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 appointment. After some thorough research though, I've managed to compile some reasons every bit to why Instagram might be reducing the image quality on your posts.

There are a few reasons why the paradigm quality is reduced when uploading directly from your PC, one of which is that you are not following Instagram's max resolution guidelines, which is currently prepare at 1080 x 1350px. Any image that is greater than the said resolution will be made smaller by Instagram and thus may affect the quality of the image.

Secondly, it besides depends on the format of the epitome that you are using. Instagram's default format for images is JPEG (.jpg), significant that any epitome that is uploaded in PNG (.png), BITMAP (.bmp), or anything other than JPEG, will be 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 Use The Right Hashtags For YOU
  • READ: The BIGGEST Mistake I See People Making On Instagram

When you consider the number of images that are existence uploaded to Instagram every single solar day and the server ability that is needed to run the platform, you'll presently forgive Instagram for reducing file sizes where possible. Endeavor to keep your prototype file size to a minimum (without affecting epitome quality) to avoid having information technology be poorly compressed by Instagram.

Last only not least, Instagram is predominantly a mobile-based app, and as such prioritises uploads from mobile (or tablet) devices when it comes to quality. This ways that images uploaded via your desktop, such equally with the programmer tools method, can sometimes see 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 dog or the local beach, image quality doesn't really tend to matter. However, if you're a creative similar me who designs content for their business and wants to establish themselves as a professional, so maintaining quality with your uploads is very of import.

I similar to create my Instagram content using Photoshop, but the same principles will utilize to whichever photo editing software you are using. In Photoshop you volition want to set up a new file or artboard and ready it to Instagram'due south maximum resolution (1080 x 1350px). One time you have created your design, y'all demand to get to File > Consign > Relieve For Web (Legacy)…

For those that don't know, saving in this manner will allow you to modify the quality and file size of your last paradigm. In the top right of the Save For Spider web window, under Preset, you will desire to select JPEG as the file type. Below that, you can alter the overall quality of the image, starting from Low all the way up to Maximum.

Hither is a screenshot of the Save To Web window for my Bruce Lee post in Photoshop. I have highlighted the areas y'all demand to monitor in order to reduce size and maintain image quality, such as the quality setting and dimensions of the paradigm.

Again, the reason for lowering the quality of the dropdown is to reduce the file size of the image and thus avert Instagram taking the pinch into their own easily. You can monitor the size of the image in the bottom left (in a higher place example: 837.8K).

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

Once you're happy with the image file size and quality, you lot can hit the save button to save it to your computer. Post-obit that, you will want to upload your new image to Google Bulldoze where yous will then download it to your mobile (or tablet) device. You can so upload the image directly to Instagram from your mobile.

If yous really want to make the about of your mail and become equally much appointment as possible, then you lot'll desire to also check out this ultimate guide I wrote for using hashtags on Instagram.

Conclusion

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

Y'all can follow me on Instagram here!

Take any feedback or questions near this post? Permit 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 lot find this mail on improving the epitome quality of your Instagram posts helpful? If so, I would exist very grateful if you could pin this paradigm to Pinterest!

Mike Walters

Mike Walters

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

Mike Walters

Mike Walters

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

This Post Has 56 Comments

  1. Great post, I was request myself how much it compress quality of photos when I send image to myself over messenger so mail information technology on Instagram. Then I read this article and used the Google Drive. I must say there is a fleck more than depth then sending over messenger. So yeah Google Bulldoze works fine.

    1. Mike Walters 28 Sep 2020 Reply

      Hey Abraham, glad to see that information technology worked for y'all using Google Drive. That's what I currently use! Posting straight from Creator Studio works well too of grade.

  2. Lily Crocker 1 October 2020 Reply

    Howdy! Is there a way to do to this from a mobile device? I exercise not have photoshop on my calculator and am not looking to pay for information technology. Any tips?

