How to Optimize Images for Social Media (2025 Complete Guide)
Posting images on social media? They need to be the right size and properly compressed. This guide shows you exactly what dimensions to use for each platform and how to make your images look perfect. Let's make your social media posts shine!
Why Social Media Images Need Special Treatment
Each social media platform has different requirements. Upload the wrong size, and the platform will crop or stretch your image - making it look bad. Upload files that are too big, and they take forever to post. The good news? Once you know the right sizes, it's easy to get perfect results every time.
Facebook Image Sizes
Profile Picture: 180 x 180 pixels
Your profile picture appears everywhere on Facebook, so make it count. Use a square image at 180 x 180 pixels. Compress it to under 100 KB. Make sure your face or logo is centered because Facebook will crop it into a circle.
Cover Photo: 820 x 312 pixels
This is the big banner at the top of your page. Use 820 x 312 pixels for best results. Important elements should be in the center because it displays differently on mobile. Compress to under 200 KB to keep it loading fast.
Regular Posts: 1200 x 630 pixels
For photos in your feed, 1200 x 630 pixels works great. This size looks good on both desktop and mobile. Compress to around 150-200 KB. Facebook will compress your images anyway, so starting with a smaller file prevents double compression that makes images look bad.
Instagram Image Sizes
Square Posts: 1080 x 1080 pixels
The classic Instagram square. Use 1080 x 1080 pixels for best quality. This is perfect for product photos, quotes, and most content. Compress to under 200 KB. Instagram loves well-compressed images that still look sharp.
Portrait Posts: 1080 x 1350 pixels
Tall images show more on mobile screens, which most Instagram users browse on. Use 1080 x 1350 pixels. This is great for showing products, people, or tall scenes. Keep file size under 250 KB.
Stories: 1080 x 1920 pixels
Instagram Stories are full-screen vertical. Use 1080 x 1920 pixels (that's 9:16 ratio). Since stories disappear after 24 hours, you can compress more aggressively to 150 KB or less. They'll still look great on phones.
Twitter (X) Image Sizes
Single Image Posts: 1200 x 675 pixels
Twitter crops images in the feed, so use 1200 x 675 pixels to avoid awkward cropping. Important content should be in the center. Compress to under 150 KB. Twitter has a 5 MB limit, but smaller files post faster.
Profile Picture: 400 x 400 pixels
Twitter profile pictures are circles, so use a square image at 400 x 400 pixels. Keep important parts centered. Compress to under 100 KB for fast loading.
LinkedIn Image Sizes
Personal Profile: 400 x 400 pixels
Your professional headshot should be 400 x 400 pixels. This is a professional network, so use high quality - compress to around 150 KB but keep it looking sharp.
Company Logo: 300 x 300 pixels
Company logos on LinkedIn should be 300 x 300 pixels. Use PNG format if your logo has transparency. Compress to under 100 KB.
Post Images: 1200 x 627 pixels
Shared content and article images work best at 1200 x 627 pixels. This size looks professional and loads quickly. Compress to 200 KB or less.
General Social Media Tips
- Always use RGB color mode, not CMYK (RGB is for screens)
- Save images as JPEG for photos, PNG for graphics with text
- Test how your image looks on mobile before posting
- Use quality setting of 80-85% when compressing
- Keep text away from edges - it might get cropped
- Compress before uploading to prevent platform double-compression
Quick Workflow for Perfect Social Images
Here's the simple process: First, create your image in the right dimensions for your platform. Second, compress it using our tool with quality set to 80-85%. Third, preview it on your phone to make sure it looks good. Fourth, post it! This process takes just a minute and ensures perfect results every time.
Common Social Media Image Mistakes
Don't upload huge files from your camera - they're too big. Don't use tiny images that look pixelated when displayed. Don't forget to compress - uncompressed images slow down posting and frustrate mobile users. Don't use the same image size for all platforms - each one is different.
Conclusion
Getting social media images right isn't hard when you know the dimensions. Save this guide as a reference, and use our compression tool to prepare your images. Your posts will look professional, load fast, and get more engagement. Compress now and make your social media shine!
More Articles
PNG vs JPG vs WebP: Which Format Should You Use in 2025?
Complete comparison of image formats. Learn when to use PNG, JPG, or WebP for optimal file size and quality. Expert guide with real-world examples.
GuideUnderstanding Image File Sizes: A Simple Guide for Beginners
Learn what MB, KB, and pixels mean. Understand why image file sizes matter and how to get them right for your website. Simple explanations for everyone.