Start with placement, not only pixels
A good social media size starts with where the asset will appear. A portrait feed post, a vertical story, and a horizontal video thumbnail can all use different ratios even when the final file is exported from the same design system.
Common creator ratios
Use 1:1 for square posts, 4:5 for portrait feed posts, 9:16 for stories and short-form vertical video, and 16:9 for thumbnails, widescreen video, and website embeds. The ratio controls the shape while the pixel dimensions control export sharpness.
Design safe areas
Avoid placing important text and logos at the very edge. Platform UI, captions, buttons, profile names, and cropping previews can cover parts of an image or video. Keep key text centered and leave breathing room around the edges.
Use calculator workflows
When you know one dimension, use the aspect ratio calculator to find the matching width or height. This prevents distortion and keeps posts, thumbnails, and story assets aligned with their intended shape.
Common social media sizes
Use these as practical starting points, then verify the exact placement and crop inside the platform you are publishing to.
| Placement | Ratio | Common export size |
|---|---|---|
| Square feed post | 1:1 | 1080 × 1080 |
| Portrait feed post | 4:5 | 1080 × 1350 |
| Story / Reel / Short | 9:16 | 1080 × 1920 |
| Video thumbnail | 16:9 | 1280 × 720 or 1920 × 1080 |
| LinkedIn / website banner | 1.91:1 or 16:9 | 1200 × 627 or 1920 × 1080 |