The 1080×1350: What You Need To Know About Instagram’s Update
Instagram is always changing, and if you’re a social media designer, keeping up with these changes is crucial to reaching your target audience. One of the latest updates is the recommended post size: 1080×1350 pixels aka 4:5 aspect ratio.
This means taller posts that take up more screen space. Which is great news for engagement, but it also means adjusting how we design content.
Let’s break down what this update means and how you can make the most of it.
What’s Changed?
Instagram used to favor square posts (1080×1080 pixels, 1:1 ratio), but now they’re encouraging a 4:5 portrait format (1080×1350 pixels). This update makes posts more mobile-friendly, grabbing more attention as users scroll.
If you’ve been sticking to square designs, this might require you to make some adjustments on how you tackle creating posts, but it’s actually a pretty big win for designers!
Here’s why the new post size matters:
More Screen Space: A taller post means more real estate in the feed, which can help boost engagement. People are more likely to stop and look at a post that fills their screen.
Better for Storytelling: Whether you’re sharing infographics, photography, or promotional content, the extra height allows for more creative layouts and detailed visuals.
Cross-Platform Consistency: Other social media platforms like Pinterest and LinkedIn are already in favor of vertical images, so this makes it easier to repurpose content across multiple channels.
Grid Layout Considerations: Some Instagram profile grids still display posts as squares, meaning your 4:5 images might get cropped in preview mode. To keep things looking good, make sure your main content is centered within the middle square of your design. Some additional good news is that Instagram actually allows you to reposition your preview in settings once you post so that it fits grids of all sizes.
How to Design for the New Instagram Post Size
Now that we know why this change matters, here’s how to make sure your posts look great:
Set Your Canvas to 1080×1350 Pixels: No matter what program you’re using, get in the habit of starting with the right dimensions so you don’t have to resize and remake your designs later.
Keep the Safe Zone in Mind: Since your grid crops images to a square, make sure all of your main elements like text, faces, logos, etc. fit within the 1080×1080 center area.
Design for Mobile First: The 4:5 format is perfect for mobile viewing, so avoid adding too many little details that might get lost on small screens. Keep it bold, clean, and easy to see.
Some Final Thoughts
This update is actually a great opportunity for designers (even if it feels frustrating at first). The new 1080×1350 format gives you more space to create visually compelling content that stands out in your audiences feed. While you may need to adjust your design approach, the benefits of better visibility, higher engagement, and easier cross-platform sharing make it totally worth it.
So embrace the change, and start designing for Instagram’s new format. Your posts (and engagement rates) will thank you!