Uploading To Instagram Without Losing Image Quality

Something I noticed when posting to Instagram from my desktop was that the paradigm quality was significantly worse than the version I had uploaded, with the blurred image inevitably getting less than favourable engagement. After some thorough research though, I've managed to compile some reasons as to why Instagram might exist reducing the image quality on your posts.

At that place are a few reasons why the image quality is reduced when uploading straight from your PC, 1 of which is that you are not following Instagram'due south max resolution guidelines, which is currently ready at 1080 ten 1350px. Whatsoever epitome that is greater than the said resolution will be fabricated smaller past Instagram and thus may bear on the quality of the epitome.

Secondly, it also depends on the format of the paradigm that you are using. Instagram'southward default format for images is JPEG (.jpg), meaning that any paradigm that is uploaded in PNG (.png), BITMAP (.bmp), or anything other than JPEG, volition exist converted to JPEG and as such loses some of the quality during the conversion.

  • READ: How I Gained Over 100,000 Followers On Instagram
  • READ: How To Utilize The Correct Hashtags For YOU
  • READ: The BIGGEST Mistake I Run across People Making On Instagram

When you consider the number of images that are being uploaded to Instagram every unmarried mean solar day and the server power that is needed to run the platform, you'll shortly forgive Instagram for reducing file sizes where possible. Try to keep your image file size to a minimum (without affecting image quality) to avoid having it be poorly compressed by Instagram.

Last but not least, Instagram is predominantly a mobile-based app, and equally such prioritises uploads from mobile (or tablet) devices when information technology comes to quality. This means that images uploaded via your desktop, such equally with the developer tools method, tin can sometimes come across a reduction in image quality when uploading to Instagram.

How to avoid losing Image Quality on Instagram (with Photoshop)

For many people, who take pictures of themselves, their domestic dog or the local beach, image quality doesn't really tend to matter. However, if you're a artistic similar me who designs content for their business and wants to institute themselves as a professional, then maintaining quality with your uploads is very important.

I like to create my Instagram content using Photoshop, merely the same principles volition utilize to whichever photo editing software you are using. In Photoshop you lot will want to set upward a new file or artboard and set it to Instagram's maximum resolution (1080 10 1350px). One time you have created your design, you need to go to File > Export > Save For Spider web (Legacy)…

For those that don't know, saving in this way will permit you to alter the quality and file size of your final image. In the top right of the Save For Web window, nether Preset, you will want to select JPEG equally the file type. Beneath that, yous can modify the overall quality of the image, starting from Low all the way up to Maximum.

Hither is a screenshot of the Relieve To Spider web window for my Bruce Lee mail service in Photoshop. I have highlighted the areas you need to monitor in order to reduce size and maintain prototype quality, such equally the quality setting and dimensions of the image.

Once more, the reason for lowering the quality of the dropdown is to reduce the file size of the paradigm and thus avoid Instagram taking the pinch into their own easily. You can monitor the size of the image in the bottom left (above example: 837.8K).

A lot of the time, you volition really find that the Very High or High setting reduces the file size significantly; without actually affecting the sharpness of the image itself. You will want to choose the setting that achieves the best balance between the two.

One time yous're happy with the image file size and quality, you can hit the save button to save information technology to your computer. Following that, you will desire to upload your new epitome to Google Drive where you will then download it to your mobile (or tablet) device. You lot tin then upload the epitome directly to Instagram from your mobile.

If you really want to brand the virtually of your post and get every bit much date as possible, then yous'll want to besides bank check out this ultimate guide I wrote for using hashtags on Instagram.

Conclusion

Instagram tin oftentimes reduce the quality of your images during uploads for a wide number of reasons, but if yous're looking to maintain quality then you should wait to upload a high-quality, compressed JPEG file (max resolution: 1080 x 1350px) directly from your mobile or tablet to avoid any farther compression by Instagram.

Y'all can follow me on Instagram here!

Have whatever feedback or questions about this postal service? Allow me know in the comments below!

Something I noticed when posting to Instagram from my desktop was that the image quality was significantly worse than the version I had uploaded, with the blurred image inevitably getting less than favourable engagement. After some thorough research though, I've managed to compile some answers reasons as to why Instagram might be reducing the image quality on your posts.
Did you find this post on improving the image quality of your Instagram posts helpful? If so, I would be very grateful if you could pin this image to Pinterest!