    1. Mike Walters one Oct 2020 Reply

      Hi Lily, you should find that uploading a photo from your phone should work well regardless of which editing software that you're using. Instagram is primarily a mobile-based app, and then it's merely natural for the mobile uploads to be of good quality. There will e'er be some level of compression, given the sheer number of photos that Instagram's servers have to store, just not plenty to ruin a photo. Hope this helps 🙂

    2. Wesley 1 November 2020 Answer

      I'd recommend using Google's Snapseed app or Adobe Photoshop Express. Both of them are free and let you customize the export settings of your photos to specific resolutions and quality.

      1. Mike Walters 1 November 2020 Reply

        Great suggestions Wesley 🙂

  3. Ollie 16 Oct 2020 Reply

    Hi, have you tried this method with other tools such every bit powerpoint? The basics seem to be the same. I've tried to set the same hight width but when I export the image to jpeg and save, ship to phone and finally transfer to instagram, instagram comprasses the epitome after a while. Any thoughts?

    1. Mike Walters 18 Oct 2020 Answer

      Hi Ollie, I oasis't created carousels or posts using PowerPoint but the theory should be the same. There is always going to be a small chip of compression by Instagram when uploading to their platform, however, yous tin can minimize this just uploading the image through the mobile app or via Instagram [Facebook] Creator Studio. Effort uploading through one of those platforms and meet how it goes

      1. Pavle Bogdanovic 4 Nov 2021 Answer

  4. Sophia 19 Oct 2020 Respond

    How-do-you-do! My friend took some photos using her iPhone 7 plus and sent me the photos which I so I edited on my iPhone 11, and when I went to mail the images to instagram, the photos came out blurry! What tin I do to my photos to make sure they post at a better resolution because this photo was taken on an iPhone, not a DSLR so i'm confused as to how information technology would exist blurry. Thank you!

    1. Mike Walters 20 Oct 2020 Reply

      Hello Sophia, I judge it might depend on how your friend sent those photos to you. 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 you make sure to upload them to the Google Drive (or something similar) and and so download them from there, you might detect that the picture show quality is a lot ameliorate – depending on how you upload it of course. Upload the picture show via your mobile or Facebook/Instagram Creator Studio. Let me know how it goes 🙂

  5. Antonia xx Oct 2020 Reply

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

    1. Mike Walters 20 Oct 2020 Reply

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

  6. Mike Walters xx Oct 2020 Respond

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

  7. Alfonso 4 November 2020 Reply

    Artwork
    Fine lines: get dirty 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 just because Instagram can't even give a F***thousand guide on how to use their site other than "tap here to upload". How about giving a proper tutorial or creative tips instead of creating 100 filters every month? I swear with social media…

    1. Mike Walters vi Nov 2020 Reply

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

  8. This is really helpful but i have a question, i was familiar with this workflow of reducing the resolution of your image manually, but this helped me to better that workflow, that existence said, afterward doing all that and brand sure that my image looks correctly for web and howdy-quality, when i post it on Instagram in getting a terrible Banding particularly in the sky area, i accept remove all banding earlier equally i said looks perfect in all spider web applications, so seems that IG still compressing my file for some reason, do y'all have any idea virtually this? Thanks in Advanced

    1. Mike Walters ten November 2020 Respond

      How-do-you-do Tony, thanks for reaching out. I likewise endure from the same banding bug 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'k sorry I tin't help much further!

  9. Sofia 16 November 2020 Reply

    Hullo! I use Canva on both my laptop and iPhone. After downloading images from the mobile app and uploading them to Instagram, they still experience lower quality and a slight change in color. Do yous have more tips on this? Thank you!

    1. Mike Walters 18 Nov 2020 Reply

      Hi Sofia, I can't really say without seeing the images but at that place will always be some form of compression when uploading to Instagram – no matter what yous do. Equally for the colour departure, could it be that you're viewing the image from a different device? I know that the colours between my iPhone, tablet and desktop all differ. Allow me know!

  10. Mike, give thanks you for this. It'due south incredibly helpful info. I've been using this workflow, more or less, in Photoshop for the concluding couple of years, but have 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 have noticed that, again, the drop in quality is evident in the concluding product whenever I try to upload to IG, with just enough blur showing that I haven't yet posted any of these. I'1000 going to adapt my workflow and endeavor the videos once again. Bookmarked this commodity for reference.
    – Laura

    1. Mike Walters 24 Nov 2020 Reply

      Hey Laura, never tried uploading stop move videos to Instagram myself but I await forrard to hearing your results!

