How to Fit Vertical Photos on Instagram

That stunning vertical photo you took looks incredible on your phone, but the moment you upload it to Instagram, the app forces you to crop out the best parts. It’s a frustratingly common problem, but one you can absolutely solve. This guide will walk you through several practical methods, from quick in-app fixes to more creative solutions, so you can finally fit your entire vertical photo on Instagram without sacrificing your composition.

Why Instagram Crops Your Vertical Photos

Before jumping into the solutions, it helps to understand why this happens. It all comes down to aspect ratios. An aspect ratio is simply the relationship between an image's width and its height. Instagram has specific, predetermined aspect ratios it allows for posts in the main feed, and if your photo doesn’t match one of them, the app forces a crop.

Here are the only aspect ratios Instagram's main feed supports:

• Square (1:1): The classic Instagram format. The width and height are equal.
• Landscape (1.91:1): A wide, horizontal format. The width is almost twice the height.
• Portrait (4:5): The tallest vertical format allowed in the feed. The height is slightly longer than the width.

The issue arises because most smartphone cameras, by default, shoot photos in a 4:3 or even taller 16:9 aspect ratio. DSLR and mirrorless cameras typically shoot in a 3:2 ratio. All of these are significantly taller than Instagram's 4:5 limit. When you try to upload a 3:2 or 16:9 photo, Instagram's automatic crop kicks in to make it fit the 4:5 frame, cutting off the top and bottom of your shot.

Method 1: Use Instagram's In-App Resizing Tool (The Quick Fix)

For photos that are just slightly too tall, Instagram has a built-in tool that can sometimes get the job done. This is the fastest method, but it has its limits. It will only resize your photo to fit the maximum 4:5 vertical display, so it won’t work for very tall images (like a screenshot or a 9:16 photo).

Still, it's the first thing you should always try.

How to Use the In-App Resizer:

1. Open Instagram and tap the + icon to create a new post.
2. Select your vertical photo from your camera roll. By default, Instagram will show it cropped into a square frame.
3. In the bottom left corner of the preview, you'll see a small icon with two corners (<, >,). Tap this icon.
4. Instagram will automatically zoom out, fitting your photo into the frame as much as possible. For most standard vertical photos, this will adjust it to a 4:5 aspect ratio, often showing the entire image if it isn't too tall.
5. You can use your fingers to pinch and reposition the photo if needed, then continue with your editing and posting process.

When this works best: For standard vertical photos from your phone's camera that are close to the 4:5 ratio already.
When it doesn't: For any photo significantly taller than 4:5, like those with a 3:2 or 9:16 aspect ratio. The app will still force you to crop a section.

Method 2: Add Borders with an Editing App (The Classic Solution)

This is the most popular and reliable way to fit vertical photos on Instagram, especially for shots from a full-frame camera or extra-tall smartphone images. The idea is simple: instead of cropping your photo, you place it on a larger canvas that already is a 4:5 aspect ratio. The empty space on the sides of your photo becomes a border.

This trick fools Instagram. The app sees the final image file as a perfect 4:5 photo and doesn't apply any crop, allowing you to showcase your original, unedited vertical composition. White borders are the most common choice, as they blend right in with Instagram's white interface, making the photo itself the center of attention.

Many apps can do this, but here are step-by-step guides for a couple of the best free options.

How to Add Borders with Snapseed (Free)

Snapseed, a powerful photo editor from Google, has a clever tool called "Expand" that is perfect for this.

1. Download and open Snapseed. Tap anywhere on the screen to open an image from your camera roll.
2. Select the tall vertical photo you want to post.
3. At the bottom, tap on the TOOLS tab to bring up the editing menu.
4. Find and select the Expand tool.
5. The tool will automatically add borders to your image. You can use your fingers to drag the edges outwards, adding more border space.
6. Here’s the key step: at the bottom, tap on the cropping icon (it looks like a square with interlocking dimensions) and choose the 4:5 ratio. The app will automatically adjust the canvas size perfectly.
7. By default, Snapseed’s "Smart" fill will try to extend the edges of your photo into the new space. Tap where it says "Smart" and switch to White or Black for a clean border.
8. Tap the checkmark to apply the changes, then tap EXPORT to save your newly bordered, uncropped photo to your camera roll. It's now ready for Instagram.

How to Add Borders with Canva (Free)

Canva is more of a design tool, but it works brilliantly for creating Instagram-ready posts with perfect dimensions.

1. Open the Canva app or website. On the home screen, search for "Instagram Portrait Post" or manually select a custom size of 1080 x 1350 pixels (which is a perfect 4:5 ratio).
2. You’ll be given a blank white canvas. In the bottom toolbar, tap the + icon, go to your Camera Roll (or Uploads), and select your vertical photo.
3. Your photo will be added to the canvas. Use your fingers to resize and reposition it so that your entire vertical shot is visible. It should sit comfortably in the middle, leaving white space on the sides.
4. Once you’re happy with the placement, tap the Share icon (usually an upward-facing arrow) in the top right corner.
5. Choose Download, make sure the file type is set to PNG or JPG, and save it to your phone. The downloaded image will fit on Instagram perfectly, bordered and all.

Method 3: Split the Photo into a Seamless Carousel (The Creative Approach)

What if you absolutely hate the idea of borders? There’s another slick solution that not only shows your full vertical photo but also increases engagement: splitting it into a multi-photo carousel post.

This technique lets a user swipe through to reveal the entire image, giving your photograph a more immersive feel. You take your tall vertical photo and slice it into two or more perfectly sized 4:5 sections, which you then upload as a single swipeable post.

How to Create a Split Carousel Post

While you could do this manually in a program like Photoshop, the easiest way is with a dedicated app designed for this purpose. Look for apps like "Panorama Crop" or "Image Splitter" on your app store.

General Steps for Most Splitter Apps:

1. Download and open a photo splitter app.
2. Select the vertical photo you want to split.
3. Look for an option that lets you choose the grid or split size. You will want to select a 1x2 grid (one column, two rows). This will horizontally slice your image into two pieces. If your photo is extremely tall, you could even do a 1x3 grid.
4. The app should offer a preview of how the cuts will look. You can often adjust the crop area to make sure the split happens in a good spot. Make sure the aspect ratio for each tile is set to 4:5.
5. Once confirmed, the app will process the image and save two (or more) separate image files to your camera roll, numbered in the correct order.
6. In Instagram, create a new post and use the Select Multiple option. Tap your newly created images in order (the top part first, then the bottom part).
7. Instagram will combine them into a single carousel post. When someone swipes left, the photo will seem to pan down seamlessly, revealing the rest of your original shot without any cropping or borders.

This approach elevates your feed and encourages users to spend more time interacting with your post, which is great for the Instagram algorithm.

Final Thoughts

Fitting a complete vertical photo on your Instagram feed doesn't have to mean compromising your work with awkward crops. By understanding the 4:5 aspect ratio limit and using techniques like adding simple borders or splitting your image into a creative carousel, you gain full control over how your audience sees your content.

After taking the time to edit and format my content just right, I want the scheduling and posting process to be just as thoughtful and reliable. We actually designed Postbase to streamline this final step. It lets me upload all my perfectly sized photos and videos to a visual calendar, customize captions for different platforms, and schedule everything with confidence, knowing it will all publish exactly as planned. It clears up the management side of things so I can focus more on creating great visuals in the first place.