What this tool is for
Most Story sizing pages list the numbers — 1080×1920, 9:16 — and stop. The numbers are easy. The problems are: knowing whether your source is high-res enough, fitting any aspect ratio into 9:16 without weird letterboxing, and avoiding the three failure modes that produce blurry uploads. This tool drops any image, cover-fits it to exact spec, warns you if the source is too small, and gives you a 1080×1920 PNG ready to upload.
Exact specs
| Recommended size | 1080 × 1920 px |
| Aspect ratio | 9 : 16 |
| Minimum resolution | 720 × 1280 px |
| Maximum file size | 30 MB |
| Supported formats | JPG, PNG, HEIC |
| Safe area for design | 1080 × 1610 px |
| Top UI band | 155 px (username, close) |
| Bottom UI band | 155 px (reply bar) |
| Max video duration per Story | 60 s |
How to use it
- Drop in any image — any aspect ratio, any size up to 30MB.
- The tool cover-fits it to 1080×1920 with the focal point centered. You see a side-by-side before/after.
- If the source is below 720×1280, you get a low-res warning before you download.
- Toggle the safe-zone overlay on the after-preview to verify your design clears Instagram's UI.
- Download the resized PNG, ready to upload. Optionally download a transparent safe-zone overlay for use in Figma, Canva, or Photoshop.
Three reasons Stories upload blurry
- Source too low-res. Anything below 1080×1920 has to be upscaled, and upscaling always costs sharpness. The minimum that still looks acceptable is 720×1280.
- Double compression. Screenshots of already-compressed images compound JPEG artifacts. Save once, at high quality, from the original source.
- Wrong aspect ratio.Non-9:16 sources trigger Instagram's auto-crop or letterbox, which can look messy. Pre-fit to 9:16 (this tool does that).
Related
Need to verify your design clears Instagram's UI? Instagram Story Safe Zone Checker. Building a multi-slide post? Instagram Carousel Size tool.
Carousel MakerFrom the makers of this tool
Resizing is step zero — design is the rest
This tool gets your image to spec. Carousel Maker designs Stories from a single prompt: AI layouts, on-brand templates, and 1080×1920 export ready for Instagram, no watermarks.
FAQ
What is the recommended Instagram Story size?+
1080×1920 pixels at a 9:16 aspect ratio. This matches the upload ceiling and the dimensions of modern phone screens, so Instagram does not have to scale your image and you avoid resampling artifacts.
What is the minimum Story resolution?+
Instagram's soft minimum is 720×1280. Below that, your image gets upscaled and looks soft on the device. This tool warns you when the source is below the minimum.
What is the maximum file size for a Story?+
30MB per file (image or video). Anything larger gets rejected on upload.
Can I upload portrait video to Stories?+
Yes — same 1080×1920 canvas, max 60 seconds per Story segment. For longer content, use Reels (up to 90 seconds) or chain multiple Stories.
What about HEIC from iPhone?+
Instagram accepts HEIC and converts it server-side. For predictable results — especially on type-heavy designs — export to PNG before uploading.
Why does my Story look blurry?+
Three usual causes: (1) source resolution below 1080×1920 forced an upscale, (2) double compression from screenshotting an already-compressed image, or (3) the wrong aspect ratio triggered Instagram's auto-crop. Pre-fitting with this tool eliminates causes (1) and (3) when the source is high-res enough.
Does this tool send my image to a server?+
No. Resizing happens entirely in your browser via canvas. Your image never leaves the device.