Uploading To Instagram Without Losing Image Quality

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. Subsequently some thorough inquiry though, I've managed to compile some reasons as to why Instagram might exist reducing the image quality on your posts.

There are a few reasons why the prototype quality is reduced when uploading direct from your PC, one of which is that you are non following Instagram's max resolution guidelines, which is currently set 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 also depends on the format of the prototype that you lot are using. Instagram's default format for images is JPEG (.jpg), meaning that whatsoever paradigm that is uploaded in PNG (.png), BITMAP (.bmp), or annihilation other than JPEG, will 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 Use The Correct Hashtags For You lot
  • READ: The BIGGEST Mistake I See People Making On Instagram

When yous consider the number of images that are being uploaded to Instagram every unmarried twenty-four hours and the server power that is needed to run the platform, you'll soon forgive Instagram for reducing file sizes where possible. Endeavour to keep your image file size to a minimum (without affecting image quality) to avert having it exist poorly compressed by Instagram.

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

How to avert losing Prototype Quality on Instagram (with Photoshop)

For many people, who have pictures of themselves, their dog or the local beach, image quality doesn't really tend to thing. Nonetheless, if y'all're a artistic like me who designs content for their business and wants to establish themselves every bit a professional, then maintaining quality with your uploads is very important.

I similar to create my Instagram content using Photoshop, but the same principles will apply to whichever photo editing software you are using. In Photoshop you will desire to gear up a new file or artboard and fix it to Instagram's maximum resolution (1080 x 1350px). Once you accept created your design, you demand to go to File > Consign > Save For Web (Legacy)…

For those that don't know, saving in this way will let you to alter the quality and file size of your last image. In the height correct of the Salve For Web window, nether Preset, you will desire to select JPEG as the file type. Below that, you tin modify the overall quality of the paradigm, starting from Low all the way upward to Maximum.

Here is a screenshot of the Salvage To Web window for my Bruce Lee post in Photoshop. I have highlighted the areas you need to monitor in order to reduce size and maintain image quality, such as the quality setting and dimensions of the epitome.

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 compression into their ain easily. You tin can monitor the size of the paradigm in the bottom left (to a higher place example: 837.8K).

A lot of the time, you will 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 all-time balance between the 2.

In one case you lot're happy with the image file size and quality, you can hit the save push to relieve it to your calculator. Following that, you will want to upload your new image to Google Drive where you volition then download it to your mobile (or tablet) device. You tin can then upload the image directly to Instagram from your mobile.

If you actually desire to make the most of your post and go as much engagement as possible, and so yous'll want to also check out this ultimate guide I wrote for using hashtags on Instagram.

Determination

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

You can follow me on Instagram here!

Have any feedback or questions about this post? Let me know in the comments beneath!

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 yous find this mail on improving the prototype 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 Post Has 56 Comments

  1. Great mail service, I was asking myself how much it shrink quality of photos when I send prototype to myself over messenger so post it on Instagram. Then I read this article and used the Google Drive. I must say in that location is a bit more depth then sending over messenger. So yeah Google Drive works fine.

    1. Mike Walters 28 Sep 2020 Reply

      Hey Abraham, glad to run into that it worked for you using Google Drive. That'due south what I currently use! Posting straight from Creator Studio works well too of class.

  2. Lily Crocker 1 October 2020 Respond

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

    1. Mike Walters i Oct 2020 Reply

      Hullo Lily, you lot should notice that uploading a photo from your phone should piece of work well regardless of which editing software that you're using. Instagram is primarily a mobile-based app, so it'south only natural for the mobile uploads to exist of good quality. There will always exist some level of compression, given the sheer number of photos that Instagram'southward servers have to store, simply non plenty to ruin a photograph. Promise this helps 🙂

    2. Wesley ane Nov 2020 Answer

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

      1. Mike Walters 1 Nov 2020 Reply

        Great suggestions Wesley 🙂

  3. Ollie sixteen Oct 2020 Reply

    Hi, have y'all tried this method with other tools such every bit powerpoint? The nuts seem to be the aforementioned. I've tried to set 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 later on a while. Any thoughts?

