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Facebook image sizes – Shape the perfect post

by Canto  |  December 1, 2020

2 min. read
A picture of a phone with the Facebook icon.

The correct image size on Facebook improves the look and feel of your entire profile. There are nearly 3 billion users active on the network every month. To give your customers a crisper look at your latest posts an understanding of the correct size is essential.

Here we share some of the intricacies that increase engagement with your product on the world’s largest social platform.

Why image size matters

Change is inevitable in the tech industry. If advertising a product you want it to stand out. Updates are required to ensure image sizes are correct and create intriguing visuals for potential customers. More and more people buy with their eyes in the modern age. The world’s most popular network requires a keen eye for detail to attract users.

Canto screenshot with sizing box

Basic image size requirements

The minimum image dimension is 200 x 200 pixels. Facebook recommends a size of 1200 x 630 pixels for an optimal high-resolution display. An image shouldn’t exceed 8MB in file size. If posting larger images, a 600 x 315 pixel resolution is suggested for a crisp look.

Recommended image pixel size and dimensions

Dimension and scale can be optimized depending on the media you upload. It’s important to keep in mind what you upload on Facebook as it has a direct impact on the sizes you will need to consider.

Image size recommendations for Facebook:

  • Profile picture size: 180 x 180 pixels
  • Image post size: 1200 x 630 pixels
  • Ad size: 1200 x 628 pixels
  • Cover photo size: 820 x 462 pixels
  • Event image size: 1920 x 1080 pixels

Pixels are the smallest elements of a picture and every photo in a digital form contains them. The more pixels you have, the closer an image gets to looking like its original form. This has a direct impact on image resolutions. Dimensions are the length and width of a digital image and are usually measured in pixels.

screenshot of Canto

Which image file type is best suited for Facebook?

The image file type you choose will depend on the role of your image or visual. PNG is great for business ads as it provides strong textures for brand logos. A GIF is an ideal choice for animated images, graphics and motion. JPG is rooted in more simplistic images like photographs and screenshots. Remember to adjust the size of your pixels accordingly to the available file type.

Mobile device image sizes

On a mobile device, it makes sense to reduce your image size. This is beneficial for users as screens are smaller than desktops.

3 mobile device image size recommendations:

  • Profile picture: 128 x 128 pixels
  • Cover photo: 640 x 320 pixels
  • Post Image: 1080 x 1320 pixels

If your image doesn’t size up right, don’t worry. Major operating systems like Mac and Microsoft come with free editing tools that make modifying images to fit online platforms easy.

Adopt these sizes to stay in focus and keep your brand logos, images and photos looking sharp.