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 paradigm inevitably getting less than favourable appointment. After some thorough research though, I've managed to compile some reasons as to why Instagram might exist reducing the prototype quality on your posts.

There are a few reasons why the image quality is reduced when uploading straight from your PC, one of which is that you lot are not following Instagram's max resolution guidelines, which is currently set at 1080 x 1350px. Whatsoever epitome that is greater than the said resolution volition be fabricated smaller by Instagram and thus may affect the quality of the image.

Secondly, it also depends on the format of the image that you are using. Instagram's default format for images is JPEG (.jpg), meaning that whatsoever epitome that is uploaded in PNG (.png), BITMAP (.bmp), or annihilation other than JPEG, volition be converted to JPEG and every bit 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 ability that is needed to run the platform, you'll shortly forgive Instagram for reducing file sizes where possible. Try to proceed your image file size to a minimum (without affecting image quality) to avoid having information technology be poorly compressed by Instagram.

Last but non to the lowest degree, Instagram is predominantly a mobile-based app, and every bit such prioritises uploads from mobile (or tablet) devices when it comes to quality. This means 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 avoid losing Prototype Quality on Instagram (with Photoshop)

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

I like to create my Instagram content using Photoshop, just the aforementioned principles will employ to whichever photo editing software yous are using. In Photoshop you will desire to fix upward a new file or artboard and set it to Instagram's maximum resolution (1080 10 1350px). Once you accept created your blueprint, you need to go to File > Export > Save For Web (Legacy)…

For those that don't know, saving in this way will allow you to modify the quality and file size of your final epitome. In the meridian right of the Save For Web window, under Preset, y'all will want to select JPEG as the file blazon. Beneath that, you tin can modify the overall quality of the prototype, starting from Low all the way up to Maximum.

Here is a screenshot of the Save To Web window for my Bruce Lee post in Photoshop. I have highlighted the areas you demand to monitor in guild 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 avoid Instagram taking the compression into their ain hands. You tin monitor the size of the image in the bottom left (in a higher place example: 837.8K).

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

One time yous're happy with the image file size and quality, yous can hit the save button to salvage it to your figurer. Post-obit that, y'all will want to upload your new prototype to Google Bulldoze where y'all volition then download information technology to your mobile (or tablet) device. You can and then upload the image directly to Instagram from your mobile.

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

Conclusion

Instagram can ofttimes reduce the quality of your images during uploads for a wide number of reasons, simply if y'all're looking to maintain quality and then you should look to upload a high-quality, compressed JPEG file (max resolution: 1080 x 1350px) directly from your mobile or tablet to avert any further compression by Instagram.

You can follow me on Instagram here!

Take any feedback or questions nearly this postal service? 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 find this post on improving the image quality of your Instagram posts helpful? If then, I would exist very grateful if yous 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 post, I was asking myself how much it shrink quality of photos when I transport epitome to myself over messenger then mail service it on Instagram. Then I read this article and used the Google Drive. I must say there is a bit more depth so sending over messenger. And so yeah Google Drive works fine.

    1. Mike Walters 28 Sep 2020 Reply

      Hey Abraham, glad to run into that it worked for y'all using Google Drive. That's what I currently apply! Posting straight from Creator Studio works well likewise of course.

  2. Lily Crocker ane Oct 2020 Answer

    Howdy! Is there a fashion to do to this from a mobile device? I do not take photoshop on my estimator and am non looking to pay for it. Any tips?

    1. Mike Walters 1 Oct 2020 Answer

      Hi Lily, yous should discover that uploading a photograph from your phone should piece of work well regardless of which editing software that you lot're using. Instagram is primarily a mobile-based app, so it'southward only natural for the mobile uploads to exist of skilful quality. In that location volition always exist some level of pinch, given the sheer number of photos that Instagram's servers take to shop, just non enough to ruin a photo. Hope this helps 🙂

    2. Wesley one Nov 2020 Reply

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

      1. Mike Walters 1 November 2020 Answer

        Keen suggestions Wesley 🙂

  3. Ollie sixteen Oct 2020 Answer

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

    1. Mike Walters 18 Oct 2020 Reply

      Howdy Ollie, I haven't created carousels or posts using PowerPoint but the theory should be the aforementioned. At that place is always going to be a small flake of compression by Instagram when uploading to their platform, however, you 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 meet how it goes

      1. Pavle Bogdanovic 4 Nov 2021 Reply

  4. Sophia nineteen Oct 2020 Respond

    Howdy! 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 do to my photos to make sure they mail at a better resolution because this photo was taken on an iPhone, not a DSLR and then i'1000 confused equally to how it would be blurry. Thanks!

    1. Mike Walters 20 October 2020 Reply

      Howdy Sophia, I gauge it might depend on how your friend sent those photos to you lot. 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 certain to upload them to the Google Drive (or something like) and then download them from in that location, you might find that the flick quality is a lot improve – depending on how you lot upload it of course. Upload the picture via your mobile or Facebook/Instagram Creator Studio. Let me know how it goes 🙂

  5. Antonia twenty Oct 2020 Respond

    I use Canva to design my posts what would you lot suggest to save the quality?