Mike Walters

Mike Walters

I Build Killer Landing Pages That ACTUALLY Get Results... Guaranteed

Mike Walters

Mike Walters

I Build Killer Landing Pages That ACTUALLY Get Results... Guaranteed

This Postal service Has 56 Comments

  1. Peachy post, I was asking myself how much it shrink quality of photos when I send image to myself over messenger and then post it on Instagram. And then I read this article and used the Google Drive. I must say there is a bit more depth then sending over messenger. So yes Google Drive works fine.

    1. Mike Walters 28 Sep 2020 Reply

      Hey Abraham, glad to run across that it worked for you lot using Google Bulldoze. That'due south what I currently use! Posting direct from Creator Studio works well too of course.

  2. Lily Crocker ane Oct 2020 Respond

    Hi! Is there a way to do to this from a mobile device? I do not have photoshop on my reckoner and am non looking to pay for it. Any tips?

    1. Mike Walters i Oct 2020 Reply

      Hi Lily, you should observe that uploading a photo from your telephone should work well regardless of which editing software that y'all're using. Instagram is primarily a mobile-based app, so it'due south only natural for the mobile uploads to exist of proficient quality. At that place will always be some level of pinch, given the sheer number of photos that Instagram's servers take to store, simply not enough to ruin a photograph. Hope this helps 🙂

    2. Wesley i Nov 2020 Answer

      I'd recommend using Google's Snapseed app or Adobe Photoshop Limited. Both of them are complimentary and let y'all customize the consign settings of your photos to specific resolutions and quality.

      1. Mike Walters one Nov 2020 Reply

        Great suggestions Wesley 🙂

  3. Ollie 16 October 2020 Answer

    Hi, have you tried this method with other tools such as powerpoint? The basics seem to exist the same. I've tried to prepare the same hight width but when I export the image to jpeg and save, send to phone and finally transfer to instagram, instagram comprasses the image subsequently a while. Whatever thoughts?

    1. Mike Walters 18 October 2020 Reply

      Howdy Ollie, I haven't created carousels or posts using PowerPoint but the theory should be the same. There is always going to be a small-scale chip of compression by Instagram when uploading to their platform, nevertheless, yous can minimize this but uploading the image through the mobile app or via Instagram [Facebook] Creator Studio. Endeavor uploading through 1 of those platforms and come across how it goes

      1. Pavle Bogdanovic 4 November 2021 Reply

  4. Sophia 19 Oct 2020 Respond

    Hi! My friend took some photos using her iPhone 7 plus and sent me the photos which I so I edited on my iPhone xi, and when I went to post the images to instagram, the photos came out blurry! What can I do to my photos to make sure they post at a better resolution because this photograph was taken on an iPhone, not a DSLR so i'yard confused equally to how it would be blurry. Thank you!

    1. Mike Walters 20 Oct 2020 Reply

      Hello Sophia, I guess it might depend on how your friend sent those photos to yous. I know that in the past, I'd transferred some files over using Facebook Messenger and they lost some of the picture quality during that transfer. If yous brand sure to upload them to the Google Drive (or something similar) and then download them from there, you might find that the picture quality is a lot ameliorate – depending on how you upload it of course. Upload the movie via your mobile or Facebook/Instagram Creator Studio. Let me know how it goes 🙂

  5. Antonia 20 Oct 2020 Reply

    I use Canva to design my posts what would y'all suggest to salve the quality?

    1. Mike Walters xx Oct 2020 Reply

      Hi Antonia. Luckily for you, there are many great content creators that use Canva to blueprint their posts. I would advise saving every bit JPG and uploading either directly from the Instagram mobile app or via Facebook/Instagram Creator Studio

  6. Mike Walters 20 Oct 2020 Reply

    Haha! Well I can't imagine it'due south inexpensive to host billions of photos/videos 😅

  7. Alfonso four Nov 2020 Respond

    Artwork
    Fine lines: become muddy and/or slightly moved.
    Thick lines: flattened.
    Colors: mixed, simplified, exagerated or all of them.