    1. Mike Walters eighteen Oct 2020 Reply

      Hi Ollie, I oasis't created carousels or posts using PowerPoint merely the theory should exist the same. There is always going to exist a small bit of compression by Instagram when uploading to their platform, nevertheless, y'all tin minimize this but uploading the image through the mobile app or via Instagram [Facebook] Creator Studio. Attempt uploading through one of those platforms and run across how it goes

      1. Pavle Bogdanovic four Nov 2021 Reply

  4. Sophia 19 Oct 2020 Reply

    Hi! 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 postal service the images to instagram, the photos came out blurry! What tin I practise to my photos to make sure they post at a amend resolution considering this photo was taken on an iPhone, not a DSLR so i'grand confused as to how information technology would be blurry. Give thanks you!

    1. Mike Walters 20 Oct 2020 Reply

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

  5. Antonia 20 Oct 2020 Answer

    I apply Canva to blueprint my posts what would you suggest to salvage the quality?

    1. Mike Walters 20 Oct 2020 Reply

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

  6. Mike Walters xx October 2020 Reply

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

  7. Alfonso 4 Nov 2020 Reply

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

    This causes immature artists to expect worse than they are merely because Instagram tin can't even give a F***g guide on how to use their site other than "tap hither to upload". How well-nigh giving a proper tutorial or artistic tips instead of creating 100 filters every month? I swear with social media…

    1. Mike Walters 6 Nov 2020 Reply

      Haha, I feel your pain Alfonso. It's truthful that some people's Instagram posts don't practise their piece of 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 beingness said, after doing all that and make sure that my paradigm looks correctly for web and hi-quality, when i post it on Instagram in getting a terrible Banding specially in the heaven area, i have remove all banding earlier as i said looks perfect in all web applications, and so seems that IG still compressing my file for some reason, practise you lot have any idea about this? Thank you in Advanced

    1. Mike Walters 10 November 2020 Reply

      Hi Tony, cheers for reaching out. I as well suffer from the same banding issues 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 avert gradients where possible. I'm sorry I can't help much further!

  9. Sofia 16 Nov 2020 Reply

    How-do-you-do! I use Canva on both my laptop and iPhone. Later on downloading images from the mobile app and uploading them to Instagram, they still feel lower quality and a slight alter in color. Do yous have more than tips on this? Thank you!

    1. Mike Walters xviii Nov 2020 Reply

      Hi Sofia, I tin't really say without seeing the images merely there will e'er be some form of pinch when uploading to Instagram – no thing what you do. As for the colour deviation, could it be that y'all're viewing the image from a different device? I know that the colours between my iPhone, tablet and desktop all differ. Let me know!

  10. Mike, give thanks y'all for this. It'south incredibly helpful info. I've been using this workflow, more or less, in Photoshop for the concluding couple of years, merely take always noticed a driblet in quality in one case I put my files on Instagram. Farther, I've been interested in making finish move videos and have noticed that, once more, the drop in quality is axiomatic in the final product whenever I try to upload to IG, with only plenty blur showing that I haven't notwithstanding posted any of these. I'1000 going to suit my workflow and try the videos again. Bookmarked this article for reference.
    – Laura

    1. Mike Walters 24 November 2020 Reply

      Hey Laura, never tried uploading stop motion videos to Instagram myself but I expect forward to hearing your results!

  11. ER 27 Nov 2020 Reply

    What near bit depth? Doesn't Instagram limit images to 8 scrap jpgs?

    1. Mike Walters 2 Dec 2020 Reply

      Unfortunately, I can't detect any confirmation from Instagram regarding the limitation of bit depths. I'm curious as to how you found this data?

  12. Annabelle Mostert ane Dec 2020 Reply

    Hello,

    Maybe this is a airheaded quetion, but i accept created the file in photoshop to the size specification you set out to a higher place.
    How practice i re-size my image ti fit instagram after making information technology (1080 10 1350px). I sympathize how to salve for spider web but non how to re-size information technology.
    Thanks

    1. Mike Walters 1 Dec 2020 Reply

      Hi Annabelle, not a silly question at all. 1080x1350px is a cracking size for Instagram for portrait photos. If you lot are after a square image then you would need to alter the Sheet Size in Photoshop before you Save For Spider web. You tin change the Sheet size by going to Epitome > Canvas Size. At that place might be a link icon which is selected to lock the ratio (to 1080x1350px). You will demand to unselect this to change it to 1:1 ratio.