  11. ER 27 Nov 2020 Respond

    What about bit 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 flake depths. I'chiliad curious as to how yous constitute this information?

  12. Annabelle Mostert ane Dec 2020 Answer

    Hi,

    Maybe this is a silly quetion, merely i accept created the file in photoshop to the size specification yous prepare out above.
    How do i re-size my image ti fit instagram afterwards making it (1080 x 1350px). I empathise how to save for web but non how to re-size it.
    Thanks

    1. Mike Walters 1 Dec 2020 Respond

      Hi Annabelle, not a light-headed question at all. 1080x1350px is a smashing size for Instagram for portrait photos. If you are after a square image then you would need to change the Canvas Size in Photoshop before you Salve For Web. You tin change the Sheet size past going to Prototype > Canvas Size. There might be a link icon which is selected to lock the ratio (to 1080x1350px). Yous volition need to unselect this to change it to ane:ane ratio.

  13. Eric 7 Dec 2020 Reply

    What if y'all do all this and information technology's still desaturated? I've exported in .jpg, sRGB color space, aforementioned dimensions you draw, and it's still messed upward. Just about every ane of my pictures is from what I tin tell. They look fine on my telephone, on the figurer, fifty-fifty in the screen on IG where I upload the motion picture. I make my posts alee of fourth dimension and relieve them, and even that little thumbnail looks fine. It'due south just when it gets uploaded, it goes all wrong.

    1. Mike Walters 8 Dec 2020 Reply

      Hey Eric, that is a tough one and I understand your frustration. I would take to guess that it's downward to the size of the (image) file. Peradventure effort compressing it equally much as possible, without reducing the quality of the image, and come across how that fairs when uploaded to IG?

  14. Eric ix Dec 2020 Reply

    I'm not 100% but that might have worked. I posted one this forenoon that got desaturated again, tried exporting it from Lightroom with lower quality (I had information technology set to 100, now I'm around 75) and then posted that version. It looked to be a little more than saturated than the previous one, and so I think you lot're on to something. Thanks!

    1. Mike Walters 9 Dec 2020 Reply

      I'm glad that it helped a fleck! Thank you for getting dorsum to me Eric

      1. Eric 29 Dec 2020 Answer

        Cheers for responding, that'due south pretty rare anymore. Anyways they are still desaturating my pictures. I remember what I did earlier might have helped a bit, simply it'southward even so very noticeable. My export settings from Lightroom are: .jpg, sRGB, quality at 76, resize to fit checked, width set to 1080, tiptop left blank, resolution 72, sharpen for screen, standard, the default settings for metadata, and then a watermark which is only my name in the bottom correct corner, no image or anything similar that. I don't get information technology. I edit in Lightroom initially, export at 300 ppi and in AdobeRGB, open that file in Photoshop, brand edits there, save a copy, import that into Lightroom so I can consign with those settings. It's a little convoluted only it works for me I gauge. Any thoughts?

        1. Mike Walters 11 Jan 2021 Reply

          No problem, happy to be one of the rare ones! I'm actually not certain to be honest, it sounds like you've done a lot of things right. What are the sizes of the files that you lot're trying to upload?

          1. Eric 21 Jan 2021

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

          2. Mike Walters 12 Feb 2021

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

  15. Jalal Mustafa ten Dec 2020 Reply

    I was exporting PNGs from corel describe for instagram uploads and quality was decreasing. now i will use jpegs afterwards seeing this article. also 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 simply the recommended size for portrait images.

  16. Matt L 1 Feb 2021 Reply

    Earlier exporting a pic 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 you merely post what'south most likely a much larger/higher resolution file and permit it automatically get through the compression algorithm to calibration information technology down/lower the image quality to fit the app?

    If you've experimented can you even tell much of a divergence on a smartphone?

