Uploading To Instagram Without Losing Image Quality

Something I noticed when posting to Instagram from my desktop was that the epitome 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 every bit to why Instagram might be reducing the epitome quality on your posts.

There are a few reasons why the image quality is reduced when uploading directly from your PC, one of which is that you are not post-obit Instagram'due south max resolution guidelines, which is currently set at 1080 x 1350px. Whatever image that is greater than the said resolution volition be made smaller by Instagram and thus may touch the quality of the image.

Secondly, it likewise depends on the format of the prototype that you are using. Instagram's default format for images is JPEG (.jpg), meaning that whatever image that is uploaded in PNG (.png), BITMAP (.bmp), or anything other than JPEG, will be converted to JPEG and equally 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 being uploaded to Instagram every single 24-hour interval and the server power that is needed to run the platform, yous'll soon 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 exist poorly compressed past Instagram.

Last but 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 means that images uploaded via your desktop, such equally with the developer tools method, can sometimes see a reduction in image quality when uploading to Instagram.

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

For many people, who take pictures of themselves, their canis familiaris or the local beach, image quality doesn't really tend to matter. However, if you're a creative like me who designs content for their business and wants to constitute themselves as a professional person, so maintaining quality with your uploads is very important.

I similar to create my Instagram content using Photoshop, merely the same principles will apply to whichever photo editing software you are using. In Photoshop you will want to set up a new file or artboard and set it to Instagram's maximum resolution (1080 x 1350px). In one case you have created your design, you need to go to File > Export > Save For Web (Legacy)…

For those that don't know, saving in this way will permit yous to alter the quality and file size of your terminal image. In the meridian right of the Save For Web window, nether Preset, you will want to select JPEG as the file type. Below that, you can change the overall quality of the image, starting from Low all the style upwards to Maximum.

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

Over again, the reason for lowering the quality of the dropdown is to reduce the file size of the image and thus avoid Instagram taking the pinch into their ain hands. You can monitor the size of the image in the lesser left (higher up case: 837.8K).

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

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

If you lot actually want to brand the most of your post and get every bit much appointment as possible, then you'll desire to also check out this ultimate guide I wrote for using hashtags on Instagram.

Decision

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

You tin follow me on Instagram hither!

Have whatever feedback or questions nearly this post? Let 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 epitome 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 Become Results... Guaranteed

This Post Has 56 Comments

  1. Great post, I was asking myself how much information technology shrink quality of photos when I send epitome to myself over messenger then post it on Instagram. Then I read this article and used the Google Drive. I must say there is a scrap more depth then sending over messenger. So yeah Google Drive works fine.

    1. Mike Walters 28 Sep 2020 Respond

      Hey Abraham, glad to see that it worked for you using Google Bulldoze. That's what I currently employ! Posting direct from Creator Studio works well too of form.

  2. Lily Crocker 1 Oct 2020 Reply

    Hi! Is there a way to do to this from a mobile device? I practise non take photoshop on my estimator and am not looking to pay for it. Whatsoever tips?

    1. Mike Walters one Oct 2020 Reply

      Hi Lily, you should notice that uploading a photo from your telephone should work well regardless of which editing software that you're using. Instagram is primarily a mobile-based app, so it's only natural for the mobile uploads to exist of adept quality. There volition always be some level of compression, given the sheer number of photos that Instagram's servers have to store, just not enough to ruin a photo. Promise this helps 🙂

    2. Wesley i Nov 2020 Reply

      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 Nov 2020 Answer

        Great suggestions Wesley 🙂

  3. Ollie 16 Oct 2020 Reply

    Hi, have you tried this method with other tools such as powerpoint? The nuts seem to be the same. I've tried to set the aforementioned hight width simply when I export the paradigm to jpeg and save, send to phone and finally transfer to instagram, instagram comprasses the prototype after a while. Whatsoever thoughts?

