So, you got this awesome photo, right? But, ever wondered why it looks kinda off on your laptop, but just fine on your phone? That’s all down to image aspect ratios.
These ratios are like the backstage crew of the photography world – they decide the balance between an image’s width and height, and how it gets displayed on different screens.
Okay, quick example to get you on the same page – imagine you’ve got an image with a 4:3 ratio. Now pop that on a widescreen monitor that loves 16:9 stuff, and bam! It’s stretched or looks weird. Trust me, getting the ratio right is like having your cake and eating it too.
Your pics will look fab on everything, from a smartphone to a billboard (well, maybe not exactly a billboard, but you get the drift).
Let’s talk about those go-to ratios everyone keeps yapping about:
Heads up! Each social platform’s got their thing when it comes to aspect ratios:
Nailing these ratios means less chance your awesome pic gets all wonky when cropped – which, let’s face it, is a buzzkill for any post.
| Name | Ratio | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Instagram Stories Sizes | 9:16 | 1080 x 1920 pixels |
| Instagram Post Size | 4:5 | 1080 x 1350 pixels |
| Instagram Reels Sizes | 9:16 | 1080 x 1920 pixels |
| Facebook Stories Sizes | 9:16 | 1080 x 1920 pixels |
| Facebook Timeline Photo | 1.91:1 | 1200 x 630 pixels |
| Pinterest Image Sizes | 2:3 | 1000 x 1500 pixels |
| Pinterest Story Pins | 9:16 | 1080 x 1920 pixels |
| Snapchat Image Size | 9:16 | 1080 x 1920 pixels |
| TikTok Profile Photo | 1:1 | 200 x 200 pixels |
| TikTok Story Size | 9:16 | 1080 x 1920 pixels |
| TikTok Carousel Image | 9:16 | 1080 x 1920 pixels |
| TikTok Ad Image Size | 9:16 | 1080 x 1920 pixels |
Look, who’s got the time to manually calculate image dimensions? Nobody! Use an aspect ratio calculator – these handy tools let you punch in one dimension (width or height) and it’ll spit out the other for your chosen ratio.