    1. Mike Walters 12 Feb 2021 Respond

      Hey Matt, good question. I actually 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's all-time to keep the file size as low as possible to avoid unnecessary pinch by Instagram'due south platform. All of my posts are created on desktop using Photoshop so I'one thousand non sure about smartphone files, just in the past I've noticed that photos taken on my iPhone tend not to be ruined with compression. Let me know if y'all discover anything useful when experimenting!

  17. Arash 7 Feb 2021 Answer

    Thank you Mike!

    And then…
    1080 ten 1080
    1080 ten 1350 merely for portrait images

    300dpi or 72dpi? and how about ppi?
    is at that place whatsoever limit for Kb or Mb?

    1. Mike Walters 12 Feb 2021 Reply

      Hey Arash, to be honest I'one thousand non certain on the verbal ppi, kB or MB that Instagram volition accept only it's best practice to keep information technology as low equally possible. I tin can confirm that those ratios are all-time for both square & portrait images.

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

    1. Mike Walters 12 February 2021 Respond

      Thank you Elizabeth! Appreciate the feedback 🙂

  19. Laini fourteen Apr 2021 Reply

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

    1. Mike Walters 20 Apr 2021 Respond

      Hi Laini, it often comes down to the size of the file. It may be all-time to lower the quality when saving the file, to ensure that the file size is as low equally possible, so that Instagram doesn't shrink the prototype too much. Have a play effectually with this and come across what works best for you.

  20. Alex 4 May 2021 Answer

    Hi, Mike! I call back I have 2 questions for you. 😀
    1. I am curious about your opinion on this: I post a regular portrait photo on feed, i of 1080 10 1350px, then I want to post the aforementioned motion-picture show on IG Story and IG automatically does a zoom-in on this picture so that information technology fits nice in the IG Story dimensions, i.east. 1080 x 1920px, just the prototype looks a trivial blurry after information technology is posted on IG Story. Is information technology amend and like a best practice to have the pictures for the feed in 1080 x 1350px and those for stories in 1080 x 1920px? I work in social media and I am going crazy with some pictures I mail that are loosing quality when posted 🙁 It is dull, merely it 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? ii.Also, y'all're saying that if I take my motion picture with my telephone (I have a Samsung S21 Ultra) and I mail it just similar it was shot, there won't be quality loss? The pictures taken with this phone have, for eg. 4000 ten 3000px 2.75 MB. Should I low resolution and maybe even the quality even on these pictures I accept 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! Yep, y'all should create two different versions of the same graphic if you lot desire to share them to your post & story respectively. Alternatively, you could upload your post and so "share it to your story" which may exist easier, if that'due south the effect you were after. As for your Samsung, I'm an iPhone guy but I've just noticed that my images used to upload in fairly loftier quality when uploading directly from my phone. I'm not sure why this is, as the file sizes (and dimensions) seem to be very high – as you lot say. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

  21. FAHAD xvi Aug 2021 Reply

    I Want TO Mail 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 Answer

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

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

    1. Mike Walters 26 Sep 2021 Reply

      1350×1080 is the max for regular posts.

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

    1. Mike Walters xxx Jan 2022 Reply

      Hey Andrew, how do you lot hateful exactly?

  24. Mike 17 Jan 2022 Reply

    Hullo, this is a bang-up post!
    I have a question though, when i resize my paradigm to 1080×1350, it gets wider? I don't sympathize how to fix that, could you delight help.
    Thank y'all!

    1. Mike Walters xxx Jan 2022 Reply

      Hey Mike, no problem. Depending on which software yous're using, the solution could be as simple as using the reverse dimensions instead, i.due east. 1350×1080. That should ingather your image to exist taller than information technology is wide. Promise this helps!

  25. Suresh iv Mar 2022 Answer

    Hi,
    I would similar to know if the image needs to exist cropped @ 4 ten 5 ratio before proceeding to the Export option.
    Thank you

    1. Mike Walters 4 Mar 2022 Reply

      Hey Suresh! Yes, you would need to crop it accordingly BEFORE exporting for web. Y'all can resize it inside the export window just I don't think yous can accommodate the ratio at this point

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Mike Walters

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