Every platform crops photos differently. Uploading the wrong size leads to cut-off heads, blurry thumbnails and black bars. Starting from the right canvas size solves this.
Common sizes
| Where | Size (pixels) | Shape |
|---|---|---|
| Instagram post | 1080 × 1080 | Square |
| Instagram portrait | 1080 × 1350 | 4:5 |
| Story or Reel | 1080 × 1920 | 9:16 |
| YouTube thumbnail | 1280 × 720 | 16:9 |
| Facebook post | 1200 × 630 | About 1.9:1 |
| Facebook cover | 1640 × 624 | Wide |
| Pinterest pin | 1000 × 1500 | 2:3 |
Our templates already use these sizes, so you can start from an Instagram post, a story or reel, a YouTube thumbnail, a Facebook cover or a Pinterest pin and skip resizing altogether. For layout and text ideas, read how to make a YouTube thumbnail that gets clicks.
How to resize a photo without stretching it
- Open your photo in HF Photo Editor.
- Go to the Canvas tab and choose a size, for example YouTube thumbnail.
- Click your photo and press Fill canvas in the Image section. The photo scales evenly to cover the frame.
- Drag the photo to choose which part stays in view.
- Add text or shapes if you like (here is how to add text to a photo), then press Download.
Fix the light before you post
If the photo looks dark or dull next to others in your feed, improve the photo's light and color with Auto enhance before resizing.
Cropping instead
If you only want to cut part of a photo, use the Crop tool. Pick a ratio such as 1:1 or 16:9, move the frame, and press Apply crop.
Keep it sharp
The Download dialog picks a high-quality size for you (about 3000 pixels on the long side). Choose 1× if a platform asks for the exact size, such as 1080 × 1080. For profile pictures and channel icons, see the profile picture and logo sizes for each network. Need an official photo for a form? Here is how to make a passport size photo in 35 × 45 mm or 2 × 2 inches.