    1. Mike Walters 18 Oct 2020 Answer

      Hi Ollie, I haven't created carousels or posts using PowerPoint only the theory should be the same. There is e'er going to be a small flake of compression by Instagram when uploading to their platform, yet, you can minimize this but uploading the paradigm through the mobile app or via Instagram [Facebook] Creator Studio. Try uploading through 1 of those platforms and see how it goes

      1. Pavle Bogdanovic 4 November 2021 Reply

  4. Sophia nineteen October 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 mail service the images to instagram, the photos came out blurry! What can I practice to my photos to make sure they mail service at a better resolution because this photo was taken on an iPhone, not a DSLR so i'yard confused as to how it would be blurry. Thank you!

    1. Mike Walters 20 Oct 2020 Reply

      Hello Sophia, I gauge 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 moving-picture show quality during that transfer. If y'all make sure to upload them to the Google Drive (or something similar) and then download them from there, you might observe that the motion-picture show quality is a lot ameliorate – depending on how y'all upload it of course. Upload the motion picture via your mobile or Facebook/Instagram Creator Studio. Let me know how it goes 🙂

  5. Antonia 20 Oct 2020 Reply

    I use Canva to blueprint my posts what would y'all propose to save the quality?

    1. Mike Walters 20 October 2020 Answer

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

  6. Mike Walters 20 October 2020 Respond

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

  7. Alfonso iv Nov 2020 Respond

    Artwork
    Fine lines: become muddied 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***g guide on how to apply their site other than "tap here to upload". How most giving a proper tutorial or creative tips instead of creating 100 filters every calendar month? I swear with social media…

    1. Mike Walters 6 Nov 2020 Reply

      Haha, I experience your hurting Alfonso. It'due south true that some people'southward Instagram posts don't exercise their work justice!

  8. This is actually helpful only i take a question, i was familiar with this workflow of reducing the resolution of your epitome manually, only this helped me to improve that workflow, that being said, after doing all that and make sure that my image looks correctly for web and hi-quality, when i post it on Instagram in getting a terrible Banding specially in the sky area, i have remove all banding before equally i said looks perfect in all web applications, and so seems that IG nevertheless compressing my file for some reason, do y'all have any idea most this? Thanks in Advanced

    1. Mike Walters ten Nov 2020 Answer

      Hello Tony, thanks for reaching out. I too endure from the same banding issues on Instagram. I believe that the platform only isn't suited to such loftier-level photography. Which is ironic, given the premise of the platform. I've since tried to avert gradients where possible. I'thousand sorry I tin can't aid much farther!

  9. Sofia 16 Nov 2020 Answer

    Hello! I employ Canva on both my laptop and iPhone. After downloading images from the mobile app and uploading them to Instagram, they still feel lower quality and a slight change in color. Exercise you lot have more tips on this? Thanks!

    1. Mike Walters xviii Nov 2020 Reply

      Hi Sofia, I can't really say without seeing the images but there will always be some form of compression when uploading to Instagram – no matter what yous do. As for the color difference, could it be that y'all're viewing the image from a different device? I know that the colours betwixt my iPhone, tablet and desktop all differ. Let me know!

  10. Mike, thanks for this. Information technology'due south incredibly helpful info. I've been using this workflow, more or less, in Photoshop for the concluding couple of years, but have e'er noticed a driblet in quality once I put my files on Instagram. Further, I've been interested in making stop motion videos and have noticed that, once more, the drib in quality is evident in the final production whenever I endeavor to upload to IG, with just plenty mistiness showing that I haven't nonetheless posted any of these. I'm 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 movement videos to Instagram myself merely I await forward to hearing your results!

  11. ER 27 November 2020 Reply

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

    1. Mike Walters two Dec 2020 Answer

      Unfortunately, I can't find any confirmation from Instagram regarding the limitation of bit depths. I'thousand curious equally to how you institute this information?