    1. Mike Walters xx Oct 2020 Respond

      Howdy Antonia. Luckily for yous, in that location are many bang-up content creators that use Canva to pattern their posts. I would advise saving equally JPG and uploading either direct from the Instagram mobile app or via Facebook/Instagram Creator Studio

  6. Mike Walters 20 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 young artists to look worse than they are simply because Instagram can't even give a F***thou 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 6 Nov 2020 Answer

      Haha, I feel your pain Alfonso. It'south true that some people's Instagram posts don't do 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, merely this helped me to meliorate that workflow, that being said, subsequently doing all that and make sure that my prototype looks correctly for spider web and hi-quality, when i post it on Instagram in getting a terrible Banding specially in the sky surface area, i have remove all banding earlier as i said looks perfect in all spider web applications, then seems that IG notwithstanding compressing my file for some reason, do yous take whatever thought nigh this? Thanks in Advanced

    1. Mike Walters ten Nov 2020 Reply

      Hi Tony, thanks for reaching out. I too 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'grand sorry I can't help much further!

  9. Sofia sixteen November 2020 Reply

    Hello! 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 you take more tips on this? Cheers!

    1. Mike Walters 18 Nov 2020 Reply

      Hi Sofia, I tin can't actually say without seeing the images but there will always be some form of compression when uploading to Instagram – no thing what yous do. As for the colour difference, could information technology be that you'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, cheers for this. It'south incredibly helpful info. I've been using this workflow, more or less, in Photoshop for the last couple of years, but have always noticed a driblet in quality one time I put my files on Instagram. Further, I've been interested in making stop motion videos and have noticed that, over again, the drop in quality is evident in the final product whenever I try to upload to IG, with just enough blur showing that I haven't yet 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 terminate movement videos to Instagram myself but I look forward to hearing your results!

  11. ER 27 Nov 2020 Reply

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

    1. Mike Walters 2 Dec 2020 Reply

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

  12. Annabelle Mostert 1 Dec 2020 Reply

    Hi,

    Perhaps this is a silly quetion, but i have created the file in photoshop to the size specification yous set out above.
    How do i re-size my paradigm ti fit instagram subsequently making it (1080 ten 1350px). I understand how to salvage for web but not how to re-size it.
    Thanks

    1. Mike Walters 1 Dec 2020 Reply

      How-do-you-do Annabelle, non a silly question at all. 1080x1350px is a great size for Instagram for portrait photos. If you are subsequently a square image then you would need to modify the Canvas Size in Photoshop before you lot Save For Spider web. Y'all can change the Canvas size by going to Image > Sheet Size. There might be a link icon which is selected to lock the ratio (to 1080x1350px). Y'all will demand to unselect this to change it to 1:one ratio.

  13. Eric 7 December 2020 Reply

    What if you lot practice all this and it's even so desaturated? I've exported in .jpg, sRGB color space, same dimensions yous draw, and it's still messed up. Merely about every 1 of my pictures is from what I can tell. They look fine on my telephone, on the computer, fifty-fifty in the screen on IG where I upload the motion picture. I make my posts alee of time and save them, and even that little thumbnail looks fine. Information technology's merely when information technology gets uploaded, it goes all wrong.

    1. Mike Walters 8 Dec 2020 Reply

      Hey Eric, that is a tough i and I understand your frustration. I would have to guess that information technology'southward downwardly to the size of the (image) file. Perhaps endeavour compressing it as much as possible, without reducing the quality of the image, and see how that fairs when uploaded to IG?

  14. Eric 9 Dec 2020 Answer

    I'm non 100% but that might have worked. I posted one this morning 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. Information technology looked to be a little more saturated than the previous one, so I think yous're on to something. Thank you!

    1. Mike Walters 9 Dec 2020 Reply

      I'm glad that it helped a bit! Thanks for getting back to me Eric

      1. Eric 29 December 2020 Respond

        Thank you for responding, that's pretty rare anymore. Anyways they are all the same desaturating my pictures. I remember what I did earlier might have helped a bit, just information technology'south nonetheless very noticeable. My export settings from Lightroom are: .jpg, sRGB, quality at 76, resize to fit checked, width set to 1080, superlative left bare, resolution 72, sharpen for screen, standard, the default settings for metadata, and and then a watermark which is just my name in the bottom correct corner, no epitome or anything similar that. I don't go it. I edit in Lightroom initially, export at 300 ppi and in AdobeRGB, open that file in Photoshop, make edits at that place, salvage a copy, import that into Lightroom so I tin can export with those settings. It's a footling convoluted but it works for me I guess. Any thoughts?