  13. Eric 7 December 2020 Reply

    What if y'all do all this and it'south nevertheless desaturated? I've exported in .jpg, sRGB colour infinite, same dimensions yous describe, and information technology's all the same messed up. Only about every one of my pictures is from what I can tell. They await fine on my phone, on the computer, even in the screen on IG where I upload the movie. I brand my posts alee of fourth dimension and save them, and even that little thumbnail looks fine. It's merely when it gets uploaded, information technology goes all wrong.

    1. Mike Walters 8 Dec 2020 Respond

      Hey Eric, that is a tough one and I empathise your frustration. I would have to guess that it'south down to the size of the (image) file. Possibly attempt compressing it every bit much as possible, without reducing the quality of the paradigm, and run into how that fairs when uploaded to IG?

  14. Eric ix December 2020 Respond

    I'thou not 100% merely that might have worked. I posted one this morning that got desaturated again, tried exporting information technology from Lightroom with lower quality (I had information technology set to 100, now I'k around 75) then posted that version. It looked to be a piffling more saturated than the previous ane, and so I remember yous're on to something. Cheers!

    1. Mike Walters 9 December 2020 Reply

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

      1. Eric 29 December 2020 Reply

        Thank you for responding, that's pretty rare anymore. Anyways they are still desaturating my pictures. I think what I did before might accept helped a bit, but it's still very noticeable. My export settings from Lightroom are: .jpg, sRGB, quality at 76, resize to fit checked, width gear up to 1080, meridian left blank, resolution 72, sharpen for screen, standard, the default settings for metadata, and then a watermark which is just my proper name in the bottom right corner, no image or anything like that. I don't get it. I edit in Lightroom initially, export at 300 ppi and in AdobeRGB, open that file in Photoshop, make edits in that location, salve a copy, import that into Lightroom so I tin can export with those settings. It'southward a little convoluted but it works for me I judge. Whatever thoughts?

        1. Mike Walters eleven Jan 2021 Answer

          No trouble, happy to exist ane of the rare ones! I'k really not sure to be 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 Jan 2021

            One of the ones that got desaturated is 446Kb and is 1080×720. I'1000 at a loss lol Thanks for helping me attempt to figure this out.

          2. Mike Walters 12 Feb 2021

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

  15. Jalal Mustafa x Dec 2020 Reply

    I was exporting PNGs from corel draw for instagram uploads and quality was decreasing. now i will use jpegs later on seeing this commodity. also using 1200×1200 resolution. should i opt for 1080×1350.?

    1. Mike Walters 10 Dec 2020 Answer

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

  16. Matt 50 i Feb 2021 Reply

    Before exporting a pic to post on IG, do you lot save/downsize the file to to IGs recommended attribute ratio/max resolution specs? Ie 1080, To avert potential compression loss?

    Or practice you just mail what's most probable a much larger/higher resolution file and let it automatically go through the pinch algorithm to scale it down/lower the paradigm quality to fit the app?

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

    1. Mike Walters 12 February 2021 Respond

      Hey Matt, good question. I really just go along all of my canvas sizes to the recommended 1080×1080 or 1080×1350, and so I haven't experimented with larger sizes. That being said, information technology's best to keep the file size as low as possible to avoid unnecessary compression by Instagram's platform. All of my posts are created on desktop using Photoshop so I'k not sure almost smartphone files, but in the past I've noticed that photos taken on my iPhone tend not to be ruined with pinch. Permit me know if y'all detect anything useful when experimenting!

  17. Arash 7 Feb 2021 Reply

    Give thanks y'all Mike!

    Then…
    1080 x 1080
    1080 x 1350 simply for portrait images

    300dpi or 72dpi? and how most ppi?
    is there any limit for Kb or Mb?

