Pick the ratio that matches the gift
5×7 print? That's 5:7. Phone wallpaper? 9:16. Square mug? 1:1. The cheat sheet above has every standard.
Free cheat sheet · Updated 2026
Image sizes & aspect ratios, answered.
The exact pixel size for every standard ratio — 1:1, 4:5, 9:16, 16:9, 4:3, 3:2, 2:3, 5:7 — and the pixel count you need to print sharp at 300 DPI from 4×6 up to 24×36. No math, no guesswork.
The short version, in 30 seconds.
Aspect ratio is the shape of an image, written width:height (e.g. 4:5, 16:9).Size is the pixel count (e.g. 1080 × 1350). Same ratio, different size — both are valid, just at different resolutions. For sharp prints at 300 DPI: multiply the print size in inches by 300. An 8×10 inch print needs 2400 × 3000 px.
| Ratio | Best for | Pixel size |
|---|---|---|
1:1 | Instagram square | 1080×1080 |
4:5 | Instagram portrait, 8×10 print | 1080×1350 / 2400×3000 |
9:16 | Stories / TikTok / Shorts | 1080×1920 |
16:9 | YouTube / X / desktop | 1920×1080 |
The full table below covers 10 ratios, 11 social platforms, and 6 print sizes.
The 10 aspect ratios you actually use.
Every modern digital display, social platform, or print size falls into one of these 10 shapes. Pick the row that matches your use case.
| Ratio | Name | Use it for | Standard pixel sizes |
|---|---|---|---|
1:1 | Square | Instagram grid, profile thumbnails, profile photos | 1080×1080 (IG), 1200×1200 (X), 400×400 (LinkedIn) |
4:5 | Portrait | Instagram feed portrait, Facebook feed, portrait prints | 1080×1350 (IG), 1200×1500 (FB) |
9:16 | Vertical / Story | Instagram Stories, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, phone wallpaper | 1080×1920 (Stories), 1080×1920 (TikTok) |
16:9 | Widescreen | YouTube, Twitter/X image posts, desktop wallpaper, slide decks | 1920×1080 (YT/X), 2560×1440 (QHD) |
4:3 | Standard photo / mug / mouse pad | Traditional displays, most consumer cameras until ~2010, gift templates | 1024×768, 1600×1200 |
3:2 | DSLR / 35mm | Most modern cameras, classic photo prints | 1080×720, 6000×4000 (24MP full-frame) |
2:3 | Print photo | 4×6, 8×12, 12×18 photo prints, postcards | 1200×1800 (4×6 @ 300dpi) |
5:7 | Framed portrait | 5×7, 10×14 framed prints | 1500×2100 (5×7 @ 300dpi) |
1.91:1 | Twitter / X link card | X / Twitter image posts, Open Graph link previews | 1200×628 (OG), 1600×836 |
21:9 | Cinematic / ultrawide | Cinema, ultrawide monitors, banner hero images | 2560×1080, 3440×1440 |
How many pixels for a sharp print?
At 300 DPI, multiply each inch by 300 to get the pixel count you need. Anything below this and the print looks soft; anything way above is wasted file size.
| Print size | Aspect ratio | Required pixels @ 300 DPI | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
4 × 6 in | 2:3 | 1200 × 1800 | Smallest standard photo print |
5 × 7 in | 5:7 | 1500 × 2100 | Classic framed photo, greeting cards |
8 × 10 in | 4:5 | 2400 × 3000 | Standard framed portrait |
11 × 14 in | 14:11 | 3300 × 4200 | Large wall print, posters |
16 × 20 in | 4:5 | 4800 × 6000 | Statement wall print, canvas |
24 × 36 in | 2:3 | 7200 × 10800 | Poster, large canvas |
The formula: pixels = inches × 300. So an 11×14 print needs 3300×4200 px.Reverse: inches = pixels ÷ 300. A 4032×3024 phone photo can print up to 13.4×10 inches at 300 DPI.
Now turn it into something personal.
Knowing the ratio is half the job. The other half is using it. If you have one good photo at the right ratio — make it move.
Upload one photo to ImgKit
ImgKit takes a single photo and turns it into an animated, personalised video. Free watermarked preview, $9.99 for the HD version.
Send as a gift
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Image size questions, answered
What is an aspect ratio?
An aspect ratio is the proportional relationship between an image's width and height, written as
width:height (e.g. 4:5, 16:9, 1:1). It tells you the shape of the picture, separate from its size. The same 4:5 ratio can be 1080×1350 px or 4000×5000 px — both have the same shape, just at different resolutions.What does "1080 x 1350 ratio" mean, and where do I use it?
1080 × 1350 is the Instagram portrait image size at a 4:5 aspect ratio. Use it for in-feed portrait posts on Instagram — it takes the most vertical real estate of any in-feed format without getting cropped.What does "maintain aspect ratio" mean?
To maintain aspect ratio means resizing an image while keeping its width-to-height proportion constant. If you change one dimension, the other must scale by the same factor — otherwise the image stretches. Most editors have a "constrain proportions" / lock icon that does this for you.
How many pixels do I need to print at 300 DPI?
Multiply the print size in inches by 300. For a 4×6 inch print you need
1200 × 1800 px; for 8×10 you need 2400 × 3000 px; for 16×20 you need 4800 × 6000 px. DPI (dots per inch) and PPI (pixels per inch) are used interchangeably for screen-to-print math.Why is 1:1 (square) so common on Instagram?
Instagram's grid is square, so a
1:1 ratio fills the preview thumbnail cleanly and crops predictably. A 4:5 portrait grabs more feed real estate but a 1:1 stays symmetric in profile grids.What is the standard photo print ratio?
The two most common photo print ratios are
2:3 (4×6, 8×12, 12×18 inches) and 5:7 (5×7, 10×14). 2:3 matches 35mm film and most consumer cameras; 5:7 is the classic framed portrait. Mat boards at major retailers are cut to these two ratios.What is the aspect ratio of a TV or YouTube video?
Most modern TVs and YouTube videos use
16:9 (1920×1080, 2560×1440, 3840×2160). Cinema is wider at 21:9 (also written 2.35:1). Old standard-definition TV used 4:3.Why does my image get cropped on Instagram Stories?
Instagram Stories displays at
9:16 (1080×1920). Photos that aren't 9:16 get a blurred background fill or a centered crop. To avoid this, export at exactly 1080×1920 px before uploading.Is aspect ratio the same as resolution?
No. Aspect ratio is the shape (e.g.
4:5); resolution is the amount of detail (e.g. 1080×1350 px). You can have a 1080×1350 image (4:5) and a 4000×5000 image (also 4:5) — same ratio, different resolution.What aspect ratio should I use for a printed photo gift?
Most print-on-demand photo gifts default to
4:3 (mugs, mouse pads, phone cases) or 4:5 (5×7 and 8×10 prints, framed canvases). Use the largest original photo you have and the printer will letterbox or crop within the chosen template — start with 3:2 (DSLR) or 4:3 (phone) if you want the safest crop.
What every platform expects in 2026.
These pixel values are the official minimums / maximums for each platform. Export slightly larger if you can — Instagram and TikTok downscale better than they upscale.
1:1320 × 3201:11080 × 10804:51080 × 13509:161080 × 19209:161080 × 192016:91280 × 72016:91600 × 9003:11500 × 5001.91:11200 × 6284:11584 × 3962.7:1851 × 315