        1. Mike Walters 11 January 2021 Respond

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

          1. Eric 21 January 2021

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

          2. Mike Walters 12 February 2021

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

  15. Jalal Mustafa x Dec 2020 Respond

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

    1. Mike Walters 10 December 2020 Reply

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

  16. Matt L one Feb 2021 Reply

    Before exporting a pic to post on IG, practise yous save/downsize the file to to IGs recommended aspect ratio/max resolution specs? Ie 1080, To avoid potential compression loss?

    Or practice y'all but mail what'south most likely a much larger/higher resolution file and let information technology automatically become through the compression algorithm to scale it downwards/lower the image quality to fit the app?

    If you've experimented tin you fifty-fifty tell much of a difference on a smartphone?

    1. Mike Walters 12 Feb 2021 Reply

      Hey Matt, good question. I actually just continue 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'due south best to keep the file size as depression as possible to avoid unnecessary compression by Instagram'due south platform. All of my posts are created on desktop using Photoshop so I'one thousand not sure about smartphone files, simply in the past I've noticed that photos taken on my iPhone tend not to exist ruined with compression. Allow me know if yous find anything useful when experimenting!

  17. Arash 7 Feb 2021 Reply

    Thank you Mike!

    So…
    1080 x 1080
    1080 ten 1350 only for portrait images

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

    1. Mike Walters 12 Feb 2021 Reply

      Hey Arash, to be honest I'm not sure on the exact ppi, kB or MB that Instagram will have merely information technology's best practice to keep it as low equally possible. I can confirm that those ratios are best for both square & portrait images.

  18. I don't have a question just a thank y'all for your incredibly helpful article and responses.

    1. Mike Walters 12 Feb 2021 Reply

      Thanks Elizabeth! Capeesh the feedback 🙂

  19. Laini 14 April 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 great in monitor. Sizing correct and when I upload the logo it looks terrible. Any tricks with logos with text?

    1. Mike Walters 20 April 2021 Reply

      Hi Laini, it often comes down 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, and then that Instagram doesn't compress the image besides much. Have a play around with this and see what works all-time for you.

  20. Alex four May 2021 Reply

    Hi, Mike! I think I have 2 questions for you. 😀
    1. I am curious most your opinion on this: I post a regular portrait photo on feed, one of 1080 ten 1350px, so I want to post the same picture on IG Story and IG automatically does a zoom-in on this picture so that it fits dainty in the IG Story dimensions, i.eastward. 1080 x 1920px, but the image looks a little blurry afterward it is posted on IG Story. Is it better and like a best practise to take 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 service that are loosing quality when posted 🙁 It is tedious, but information technology may be improve if my pictures for feed would be in the recommended dimensions of 1080 x 1350px / 1080 10 1080px and for stories 1080 x 1920px? two.Besides, yous're proverb that if I accept my picture with my telephone (I have a Samsung S21 Ultra) and I post information technology just similar it was shot, there won't be quality loss? The pictures taken with this telephone have, for eg. 4000 x 3000px 2.75 MB. Should I low resolution and maybe even the quality even on these pictures I take with the phone? Maan, this is nuts! Hate IG for this😒
    Thank you in advance for your reply!

    1. Mike Walters 25 May 2021 Reply

      Hey Alex, sorry for the late reply! Yes, you should create ii dissimilar versions of the same graphic if yous want to share them to your post & story respectively. Alternatively, yous could upload your postal service and then "share it to your story" which may be easier, if that's the effect you were after. As for your Samsung, I'm an iPhone guy merely I've simply noticed that my images used to upload in fairly high quality when uploading directly from my telephone. I'grand non sure why this is, equally the file sizes (and dimensions) seem to be very loftier – every bit y'all say. Sorry I couldn't exist of more assist.

  21. FAHAD sixteen Aug 2021 Reply

    I Desire TO POST VIDEO IN 2K ON INSTGRAM FROM MOBILE I EXPORT Information technology IN 2K But Information technology Still COMPRESSES THE QUALITY Can You lot HELP ME ?

    1. Mike Walters 17 Aug 2021 Respond

      Hello Fahad, I would presume that a 2K video is only besides big to be uploaded to Instagram without being compressed. Y'all volition want to compress the video yourself before uploading to Instagram to avert 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 Reply

      1350×1080 is the max for regular posts.

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

    1. Mike Walters 30 Jan 2022 Reply

      Hey Andrew, how do you mean exactly?

  24. Mike 17 January 2022 Reply

    Hello, this is a great post!
    I accept a question though, when i resize my image to 1080×1350, it gets wider? I don't understand how to fix that, could you please assistance.
    Thank you!

    1. Mike Walters thirty Jan 2022 Respond

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

  25. Suresh four Mar 2022 Reply

    Hello,
    I would like to know if the paradigm needs to exist cropped @ 4 10 5 ratio before proceeding to the Consign option.
    Thanks

    1. Mike Walters 4 Mar 2022 Reply

      Hey Suresh! Yeah, y'all would need to crop it accordingly BEFORE exporting for web. You can resize it within the consign window but I don't think y'all can adjust the ratio at this point

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Mike Walters

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