In 2026, a clear trend in social media is confirmed: vertical content has become the standard. Formats such as 9:16, 4:5, and 3:4 are now the ones that perform best on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, and Pinterest.
This means that knowing the correct sizes for each social network is no longer just a technical matter. Choosing the right formats directly affects image and video quality, organic reach, and a brand’s professional perception. Thinking in terms of formats is part of the content strategy, not a final step.
Every year, social platforms adjust proportions, priorities, and the ways content is consumed. In 2026, a reality that had been building for some time is fully consolidated: content is increasingly visual, more vertical, and more demanding in terms of sizes.
Using incorrect formats can lead to unexpected cropping, loss of quality, or reduced visibility in the feed. That’s why having a clear understanding of the updated social media sizes in 2026 is key to communicating more effectively.
In this guide, you’ll find the recommended sizes for the main social media platforms in 2026, with a practical approach to help you make informed decisions and adapt your content to each platform.
Instagram: more vertical, more screen space
Instagram continues to strongly focus on video and vertical formats, both in the feed and in Reels.
Key sizes in 2026 are:
- Classic vertical feed: 1080 × 1350 px (4:5)
- New expanded vertical feed: 1080 × 1440 px (3:4)
- Square feed: 1080 × 1080 px
- Horizontal feed: 1080 × 608 px
- Reels and Stories: 1080 × 1920 px (9:16)
The 3:4 format is gaining prominence because it allows you to occupy more space in the feed without adopting the visual language of Stories. If you have to choose a single reusable format, vertical is the best option.
Facebook: coexistence of formats, with a preference for vertical
Facebook maintains a wide variety of active formats, but the behavior of the feed increasingly favors vertical content.
Recommended sizes:
- Vertical post: 1080 × 1350 px
- Square post: 1080 × 1080 px
- Horizontal post: 1080 × 608 px
- Reels and Stories: 1080 × 1920 px
- Cover image: 851 × 315 px
Although the horizontal format is still viable (especially for links), vertical content adapts better to mobile navigation.
LinkedIn: vertical also works in professional environments
LinkedIn is no longer just a text-based network. Visual content is becoming increasingly important, especially when it is native and designed for the feed.
Main formats:
- Vertical post: 1080 × 1350 px
- Square post: 1080 × 1080 px
- Horizontal post: 1200 × 628 px
- Company banner: 1128 × 376 px
- Personal banner: 1584 × 396 px
Carousels and vertical formats tend to generate more attention than traditional horizontal images.
YouTube: where two formats coexist
YouTube consolidates its dual model in 2026, with long-form horizontal video and vertical Shorts coexisting as complementary formats.
Key sizes:
- Recommended long-form video: 1920 × 1080 px (16:9)
- 4K video: 3840 × 2160 px
- Shorts: 1080 × 1920 px
- Thumbnail: 1280 × 720 px
- Channel banner: 2048 × 1152 px
Shorts play a key role in discovery, while long-form content remains essential for depth, credibility, and authority building.
TikTok: vertical remains the natural language
TikTok remains inherently vertical, even as it supports other formats.
Recommended sizes:
- Vertical video: 1080 × 1920 px
- Square image: 1080 × 1080 px
- Horizontal video: 1920 × 1080 px
Despite new durations and formats, vertical content continues to deliver the best performance.
Pinterest: designed to be saved, not just consumed
Pinterest continues to be a space for visual discovery and evergreen content.
Main formats:
- Standard Pin: 1000 × 1500 px (2:3)
- Vertical Pin / video: 1080 × 1920 px
- Long Pin: 1000 × 2100 px
- Board cover: 1000 × 1000 px
The vertical format makes it easier to stand out and offers long-term value.
X (formerly Twitter): more video, more formats
X continues to evolve into a more multimedia-focused space.
Recommended sizes:
- Square image: 1200 × 1200 px
- Horizontal image / link: 1200 × 675 px
- Vertical video: 1080 × 1920 px
- Horizontal video: 1920 × 1080 px
- Banner: 1500 × 500 px
Video is gaining importance, especially on accounts with higher activity and stronger communities.
How to apply these sizes effectively to your digital strategy
Knowing the sizes and formats of social media platforms is only the first step. The real challenge in 2026 is to design content from the outset so that it performs well on each platform, without losing coherence or quality.
This involves:
- Prioritize reusable vertical formats
- Design with a mobile-first mindset
- Understand the differences between feed, stories, reels, and shorts
- Recognize that format also communicates brand positioning
Sizes are not a list to memorize, but a tool to improve content effectiveness and the experience of those who consume it.