    1. Mike Walters 12 Feb 2021 Respond

      Hey Arash, to exist honest I'm non sure on the exact ppi, kB or MB that Instagram will take but it's best do to keep it every bit depression equally possible. I can ostend that those ratios are best for both foursquare & portrait images.

  18. I don't have a question merely a give thanks you for your incredibly helpful article and responses.

    1. Mike Walters 12 February 2021 Reply

      Thank you lot Elizabeth! Appreciate the feedback 🙂

  19. Laini 14 Apr 2021 Reply

    I take tried uploading a logo using all the correct dimensions for Instagram. Tired saving in all ways like JPEG and PNG. Looks nifty in monitor. Sizing correct and when I upload the logo information technology looks terrible. Whatever tricks with logos with text?

    1. Mike Walters xx Apr 2021 Reply

      Hi Laini, it ofttimes comes downwards 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 depression as possible, so that Instagram doesn't compress the paradigm likewise much. Have a play around with this and see what works best for you.

  20. Alex 4 May 2021 Answer

    Hullo, Mike! I think I accept 2 questions for yous. 😀
    1. I am curious about your opinion on this: I postal service a regular portrait photo on feed, one of 1080 x 1350px, then I desire to post the aforementioned moving-picture show on IG Story and IG automatically does a zoom-in on this flick so that it fits nice in the IG Story dimensions, i.e. 1080 10 1920px, only the image looks a picayune blurry after it is posted on IG Story. Is information technology better and similar a all-time do 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 post that are loosing quality when posted 🙁 It is dull, but information technology may be improve if my pictures for feed would exist in the recommended dimensions of 1080 10 1350px / 1080 10 1080px and for stories 1080 x 1920px? 2.Also, you lot're saying that if I take my motion picture with my phone (I have a Samsung S21 Ultra) and I mail service information technology just like it was shot, at that place won't be quality loss? The pictures taken with this phone have, for eg. 4000 10 3000px ii.75 MB. Should I low resolution and possibly even the quality even on these pictures I take with the phone? Maan, this is nuts! Detest IG for this😒
    Thanks in advance for your reply!

    1. Mike Walters 25 May 2021 Reply

      Hey Alex, sad for the tardily respond! Yes, y'all should create two dissimilar versions of the aforementioned graphic if you desire to share them to your mail service & story respectively. Alternatively, you could upload your post and so "share it to your story" which may exist easier, if that's the effect you were later. As for your Samsung, I'm an iPhone guy but I've just noticed that my images used to upload in adequately high quality when uploading straight from my phone. I'one thousand not sure why this is, as the file sizes (and dimensions) seem to be very high – equally you say. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

  21. FAHAD 16 Aug 2021 Answer

    I Desire TO Post VIDEO IN 2K ON INSTGRAM FROM MOBILE I EXPORT It IN 2K BUT It Withal COMPRESSES THE QUALITY Can YOU Help ME ?

    1. Mike Walters 17 Aug 2021 Reply

      Hello Fahad, I would presume that a 2K video is just likewise big to be uploaded to Instagram without being compressed. Yous will want to compress the video yourself before uploading to Instagram to avoid them doing so themselves.

  22. What are yous 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 Reply

      1350×1080 is the max for regular posts.

  23. Cheers! This has been driving me Nuts!!! Any recommendations on consign and upload workflow for Facebook?

    1. Mike Walters xxx January 2022 Reply

      Hey Andrew, how exercise you mean exactly?

  24. Mike 17 January 2022 Answer

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

    1. Mike Walters 30 Jan 2022 Respond

      Hey Mike, no trouble. Depending on which software you're using, the solution could exist equally simple as using the contrary dimensions instead, i.e. 1350×1080. That should crop your image to be taller than it is wide. Hope this helps!

  25. Suresh iv Mar 2022 Reply

    Hi,
    I would similar to know if the epitome needs to be cropped @ 4 10 five ratio before proceeding to the Consign option.
    Thanks

    1. Mike Walters 4 Mar 2022 Answer

      Hey Suresh! Yes, you would need to ingather it appropriately BEFORE exporting for web. You can resize it inside the consign window only I don't recall yous can adjust the ratio at this point

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Mike Walters

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