SlidsSizes at a glance
The values below are the commonly used Instagram sizes as of 2026; Instagram changes these options from time to time. Instagram displays posts 1080 pixels wide; larger uploads are scaled down, and smaller ones are scaled up and look soft.
| Format | Ratio | Pixels | When to use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | 4:5 | 1080 × 1350 | Best choice for carousels and single posts |
| Tall portrait | 3:4 | 1080 × 1440 | Same ratio as the profile grid; check the preview |
| Square | 1:1 | 1080 × 1080 | Classic look, product and quote cards |
| Landscape | 1.91:1 | 1080 × 566 | Wide scenery; looks small in the feed |
| Stories, Reels | 9:16 | 1080 × 1920 | Full screen; not a carousel |
Why 4:5?
The more screen space your post takes up while people scroll, the more attention it gets. 4:5 is the most widely used portrait ratio in the feed: 25% more height than a square post of the same width. That is why most creators make their carousels at 1080 × 1350. In Slids, Instagram 4:5 is also the default format under “Where will you share?” on the home screen.
Every slide takes the first slide’s ratio
You can’t mix ratios in one carousel: Instagram uses the ratio of the first slide and crops or pads the rest to match. If the post screen is set to 1:1, the top and bottom of portrait photos are cut off. The safest approach is to make every slide the same size from the start. Because Slids cuts all slides from one canvas, they always come out the same size.
The profile grid shows 3:4
In 2025 Instagram switched the profile grid from squares to 3:4 portrait previews. A carousel appears on the grid with its first slide only. A 4:5 slide is trimmed slightly on the left and right to fit the 3:4 preview. In practice: keep the headline and key elements on your first slide away from the edges, toward the center. If you design at 3:4 (1080 × 1440), nothing is cropped on the grid; how it appears in the feed can depend on your Instagram version, so check the preview before posting.
How many slides can a carousel have?
Instagram allows up to 20 photos or videos in one carousel, and a Slids carousel can have up to 20 slides as well. More isn’t always better, though: many people stop after the first few slides. For travel posts or photo dumps, 4–8 slides work well; for an educational carousel that explains one idea, 5–10 is a good range.
Canvas width for a seamless carousel
In a seamless carousel, where photos spill over the slide borders, every slide is cut from one wide canvas. The canvas width is the slide width × the number of slides; the height stays the same.
| Slides | 4:5 canvas | 1:1 canvas |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2160 × 1350 | 2160 × 1080 |
| 3 | 3240 × 1350 | 3240 × 1080 |
| 4 | 4320 × 1350 | 4320 × 1080 |
| 5 | 5400 × 1350 | 5400 × 1080 |
| 10 | 10800 × 1350 | 10800 × 1080 |
Slids does this math for you: when you pick a slide count, the canvas is set up to match, slide borders appear as dashed lines, and “Save” splits the slides at exactly 1080 pixels wide. For the full walkthrough, see the seamless carousel guide.
Stories and Reels: 9:16
Stories and Reels are shown full screen at 1080 × 1920 pixels (9:16). Stories don’t have swipeable carousels; each image plays as a separate story, one after another. Your profile name and the progress bar sit at the top of the screen, and the reply box at the bottom, so it is commonly recommended to keep text and key elements out of roughly 250-pixel bands at the top and bottom. In Slids, choose the “Story · Reels 9:16” format to design several stories in the same style, then post them in order: 1, 2, 3.
Keeping the quality
- Export images at least 1080 pixels wide; anything smaller turns blurry.
- Save directly from the app instead of taking screenshots, so colors stay vivid.
- Don’t make thin text too small: Instagram compresses images, and fine lines can disappear on a phone screen.
- Before posting, swipe through every slide in the preview to check for cropping.
Summary
Use 1080 × 1350 (4:5) for carousels, make every slide the same size, keep key elements on the first slide near the center, and remember the 20-slide limit. For a seamless flow, set your canvas to the number of slides × 1080 pixels wide, or let Slids handle it.