    This causes young artists to look worse than they are only because Instagram can't even give a F***g guide on how to use their site other than "tap here to upload". How most giving a proper tutorial or artistic tips instead of creating 100 filters every calendar month? I swear with social media…

    1. Mike Walters 6 Nov 2020 Respond

      Haha, I feel your hurting Alfonso. It'south true that some people's Instagram posts don't practise their work justice!

  8. This is really helpful but i accept a question, i was familiar with this workflow of reducing the resolution of your image manually, but this helped me to improve that workflow, that beingness said, afterward doing all that and make sure that my image looks correctly for spider web and how-do-you-do-quality, when i post it on Instagram in getting a terrible Banding specially in the sky expanse, i have remove all banding before equally i said looks perfect in all spider web applications, so seems that IG withal compressing my file for some reason, do you accept any idea about this? Thank you in Advanced

    1. Mike Walters 10 Nov 2020 Respond

      Hi Tony, thanks for reaching out. I as well endure from the same banding problems on Instagram. I believe that the platform just isn't suited to such high-level photography. Which is ironic, given the premise of the platform. I've since tried to avoid gradients where possible. I'm sorry I can't help much further!

  9. Sofia 16 Nov 2020 Respond

    Hi! I use Canva on both my laptop and iPhone. After downloading images from the mobile app and uploading them to Instagram, they nonetheless feel lower quality and a slight alter in colour. Do y'all accept more than tips on this? Thanks!

    1. Mike Walters 18 Nov 2020 Reply

      Hi Sofia, I tin't really say without seeing the images merely there will ever be some form of compression when uploading to Instagram – no matter what you practise. As for the colour difference, could it exist that you're viewing the epitome from a unlike device? I know that the colours between my iPhone, tablet and desktop all differ. Let me know!

  10. Mike, give thanks you for this. It'south incredibly helpful info. I've been using this workflow, more or less, in Photoshop for the concluding couple of years, only take always noticed a drop in quality one time I put my files on Instagram. Further, I've been interested in making stop motion videos and take noticed that, again, the drib in quality is evident in the final product whenever I try to upload to IG, with just plenty blur showing that I haven't still posted any of these. I'thousand going to adjust my workflow and try the videos again. Bookmarked this article for reference.
    – Laura

    1. Mike Walters 24 Nov 2020 Reply

      Hey Laura, never tried uploading stop motion videos to Instagram myself simply I look frontwards to hearing your results!

  11. ER 27 Nov 2020 Respond

    What about fleck depth? Doesn't Instagram limit images to 8 bit jpgs?

    1. Mike Walters 2 Dec 2020 Reply

      Unfortunately, I can't find any confirmation from Instagram regarding the limitation of bit depths. I'k curious every bit to how y'all plant this information?

  12. Annabelle Mostert 1 Dec 2020 Reply

    How-do-you-do,

    Maybe this is a silly quetion, only i have created the file in photoshop to the size specification yous set out above.
    How practise i re-size my image ti fit instagram after making it (1080 10 1350px). I empathize how to save for web but not how to re-size it.
    Cheers

    1. Mike Walters ane Dec 2020 Reply

      Hullo Annabelle, not a silly question at all. 1080x1350px is a nifty size for Instagram for portrait photos. If you are after a square image then you lot would need to modify the Canvass Size in Photoshop before you lot Save For Web. You tin modify the Canvass size by going to Paradigm > Sail Size. There might be a link icon which is selected to lock the ratio (to 1080x1350px). You volition need to unselect this to change it to i:1 ratio.

  13. Eric seven Dec 2020 Reply

    What if you do all this and information technology's still desaturated? I've exported in .jpg, sRGB colour space, same dimensions you describe, and it's withal messed upwards. Just about every ane of my pictures is from what I can tell. They expect fine on my phone, on the computer, even in the screen on IG where I upload the picture. I make my posts ahead of time and relieve them, and even that footling thumbnail looks fine. It'south just when information technology gets uploaded, it goes all incorrect.

    1. Mike Walters eight December 2020 Reply

      Hey Eric, that is a tough one and I empathise your frustration. I would have to guess that it's downward to the size of the (image) file. Perhaps try compressing it as much as possible, without reducing the quality of the prototype, and run into how that fairs when uploaded to IG?

