Image and Video Formats for Social Media: A Practical Guide

Which image and video ratios are used on social media?

Four ratios cover almost everything: 9:16 (vertical), 4:5 (soft vertical), 1:1 (square) and 16:9 (horizontal), plus a wide one close to 1.91:1 for link previews. A ratio is the relationship between width and height: 9:16 means nine wide by sixteen tall, which is a phone held upright.

One warning first: platforms update their specs often, and not all publish them in the same detail. What follows is a guide to common practice, and where we could verify a figure in official help we link it with the date (November 2026). If a figure has no link, treat it as guidance and check it before setting a team rule.

Which format belongs on which network?

Each network has a "natural" format and accepts others by cropping them or adding bars. This table is a starting point, not a rulebook:

Two points we did verify in official sources: YouTube's help page says the standard aspect ratio on a computer is 16:9 and that if you upload a different one the player adjusts, and that for 9:16 vertical video in desktop browsers YouTube may add more padding. On LinkedIn, its video help page for Pages states that organic video must fall between 1:2.4 and 2.4:1, a wide range that allows both vertical and horizontal.

What is a safe zone and how do you respect it?

It is the central part of the frame where you can place text and key elements without the network's interface covering them or the format cropping them. In vertical video, the app overlays the username, the like button, the caption and the progress bar. If your title sits against the edge, it ends up underneath.

A practical rule that does not depend on any platform:

• Leave roughly a 10% margin on the sides, and a bit more at the top and bottom of vertical videos.
• Place titles and the person's face toward the center.
• Avoid putting the call to action right at the bottom edge, where the caption usually appears.
• If you export the same piece to several networks, check a screenshot in each app; the covered areas differ.

Exact percentages vary and platforms change them, so it is worth testing with a private trial post before preparing a whole batch.

How long should a short video be?

As long as the message needs, and within each network's maximum. One cap we can cite: per YouTube's help, Shorts can be up to 3 minutes long and the maximum resolution is 1080p (as of November 2026; this may change). For other networks, look up the current limit in their official help on the day you publish, because it changes often.

Rather than an "ideal" length, use a method:

1. Write the message in one sentence.
2. Cut everything that does not explain it or make it clearer.
3. Put the most interesting thing in the first second.
4. Stop when you have said it; do not stretch to hit a number.

If the message needs more time, a horizontal video, a carousel or an article is probably a better fit.

How do you export without losing quality?

Export in the final ratio from the start and do not count on the network to crop for you. A horizontal video dropped into a vertical slot gets cropped or letterboxed, and an image with no margin loses what was at the edges. An export checklist:

• Start from the target format. Build the piece already in 9:16, 4:5, 1:1 or 16:9, depending on the network.
• Enough resolution. Use at least 1080 pixels on the short side; do not upload more than the network accepts (YouTube states 1080p maximum for Shorts).
• A common file type. MP4 for video and JPG or PNG for images are the most widely accepted; confirm in each network's help.
• Text that reads on a phone. A title that reads at full screen can be unreadable as a thumbnail.
• Sound optional. Many people watch without audio; make the message clear with captions or on-screen text.
• Clear file names. Include network and ratio (for example, product-launch-9x16.mp4) so versions do not get mixed up.

Can you reuse one piece in several ratios?

Yes, if you plan the framing from the start. The most useful technique is to compose the subject in the center and leave air around it, so a crop from 9:16 to 1:1 or 4:5 does not cut off what matters. When an AI-generated image has to serve three formats, ask for the ratio you will use most and check how it crops. For more on describing framing and composition, see the guide to writing AI image prompts.

In igroui, when you generate a video from text or from an image you choose the model, duration and ratio, and you see the cost before launching it; more on this on the AI short videos page. You publish on each network yourself, using the package of texts, images and videos ready to download.

A final checklist before you publish

Before uploading a piece, go through:

1. The ratio matches the network's format.
2. There is a safety margin on all four edges.
3. The text reads in a phone screenshot.
4. The length respects that network's current maximum.
5. The first second or first image makes sense without sound.
6. If the content is AI-generated, your audience can tell.
7. You have checked a test version inside the app itself.

To decide what to say on each network, start with the guide to adapting one message to every social network; format is only half the job.