profile image should correspond to other pics in your feed.

First of all, if you apply some filters, they should be the same for the profile picture and other photos. Moreover, it’s better when similar shades and colors dominate in a profile picture and other shots.

The idea here is that your page should look aesthetically consistent. Use Planoly for iOS or for Android in order to see whether this or that picture suits your Insta profile.

Background of Your Instagram Profile Picture

If you decided to create an Insta account for your personal business, mind the Instagram profile format. In case your profile picture is a headshot, it should sell “you”. Therefore, you must be very careful about choosing a background.

Try to select the one that will not distract the viewer’s attention from you. For example, if you want to post a photo in which you are standing in front of an epic mural, none will pay attention to you.

Download TouchRetouch App to remove unnecessary objects from the frame (garbage, holes, wires, etc.)

Use Color Contrast and Text

In general, the background should be as simple as possible. However, you may still experiment and use various colors but mind that the logo and the background should be contrasted.

In such a way, people will easily recognize the design. Install Phonto App for iOS, or for Android, to add text to the photo. There are various fonts and adjustable settings that will locate the text on the image as you like.

Keep Your Instagram Profile Picture Evergreen

Imagine that you decided to find a shooter for a summer photo session on Instagram and came across a page with a profile image featuring a Christmas tree. It’s not an Instagram profile format you were looking for, actually.

You are likely to leave this page since you can think that it is not active, or you may think that this person just doesn’t care about his/her Insta image. Therefore, it’s better not to use pictures that show particular holidays like Christmas, New Year, Halloween, etc.

Opt for Soft Lighting

Even an amateurish shooter knows that natural light is the first helper, especially while photographing people. However, it’s better to avoid direct sunrays because shadows may spoil everything.

That’s why choose the period around sunrise or sunset (known as the ‘golden hour’ and the images will be great. Sometimes you don’t have any other time but the midday when the sun is shining brightly in the sky. In this case, go indoors and take fantastic shots near the window.

Test Your Instagram Profile Pics

In case you are not sure whether your account complies with the Instagram profile photo requirements, use Photofeeler. It is a tool that assesses your profile telling whether you look smart, confident, attractive, etc.

Simple Designs Will Work Best

It’s very important to choose the correct logo size for Instagram. Ideally, it should be a clear logo on the white background. Don’t incorporate too many details since they will make it cluttered.

You know that an Instagram profile picture is very small and it’s difficult to examine it even on the PC, so, on the smartphone screen, it will be even tinier.

Keep Cropping in Mind

You usually upload a 110x110 picture to Instagram and it is cut to a small circle. Sometimes, the picture looks cool in a square form and becomes not so impressive in a circular one.

So, when you take a profile headshot, you should necessarily take into account an Instagram circle profile picture size. It’s really very important because Insta cropping may spoil a perfect profile image.

FREEBIES

It’s very important to have edited pics in your profile. I have prepared some free tools that will help you get perfect photos for Instagram.

Sunny Day

It is your first helper in case your pictures are taken in poor lighting. This Lr preset will easily enhance dark images making them bright and vivid.

Moreover, using this filter, your pictures will become warm and sunny. Apply it to outdoor images and you will get awesome results.

Perfect Balance

It is a perfect plug-in to improve the skin tone and highlight the details. This filter will remove all unnecessary shadows and enhance the color gamut.

In other words, if the natural light has spoiled the shot, Instagram Lightroom Preset Portrait will save the day. It is a very useful effect for portrait shooters.

Film Look

This tool is perfect for portraits. To begin with, it adds bluish-green shades to the image highlighting the mid-tones. Moreover, this preset also enhances the skin tone.

Apply this effect to close-up portraits to get interesting and original effects.

Adventures

Green Shadow preset perfectly works with images featuring much greenery (grass, trees, mountains, etc.) Moreover, if it is a portrait, the skin will not become green; the tool will preserve its natural color. Apply this effect to bring green shades to the frame.

Warm Street Light

If you want to show a warm interior atmosphere, this Ps action will definitely help you. It is best suitable for indoor images.

Tata Rossi

Hi there, I'm Tata Rossi - a professional blogger, read more