  14. Eric 9 December 2020 Respond

    I'm not 100% only that might have worked. I posted one this morning that got desaturated once more, tried exporting it from Lightroom with lower quality (I had it set to 100, now I'k around 75) and then posted that version. It looked to exist a piffling more saturated than the previous ane, so I retrieve you're on to something. Thanks!

    1. Mike Walters 9 Dec 2020 Reply

      I'm glad that information technology helped a bit! Thanks for getting dorsum to me Eric

      1. Eric 29 Dec 2020 Reply

        Thank yous for responding, that'due south pretty rare anymore. Anyways they are still desaturating my pictures. I think what I did earlier might have helped a flake, but it's withal very noticeable. My export settings from Lightroom are: .jpg, sRGB, quality at 76, resize to fit checked, width set to 1080, meridian left blank, resolution 72, sharpen for screen, standard, the default settings for metadata, and then a watermark which is just my name in the lesser correct corner, no image or anything like that. I don't get it. I edit in Lightroom initially, consign at 300 ppi and in AdobeRGB, open up that file in Photoshop, make edits there, save a copy, import that into Lightroom and so I tin export with those settings. Information technology'due south a lilliputian convoluted merely it works for me I guess. Whatsoever thoughts?

        1. Mike Walters 11 Jan 2021 Reply

          No problem, happy to be ane of the rare ones! I'thou really not sure to exist honest, it sounds like you've done a lot of things correct. What are the sizes of the files that yous're trying to upload?

          1. Eric 21 January 2021

            One of the ones that got desaturated is 446Kb and is 1080×720. I'grand at a loss lol Thanks for helping me try to figure this out.

          2. Mike Walters 12 Feb 2021

            Hmm, 446kb might exist a bit too much for Instagram. If you lot were using Photoshop so I presume that was at a Very High to Maximum quality setting. Peradventure lower the quality earlier uploading to Instagram to reduce file size

  15. Jalal Mustafa ten Dec 2020 Respond

    I was exporting PNGs from corel draw for instagram uploads and quality was decreasing. at present i will utilise jpegs after seeing this article. as well using 1200×1200 resolution. should i opt for 1080×1350.?

    1. Mike Walters 10 Dec 2020 Reply

      Hey Jalal, 1080×1080 is perfectly fine for Instagram. The 1350 resolution is only the recommended size for portrait images.

  16. Matt Fifty i Feb 2021 Reply

    Before exporting a motion-picture show to postal service on IG, do you save/downsize the file to to IGs recommended aspect ratio/max resolution specs? Ie 1080, To avoid potential compression loss?

    Or do yous just post what'due south most probable a much larger/higher resolution file and let it automatically go through the compression algorithm to scale information technology down/lower the image quality to fit the app?

    If y'all've experimented tin can y'all even tell much of a difference on a smartphone?

    1. Mike Walters 12 Feb 2021 Reply

      Hey Matt, adept question. I really just keep all of my canvas sizes to the recommended 1080×1080 or 1080×1350, so I haven't experimented with larger sizes. That being said, it'south all-time to keep the file size every bit low as possible to avoid unnecessary compression past Instagram's platform. All of my posts are created on desktop using Photoshop and then I'm not sure virtually smartphone files, but in the past I've noticed that photos taken on my iPhone tend not to exist ruined with compression. Permit me know if you lot discover annihilation useful when experimenting!

  17. Arash 7 Feb 2021 Answer

    Thank you Mike!

    So…
    1080 x 1080
    1080 x 1350 merely for portrait images

    300dpi or 72dpi? and how near ppi?
    is there whatsoever limit for Kb or Mb?

    1. Mike Walters 12 Feb 2021 Reply

      Hey Arash, to exist honest I'm non sure on the exact ppi, kB or MB that Instagram will take but it'south all-time practise to go along it every bit depression every bit possible. I can confirm that those ratios are best for both square & portrait images.

  18. I don't have a question merely a thank you for your incredibly helpful commodity and responses.

    1. Mike Walters 12 Feb 2021 Reply

      Thank you lot Elizabeth! Appreciate the feedback 🙂

  19. Laini xiv Apr 2021 Reply

    I have tried uploading a logo using all the correct dimensions for Instagram. Tired saving in all ways similar JPEG and PNG. Looks great in monitor. Sizing correct and when I upload the logo it looks terrible. Whatsoever tricks with logos with text?

