Grid guide

Instagram grid size: dimensions, fixes and carousels

The Instagram grid size we export is 1080 × 1440 pixels per tile, a 3:4 portrait shape. For a nine-post grid, start from a 3240 × 4320 crop so nothing gets enlarged.

Instagram grid size at a glance

pixels per tile: 1080 × 1440
tile shape: 3:4
columns, always: 3

The Instagram grid size never changes width: the profile wall is always three posts wide. Only the number of rows changes, from one row of three to six rows of eighteen.

Instagram grid size by tile shape

Post size and profile preview size are different things. These are the file sizes the grid maker exports; the Instagram grid size you pick decides how much of each one shows on your profile. For layouts beyond the Instagram grid size, such as halves, pixel tiles or print pages, use the image splitter.

1080 × 1440 px
The default Instagram grid size. Matches the portrait profile preview, so nothing is hidden.
1080 × 1350 px
A shorter portrait post. Check the profile crop before posting the set.
1080 × 1080 px
Square artwork. The profile preview may trim the sides.

Source photo size for every Instagram grid size

Multiply the tile by the layout to get the source photo for each Instagram grid size. These crops fill the whole grid at 3:4 with no extra zoom; anything smaller gets enlarged.

3 posts
1 row
3240 × 1440
6 posts
2 rows
3240 × 2880
9 posts
3 rows
3240 × 4320
12 posts
4 rows
3240 × 5760
15 posts
5 rows
3240 × 7200
18 posts
6 rows
3240 × 8640

Nine posts, highlighted, is the most common Instagram grid size. A 1620 × 2160 crop has half those pixels in each direction, so every tile is enlarged 2×.

Check your photo against the Instagram grid size

Compare pixels
Open the sharpness calculator and enter your photo size and row count to compare it with the Instagram grid size.
Zoom less, or drop a row
Each row you remove from the Instagram grid size lowers the source you need by 1440 px.
Upscale only when needed
AI upscaling estimates detail; it cannot restore the original. Inspect faces and text afterwards. To enlarge a small photo before you split it, use the AI image upscaler.

Smiling woman holding yellow tulips, split into nine 3:4 tiles to check detail before posting — Faces and petals show softness first at any Instagram grid size.

Layouts at the default Instagram grid size

Three common layouts at the default Instagram grid size, with the source crop each one needs.

White cliff village above a cobalt sea, split into one row of three portrait posts — 3 posts
A one-row panorama. Source crop 3240 × 1440.

Lit suspension bridge at dusk cut into a six-post, two-row layout — 6 posts
A two-row feature. Source crop 3240 × 2880.

Instagram grid size for nine posts: a pastel gallery painting cut into a 3 × 3 reveal — 9 posts
A full reveal. Source crop 3240 × 4320.

Try your photo in the grid maker

Instagram grid not lining up? Check size, crop and order

Tiles at the right Instagram grid size can still land in the wrong place. Match what you see to the cause before you post again.

Out of order

Notebook and prints cut into nine tiles: file 1 bottom right, file 9 top left — Post #1 first

Edges missing between tiles
Check: Tile shape and preview crop
Export 3:4, the default Instagram grid size, so the profile preview shows the whole tile.
Pieces in the wrong places
Check: Posting order
Post #1 first, then #2 and onward. Never reverse the files.
A finished picture shifts
Check: Pinned or new posts
Unpin first and post nothing else until the set is done.
Right layout, soft detail
Check: Source resolution
Use a larger original or less zoom for your Instagram grid size.

The finished profile reads 9, 8, 7 on top and 3, 2, 1 at the bottom, so file #1 is posted first and #9 last. The order is the same at every Instagram grid size. The help center explains the posting queue that tracks this for you.

Seamless carousel: one wide photo across slides

A carousel keeps every slide inside one swipeable post, so it does not follow the Instagram grid size or its reverse order. Pick a wide photo and keep faces and text away from the joins.

Slides3

Wide photo

Seamless carousel example: a lighthouse coast panorama divided into consecutive slides

Split preview

3 slides in left-to-right order.

1
In the carousel maker, press Start from one wide photo. Wider than 2:1 works best.
2
Check the first edge, every seam and the last crop. It picks 2 to 10 slides from the photo shape.
3
Add a caption to slide 1 if you need one. Leave the others clear.
4
Download the PNG slides or use Save to Photos, then select slide 1 first in Instagram.

Unlike the 1080 × 1440 Instagram grid size, the carousel maker defaults to 4:5: three 1080 × 1350 slides need a 3240 × 1350 strip to avoid enlargement. Keep every slide the same shape after download, or the seams drift.

LinkedIn carousel: make and upload a PDF

On LinkedIn a carousel is a document post: one PDF, one page per slide. Pages are 1080 × 1350 by default, not the Instagram grid size. Bring your own words; the tool lays them out but does not write copy.

LinkedIn carousel cover: a creator at a teal home desk on page 1 of a five-page PDF

Plan next week in 20 minutes

PDF page 1 of 5

Plan five pages, one job each

1. CoverPlan next week in 20 minutes
2. ProblemToo many unfinished tasks
3. MethodCollect, prioritise, block time
4. ExampleOne planned day
5. ClosingWhich task comes first?

Export and upload

1
Pick a free template in the carousel maker, replace the text and check it in Preview.
2
Choose PDF for LinkedIn and open the file to proofread every page.
3
On LinkedIn, choose Start a post, More, then Add a document (on mobile: Post, More, Document). Add a title and publish.

LinkedIn allows documents up to 100 MB and 300 pages, and a published document cannot be swapped. Source: LinkedIn Help, “Upload and share documents”, reviewed November 6, 2026. Free templates add a small credit to the last page; Pro and Lifetime remove it. After you download, Next post in this style keeps the look for your next one.

Open the carousel maker

Frequently asked questions

What Instagram grid size should I use?

The default Instagram grid size in InstaGridMaker is 1080 × 1440 pixels per tile (3:4). For three columns and three rows, the complete source crop is 3240 × 4320 pixels to avoid enlargement. These are tool export dimensions, not the pixel size of every profile thumbnail.

Is the Instagram grid size the same as the post size?

No. The post size is the file you upload; the profile grid shows a cropped preview of it. A 3:4 export matches a portrait profile preview, while square and 4:5 files may lose their edges in that preview.

What if my photo is smaller than the Instagram grid size needs?

It still works, but every tile is enlarged and fine detail gets softer. Use fewer rows, less zoom or a larger original, and check the result in the sharpness calculator before you download.

Why is my Instagram grid not lining up?

Check preview cropping first, then posting order, then pinned or newly added posts. With InstaGridMaker files, post #1 first: it sits at the bottom right. AI upscaling cannot fix a tile in the wrong place.

Can I publish seamless carousel slides in reverse order?

No. Select slide 1 first, then continue in file order. The reverse order used for a profile grid does not apply to a carousel.

Can I replace a LinkedIn carousel PDF after publishing?

LinkedIn says you can edit the post description but cannot change the document inside a published post. Check the PDF before posting.

How many posts can one grid have?

Every Instagram grid size we export holds between 3 and 18 posts: always three columns, with 1 to 6 rows.

Try it on your own content

Start with a free single-photo grid. Your last grid and posting queue stay on this device, so you can return to finish publishing.

Make a free grid Compare Pro and Lifetime

Sign in when you want the free AI upscale trial or a batch export. Paid plans unlock larger batches and your watermark. Projects stay on this device; sign-in does not enable cross-device project sync.