How to Resize a Photo for an Instagram Story

Your photo is perfect, but when you upload it to your Instagram Story, it gets awkwardly cropped, cutting off the best parts. It's frustrating, and it instantly makes your content look less polished. This guide will walk you through exactly how to resize a photo for an Instagram Story in a few different ways, so every post looks sharp, professional, and exactly how you intended.

Why Instagram Stories Need a Specific Photo Size

Before jumping into the "how," it's helpful to understand the "why." Instagram Stories are designed to be a full-screen, immersive experience on a vertical phone. To achieve that, they require a specific aspect ratio and size.

The golden rule for Instagram Stories is an aspect ratio of 9:16.

Think of it as the opposite of your widescreen TV (which is 16:9). For the best quality, your image dimensions should be 1080 pixels wide by 1920 pixels tall. When your photo doesn't match this tall, narrow format, Instagram has to make a choice: zoom in and crop it, or leave it shrunken with empty space around it. Neither option is ideal if you're aiming for a cohesive, high-quality brand presence.

Most cameras, including the one on your phone, shoot in different aspect ratios by default - typically 4:3 for standard photos or 16:9 for landscape shots. Trying to force these shapes into a 9:16 frame is like trying to fit a square peg in a rectangular hole. The result is often a blurry, pixelated, or poorly cropped image that undermines your message.

What Happens When You Upload the Wrong Size

If you upload a horizontal (landscape) photo, Instagram will automatically zoom in on the center of the image to fill the screen vertically. In the process, it crops off the left and right sides. If you upload a square photo, it will do the same, zooming in to fill the screen and cropping all four sides. While you can "pinch" the photo to zoom out and show the full image, you're left with a smaller photo floating against a generic, often distracting, gradient background that screams "I didn't resize this!"

Taking a few extra moments to resize your photo solves this completely. It gives you full creative control over the final look, maintains your photo's quality, and ensures your audience gets the full picture every time.

Method 1: Resizing a Photo for an Instagram Story Directly Within the App

The simplest way to resize an image is by using Instagram's native features. This method is fast and works well if you just need a quick fix and don't mind a simple background.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Open Instagram and swipe right or tap the "+" icon and choose "Story."
2. Select the photo you want to upload from your camera roll. It will likely appear zoomed in and cropped.
3. Use two fingers to "pinch" the screen. This will shrink the photo, allowing you to see the entire image.
4. Position the smaller photo wherever you want it on the screen - centered, top, or bottom.

Now you have your whole photo, but what about the empty space? Instagram will have automatically filled the background with a color-matched gradient based on your photo. It works, but you can do better.

Creative Ways to Fill the Background Space:

• Change the background color: Tap the drawing tool (the squiggly line icon) at the top of the screen. Select a color from the bottom - you can even use the eyedropper tool to pick a color directly from your photo for a perfect match. Tap and hold your finger on the background for a couple of seconds, and the entire background will change to that solid color.
• Add text: You can place title text or captions above and below your image, making the whole layout feel more intentional.
• Use stickers or GIFs: An animated GIF or a relevant sticker can add personality and draw attention to the empty space, making it part of the design.

When this method is best: For quick, on-the-fly posting where perfection isn't the primary goal.