    1. Mike Walters 20 Apr 2021 Reply

      How-do-you-do Laini, it often comes down to the size of the file. It may exist best to lower the quality when saving the file, to ensure that the file size is every bit low as possible, so that Instagram doesn't compress the image also much. Have a play around with this and encounter what works best for you.

  20. Alex 4 May 2021 Reply

    How-do-you-do, Mike! I think I have 2 questions for you. 😀
    ane. I am curious about your opinion on this: I mail a regular portrait photo on feed, 1 of 1080 x 1350px, then I want to mail the same picture on IG Story and IG automatically does a zoom-in on this picture so that it fits nice in the IG Story dimensions, i.eastward. 1080 x 1920px, but the epitome looks a piffling blurry later it is posted on IG Story. Is information technology better and like a best do to have the pictures for the feed in 1080 x 1350px and those for stories in 1080 ten 1920px? I work in social media and I am going crazy with some pictures I mail that are loosing quality when posted 🙁 It is tedious, simply information technology may be better if my pictures for feed would be in the recommended dimensions of 1080 ten 1350px / 1080 10 1080px and for stories 1080 x 1920px? 2.Also, you're saying that if I take my picture with my telephone (I have a Samsung S21 Ultra) and I post it merely similar it was shot, there won't exist quality loss? The pictures taken with this phone have, for eg. 4000 x 3000px 2.75 MB. Should I low resolution and perchance even the quality fifty-fifty on these pictures I take with the phone? Maan, this is nuts! Hate IG for this😒
    Thanks in advance for your reply!

    1. Mike Walters 25 May 2021 Reply

      Hey Alex, sorry for the belatedly reply! Aye, y'all should create 2 unlike versions of the aforementioned graphic if you desire to share them to your mail service & story respectively. Alternatively, yous could upload your mail and then "share information technology to your story" which may be easier, if that's the effect you were subsequently. As for your Samsung, I'yard an iPhone guy but I've just noticed that my images used to upload in adequately high quality when uploading directly from my telephone. I'm not sure why this is, as the file sizes (and dimensions) seem to be very loftier – as you say. Sorry I couldn't exist of more help.

  21. FAHAD 16 Aug 2021 Reply

    I Want TO Postal service VIDEO IN 2K ON INSTGRAM FROM MOBILE I EXPORT Information technology IN 2K BUT IT Withal COMPRESSES THE QUALITY CAN Yous HELP ME ?

    1. Mike Walters 17 Aug 2021 Reply

      Hello Fahad, I would presume that a 2K video is but too large to be uploaded to Instagram without being compressed. You volition want to compress the video yourself before uploading to Instagram to avoid them doing so themselves.

  22. What are you mean 1350 ? I can upload 1080×1920 to my stories , and that is the maximum pixel than I know.

    1. Mike Walters 26 Sep 2021 Answer

      1350×1080 is the max for regular posts.

  23. Thanks! This has been driving me NUTS!!! Any recommendations on export and upload workflow for Facebook?

    1. Mike Walters 30 Jan 2022 Reply

      Hey Andrew, how do you lot mean exactly?

  24. Mike 17 Jan 2022 Reply

    Hello, this is a great mail service!
    I accept a question though, when i resize my image to 1080×1350, information technology gets wider? I don't understand how to prepare that, could you delight help.
    Thank you!

    1. Mike Walters 30 Jan 2022 Reply

      Hey Mike, no problem. Depending on which software you're using, the solution could exist as unproblematic as using the reverse dimensions instead, i.e. 1350×1080. That should ingather your image to be taller than it is broad. Promise this helps!

  25. Suresh four Mar 2022 Reply

    How-do-you-do,
    I would like to know if the image needs to be cropped @ 4 x v ratio before proceeding to the Export choice.
    Thanks

    1. Mike Walters iv Mar 2022 Reply

      Hey Suresh! Yep, you would need to ingather it appropriately BEFORE exporting for spider web. You can resize it within the export window but I don't think you can conform the ratio at this bespeak

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Mike Walters

I Build Killer Landing Pages That Really Get Results... Guaranteed