  12. Annabelle Mostert ane December 2020 Reply

    Hi,

    Peradventure this is a silly quetion, but i have created the file in photoshop to the size specification you set out above.
    How do i re-size my epitome ti fit instagram later making it (1080 x 1350px). I understand how to save for spider web but not how to re-size it.
    Thank you

    1. Mike Walters 1 Dec 2020 Answer

      Hullo Annabelle, not a empty-headed question at all. 1080x1350px is a slap-up size for Instagram for portrait photos. If you are afterwards a square image then you would need to change the Canvas Size in Photoshop earlier you Salve For Web. You tin change the Canvas size by going to Image > Canvas Size. There might exist a link icon which is selected to lock the ratio (to 1080x1350px). Y'all will need to unselect this to modify information technology to 1:1 ratio.

  13. Eric 7 December 2020 Reply

    What if you practice all this and it'due south still desaturated? I've exported in .jpg, sRGB colour infinite, same dimensions you describe, and information technology's still messed up. Just nearly every 1 of my pictures is from what I tin can tell. They look fine on my phone, on the computer, even in the screen on IG where I upload the motion picture. I make my posts alee of fourth dimension and save them, and even that piffling thumbnail looks fine. Information technology'southward just when information technology gets uploaded, it goes all wrong.

    1. Mike Walters 8 Dec 2020 Reply

      Hey Eric, that is a tough one and I empathise your frustration. I would have to approximate that it's down to the size of the (image) file. Possibly try compressing it as much as possible, without reducing the quality of the paradigm, and come across how that fairs when uploaded to IG?

  14. Eric 9 Dec 2020 Answer

    I'm non 100% only that might have worked. I posted i this forenoon that got desaturated once more, tried exporting it from Lightroom with lower quality (I had it set up to 100, at present I'm around 75) and then posted that version. It looked to exist a fiddling more saturated than the previous one, so I think you're on to something. Thank you!

    1. Mike Walters nine Dec 2020 Reply

      I'm glad that it helped a chip! Cheers 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 earlier might have helped a bit, but it's nonetheless very noticeable. My consign settings from Lightroom are: .jpg, sRGB, quality at 76, resize to fit checked, width set to 1080, height left blank, resolution 72, sharpen for screen, standard, the default settings for metadata, and then a watermark which is simply my name in the bottom right corner, no image or anything like that. I don't get information technology. I edit in Lightroom initially, export at 300 ppi and in AdobeRGB, open up that file in Photoshop, make edits there, save a copy, import that into Lightroom and then I tin export with those settings. It'southward a picayune convoluted just it works for me I guess. Any thoughts?

        1. Mike Walters xi Jan 2021 Answer

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

          1. Eric 21 Jan 2021

            I of the ones that got desaturated is 446Kb and is 1080×720. I'm at a loss lol Cheers for helping me endeavour to effigy this out.

          2. Mike Walters 12 Feb 2021

            Hmm, 446kb might be a bit besides much for Instagram. If you were using Photoshop then I assume that was at a Very High to Maximum quality setting. Perchance lower the quality earlier uploading to Instagram to reduce file size

  15. Jalal Mustafa 10 Dec 2020 Reply

    I was exporting PNGs from corel draw for instagram uploads and quality was decreasing. now i will employ jpegs subsequently seeing this commodity. likewise 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 50 1 Feb 2021 Reply

    Earlier exporting a moving picture to postal service on IG, practise y'all save/downsize the file to to IGs recommended attribute ratio/max resolution specs? Ie 1080, To avoid potential compression loss?

    Or do you just post what'due south most likely 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've experimented can you even tell much of a difference on a smartphone?

    1. Mike Walters 12 Feb 2021 Respond

      Hey Matt, adept question. I actually just keep all of my canvass sizes to the recommended 1080×1080 or 1080×1350, so I haven't experimented with larger sizes. That beingness said, it's all-time to keep the file size as depression as possible to avoid unnecessary compression by Instagram's platform. All of my posts are created on desktop using Photoshop so I'g not sure nearly 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 y'all find anything useful when experimenting!

  17. Arash vii Feb 2021 Answer

    Thank you Mike!

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

    300dpi or 72dpi? and how almost ppi?
    is there whatever limit for Kb or Mb?