Method 2: Using a Free Mobile App Like Canva

For a truly professional and controlled result, using a third-party app is the way to go. Canva is an incredibly popular and free tool that is perfect for this task. It gives you a blank canvas that's already the exact right size, so all you have to do is place your photo and get creative.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Download and open the Canva app. Create a free account if you don’t have one.
2. On the home screen, tap the "+" button and search for "Instagram Story." Canva has a template that's pre-sized to 1080 x 1920 pixels. Select it to open a blank vertical canvas.
3. Tap the purple "+" button in the bottom left corner and go to "Uploads" to select the photo you want to use from your camera roll. Once uploaded, tap it to add it to your canvas.
4. Position and resize your photo. You can now drag the corners of your photo to make it as large or small as you want within the 9:16 frame. You can move it around to make sure the most important elements are visible.
5. Get creative with the background. This is where Canva shines. Don't leave the background blank! Instead, try one of these techniques to create a branded, polished look:
   • The Blurred Background Effect: This is a popular and very effective technique. Add your photo to the canvas twice. Take the first version and stretch it to fill the entire screen. Then, with that layer selected, go to "Effects" and add a Gaussian blur. Now, layer the second, smaller, and un-blurred version of the photo on top of it. This creates a cohesive, professional background using the original image.
   • Solid or Branded Color Background: Select the blank canvas and choose a background color. Use your brand's hex codes to keep everything consistent, or use the eyedropper tool to pull a complementary color directly from your photo.
   • Add Text &, Graphics: Use Canva's massive library of fonts, shapes, and graphic elements to add brand marks, call-to-action buttons, or other design elements to your Story. This transforms a simple resized photo into a unique piece of content.
6. Once you’re finished, tap the "Share" icon in the top right corner and "Download" to save the final image to your phone. It's now perfectly sized and ready to be uploaded to your Instagram Story.

When this method is best: For marketers, creators, and businesses who want to maintain a consistent brand aesthetic and create a high-quality, custom look for every story.

Method 3: Resizing a Photo for an Instagram Story with Desktop Software (Photoshop or Photopea)

If you're already working on a computer or prefer the power of desktop editing software, using a tool like Adobe Photoshop or the free web-based alternative, Photopea, is an excellent choice. The process grants you maximum control and is ideal for batching content creation.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Create a new document. Open Photoshop and go to File >, New. In the settings, set the width to 1080 pixels and the height to 1920 pixels. Set the resolution to 72 PPI (pixels per inch), which is standard for web content. Click "Create."
2. Place your photo. Go to File >, Place Embedded (or Place Linked) and select your photo. This will place the photo onto your vertical canvas as a new layer.
3. Resize and position the image. With the photo layer selected, press Ctrl+T (or Cmd+T on Mac) to activate the Free Transform tool. Hold the Shift key while you drag the corners of the photo to resize it proportionally without distortion. Position it exactly where you want it within the frame. Press Enter when you're done.
4. Fill the background. Just like with Canva, you have a few great options for the empty space:
   • Duplicate the photo layer, place the copy underneath the original, and stretch it to fill the canvas. Then, add a Filter >, Blur >, Gaussian Blur to create that nice, soft background.
   • Use the Paint Bucket tool to fill the background layer with a solid color from your brand palette.
   • Get creative with gradients, patterns, or even other textures to make your Story pop. You could even use some of Photoshop’s incredible Generative AI features if that’s your kind of workflow!
5. Export your Story. When you're happy with the result, go to File >, Export >, Save for Web (Legacy). Choose JPEG or PNG as the format, and make sure the quality is high. Save the file to your computer.
6. Transfer to your phone. You can easily transfer the finished file to your phone using AirDrop (for Mac/iOS users), Google Drive, Dropbox, or by sending it to yourself via email.

When this method is best: For professional photographers, designers, and social media managers who work primarily on a desktop and need the advanced tools that software like Photoshop offers.

A Final Pro Tip: Shoot Vertically from the Start

The absolute easiest way to create content for Instagram Stories is to shoot it in a 9:16 aspect ratio to begin with. Turn your phone vertically when you take photos or record videos intended for your Stories. This removes the need for resizing and cropping altogether, allowing you to focus your time on adding creative elements like text, stickers, and interactive polls. By composing your shot in a vertical frame, you ensure nothing important ever gets cut off.

Final Thoughts

Resizing your photos for Instagram Stories is a small step that makes a huge difference in the overall quality and professionalism of your content. Whether you use Instagram's quick built-in tools or a more robust app like Canva, taking control of your crop ensures your brand looks its best, and your message is always seen exactly as you intended.

Once your content is perfectly resized and ready to go, the final step is getting it published efficiently. Manually posting every individual Story can be a real drag on your workflow, which is why we built Postbase with modern content formats in mind. Our platform was designed from the ground up to handle short-form video and Stories seamlessly, allowing you to use a visual calendar to plan your content weeks ahead and schedule it to go live reliably, every time. With Postbase, you can spend less time wrestling with legacy workarounds and more time creating great content.