How to Get a Photo to Fit an Instagram Post

Nothing sours the excitement of posting a great photo quite like Instagram’s automatic crop, which can awkwardly chop off the best parts of your shot. Wrestling with formats and sizes is a common headache, but it’s one you can easily solve for good. This guide will walk you through exactly how to get any photo to fit your Instagram post perfectly, from quick in-app fixes to proactive tips for shooting better social media content.

First, Understand Why Instagram Crops Your Photos

The entire issue comes down to one thing: aspect ratio. Aspect ratio is simply the relationship between the width and height of an image. If your photo's aspect ratio doesn't fit within Instagram's allowed dimensions, the app automatically zooms in and crops it to make it fit. Think of it like trying to fit a rectangular peg into a square hole - Instagram just shaves off the edges.

To have full control, you need to know the specific 'shapes' a post is allowed to be. Here are the core dimensions you need to know for 2024 and beyond:

• Square Post (1:1 Ratio): This is the classic Instagram look. The ideal size is 1080 x 1080 pixels. Your photo's width and height are the same.
• Portrait Post (4:5 Ratio): This is your best friend for feed posts. It's taller than it is wide, taking up the most vertical space on a user's screen. The optimal size is 1080 x 1350 pixels.
• Landscape Post (1.91:1 Ratio): This is for your wider shots. Think horizontal photos from a traditional camera. The recommended size is 1080 x 566 pixels.
• Stories & Reels (9:16 Ratio): This is the full vertical screen format you see everywhere. The size is 1080 x 1920 pixels.

Pro Tip: Whenever possible, aim for a 4:5 Portrait post. It demands the most attention as people are scrolling through their feeds, giving your image more impact than a square or landscape photo.

The Easiest Fix: Using Instagram's Built-In Editor

Sometimes, the solution is right inside the app. For photos that are close to the right dimensions but just a little off, Instagram’s own tool is all you need. It won’t work for everything (like turning a super-wide panoramic into a tall portrait), but it should always be your first stop.

Here’s how to use it:

1. Open Instagram and tap the + icon to create a new post.
2. Select your photo from your gallery. You’ll see it appear in the default 1:1 square crop.
3. Now, look for the 'frame' icon in the bottom-left corner of the photo preview. It looks like two corners: <, >,.
4. Tap this icon. Instagram will instantly zoom out, showing you the full photo in its original aspect ratio, as long as it fits within the 4:5 to 1.91:1 range.
5. If this works, you're all set! You can proceed with editing and posting.

If tapping the icon doesn't resize the image correctly or still seems to cut things off, it means your photo's aspect ratio falls outside the standard limits. Don't worry, that's what the next section is for.

How to Make Any Photo Fit by Adding Borders

When you have a photo that's too wide or too tall for Instagram's restrictions, the best strategy is not to crop it, but to put it on a canvas that does fit. This technique involves adding borders to the sides or top and bottom of your image, so the final product has the perfect 1:1 or 4:5 aspect ratio without losing any of your original picture.

While many "no-crop" apps can do this, they are often full of ads and can lower your image quality. Instead, using a free tool like Canva or Adobe Express gives you professional results and full creative control. Let’s walk through the process with Canva, which is incredibly beginner-friendly.

Step-by-Step Guide: Using Canva to Resize Your Photo for Instagram

This process will create a perfectly sized post by placing your photo on a clean background.

1. Create a New Design with Instagram's Dimensions

Open the Canva app (or website) and tap the + button to create a new design. In the search bar, type “Instagram.” You’ll see a few options.

• Choose "Instagram Post (Square)" for a 1080 x 1080 pixel canvas. This is great for adding borders to the top and bottom of a wide photo.
• Choose "Instagram Post (Portrait)" for a 1080 x 1350 pixel canvas. This is perfect for adding borders to the sides of a tall photo.

Let’s use the Square option for this example.

2. Upload and Add Your Photo

On the bottom menu, tap "Uploads." Select the photo you want to post from your library. Once it’s uploaded, tap on it to add it to your new white canvas.

3. Position and Resize Your Image

Your photo will now be on top of the plain white square background. Tap and drag the corners to resize it and move it around. The goal is to make sure your entire image is visible, leaving some of the background showing on the top and bottom (or on the sides, if it’s a tall photo).

For example, if you have a wide, landscape photo, you will shrink it down until the left and right edges touch the sides of the square canvas. This will leave empty white space above and below your image - these are your new borders!

4. Customize the Background (Optional)

You don't have to stick with a plain white background. Tap on the white canvas area outside of your photo. A color palette will appear at the bottom. You can change the background to black, a subtle gray, or a color that matches your brand aesthetic. This can create a polished and recognizable look for your feed.

5. Download and You're Ready to Post

Once you’re happy with how it looks, tap the "Share" icon in the top right, then tap "Download." Save it as a PNG or JPG file. Now, you have a perfectly sized image in your camera roll that is guaranteed to fit on Instagram with no surprise cropping.

A More Proactive Fix: Change How You Take Your Photos

Rescuing a poorly framed photo is one thing, but the best long-term solution is to start shooting with Instagram in mind from the beginning. By adopting a few simple habits, you can dramatically reduce the need for editing and resizing later on. It’s about composing your shots with the final destination - the mobile screen - in mind.

Leave Some Breathing Room

This is the golden rule of composition for social media. When you frame your shot, avoid placing the most important elements right at the edges of the picture. Whether you’re photographing a person, a product, or a landscape, always leave a bit of negative space around your subject.

This "breathing room" acts as a buffer. It gives you flexibility when you need to crop for a 1:1 or 4:5 ratio, so you never have to choose between cutting someone's head off or cropping out the beautiful context. Instead of a tight shot, take two steps back and frame it a little wider. You can always crop in a little, but you can never get back what you didn't capture.

Start Shooting Vertically

Social media is a vertical experience. The vast majority of people use platforms like Instagram on their phones, holding them upright. By taking more of your photos vertically, you’re creating content that naturally fills the screen and feels more immersive.

Even better, a standard vertical photo from your phone's camera is often in a 4:3 aspect ratio, which is very close to Instagram’s optimal 4:5 portrait mode. This means it requires minimal, if any, cropping. Getting into the habit of turning your phone sideways less often will simplify your workflow and likely improve your engagement, as vertical content commands more attention in the feed.

Check Your In-Camera Settings

Take a moment to look at your phone's camera settings. Many default to a 16:9 widescreen format these days, which can be great for television screens but is problematic for Instagram. This tall, skinny aspect ratio works perfectly for Stories and Reels, but it will get severely cropped for an in-feed post.

Some phone cameras give you the option to shoot directly in a 1:1 or 4:3 format. Switching your default to 4:3 is often a simple and effective change. It captures more vertical information and is much closer to what will appear in the final post, helping you visualize the end result while you’re still behind the lens.

Final Thoughts

Getting your photo to fit perfectly on Instagram involves a mix of understanding aspect ratios, using the right tools, and planning ahead. By aiming for a 4:5 ratio, using a simple app like Canva to add borders when needed, and shooting with the vertical feed in mind, you can take full control and finally post your images exactly as you intended.

As you get your content sized perfectly, the next step is planning how it all looks together. That's a big part of why we built Postbase. Our visual content calendar lets you drag and drop your perfectly formatted photos to see how they’ll look on your grid before they go live. It simplifies your entire workflow, from planning and scheduling posts across every platform to analyzing what’s working, so you can spend less time resizing and more time creating.