    1. Mike Walters 12 Feb 2021 Respond

      Hey Arash, to be honest I'm not sure on the verbal ppi, kB or MB that Instagram will accept but it's best practice to go on information technology as low as possible. I can confirm that those ratios are all-time 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 fourteen 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 swell in monitor. Sizing correct and when I upload the logo it looks terrible. Any tricks with logos with text?

    1. Mike Walters twenty Apr 2021 Reply

      Hi Laini, it oft comes downwards to the size of the file. It may be best to lower the quality when saving the file, to ensure that the file size is as low every bit possible, so that Instagram doesn't compress the epitome too much. Have a play effectually with this and see what works best for you.

  20. Alex four May 2021 Respond

    Hi, Mike! I recollect I have 2 questions for you. 😀
    1. I am curious about your stance on this: I post a regular portrait photo on feed, one of 1080 x 1350px, then I want to post the same picture on IG Story and IG automatically does a zoom-in on this picture and then that it fits nice in the IG Story dimensions, i.e. 1080 x 1920px, but the image looks a little blurry later it is posted on IG Story. Is it better and similar a best do to have the pictures for the feed in 1080 x 1350px and those for stories in 1080 10 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, but information technology may be amend if my pictures for feed would be in the recommended dimensions of 1080 x 1350px / 1080 ten 1080px and for stories 1080 x 1920px? two.Also, yous're saying that if I take my picture with my phone (I have a Samsung S21 Ultra) and I post it just like it was shot, there won't exist quality loss? The pictures taken with this phone take, for eg. 4000 ten 3000px ii.75 MB. Should I depression resolution and perhaps fifty-fifty the quality even on these pictures I take with the phone? Maan, this is nuts! Detest IG for this😒
    Thank you in accelerate for your respond!

    1. Mike Walters 25 May 2021 Answer

      Hey Alex, distressing for the late answer! Yes, you should create two unlike versions of the same graphic if you want to share them to your postal service & story respectively. Alternatively, you could upload your mail and then "share it to your story" which may exist easier, if that's 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 high quality when uploading direct from my telephone. I'm not sure why this is, as the file sizes (and dimensions) seem to be very high – as y'all say. Distressing I couldn't be of more help.

  21. FAHAD sixteen Aug 2021 Reply

    I WANT TO POST VIDEO IN 2K ON INSTGRAM FROM MOBILE I Consign IT IN 2K BUT IT Even so COMPRESSES THE QUALITY CAN YOU HELP ME ?

    1. Mike Walters 17 Aug 2021 Reply

      Howdy Fahad, I would assume that a 2K video is just as well big to be uploaded to Instagram without existence compressed. Y'all will want to compress the video yourself before uploading to Instagram to avert them doing and so themselves.

  22. What are you mean 1350 ? I tin 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. Thank you! This has been driving me NUTS!!! Any recommendations on consign and upload workflow for Facebook?

    1. Mike Walters 30 Jan 2022 Reply

      Hey Andrew, how exercise y'all hateful exactly?

  24. Mike 17 January 2022 Reply

    Hello, this is a slap-up post!
    I have a question though, when i resize my prototype to 1080×1350, information technology gets wider? I don't understand how to fix that, could you please aid.
    Thank you!

    1. Mike Walters 30 Jan 2022 Reply

      Hey Mike, no problem. Depending on which software you're using, the solution could be equally uncomplicated every bit using the reverse dimensions instead, i.e. 1350×1080. That should crop your image to be taller than information technology is wide. Hope this helps!

  25. Suresh 4 Mar 2022 Reply

    Hello,
    I would similar to know if the epitome needs to be cropped @ four x 5 ratio before proceeding to the Export option.
    Thanks

    1. Mike Walters iv Mar 2022 Reply

      Hey Suresh! Yep, yous would need to crop information technology accordingly BEFORE exporting for web. Y'all can resize information technology within the consign window simply I don't think you can adjust the ratio at this point

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Mike Walters

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