Uploading the minimum 320×320px
While 320×320 is accepted, it often looks soft after Instagram's compression. Upload at 1080×1080 for the sharpest result, especially on high-res screens.
Instagram displays profile photos at 110×110px in a tight circle crop. Here's exactly what to upload to look sharp on every device.
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Quick Reference
Profile Photos
Instagram displays your profile picture at just 110×110 pixels — a small, tight circle that appears everywhere from your profile page to comments and story rings. Despite the small display size, you should always upload a much larger image to ensure sharpness.
The minimum upload size is 320×320 pixels, but we recommend uploading at least 1080×1080 pixels. Instagram will compress and downsize your image, so starting with a high-resolution file means the final result stays crisp.
Because Instagram crops to a circle, keep your subject — whether that's your face or a logo — centred and within the inner 80% of the frame. Anything near the edges will be cropped out.
Step by Step
Start with the best quality photo or logo file you have. Ideally 1080×1080px or higher — the platform will compress it, so give it the best starting material.
Instagram crops profile photos to a circle. Crop your image to a 1:1 square ratio first, keeping your face or logo centred within the frame.
The circular crop will cut off the corners of your square image. Make sure no important elements are within about 10% of the edges.
Use SocialPreviewing to see exactly how your photo will look in the Instagram circle, at the actual display size, on both desktop and mobile — before you go live.
Your profile photo appears much smaller in comments and Stories. Test that it's still recognisable and legible at that reduced size.
Common Mistakes
While 320×320 is accepted, it often looks soft after Instagram's compression. Upload at 1080×1080 for the sharpest result, especially on high-res screens.
Your image gets cropped into a tight circle. If your face is at the top of the frame or your logo touches the edges, key elements will be cut off.
At 110px, a cluttered background makes it impossible to identify the subject. Use a clean, solid, or blurred background with strong subject-background contrast.
For personal brands and businesses, consistency is credibility. Use the same or closely matched profile image across Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok and X.
At 110×110px, any text becomes completely unreadable. Save text for your bio, not the photo itself.
FAQ
Instagram displays profile pictures at 110×110 pixels in a circular crop. The minimum upload size is 320×320px, but we recommend uploading at 1080×1080px for the sharpest result after compression.
Yes. Instagram crops all profile photos into a circle. Your image needs to be square (1:1 ratio), and the important subject should be centred within the frame so the circular crop doesn't cut anything off.
JPG is standard and works well for photographs. PNG is better for logos or images with flat colours and sharp edges, as it preserves more detail before Instagram's compression kicks in.
Blurriness is almost always caused by uploading a low-resolution image. Upload at 1080×1080px minimum. Also make sure the original photo is sharp before uploading — Instagram's compression will make any softness worse.
Use SocialPreviewing.com — it shows you exactly how your image will appear in Instagram's circular crop on both desktop and mobile, before you upload it.
Preview your Instagram profile picture in the exact circle crop, at real display size, on desktop and mobile — free.
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