How to Crop a Photo for Instagram (Square, 4:5, Story)
Crop any photo to 1:1, 4:5 or 9:16 without losing the subject. Free browser tool with zoom and position sliders, no upload needed.
Quick answer: open the Image Cropper, add your photo, tap 1:1 (square), 4:5 (portrait) or 9:16 (Story), slide the crop to frame your subject, and tap Crop image. Everything happens in your browser.
Which ratio should I use?
| Ratio | Pixels | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 1:1 | 1080 × 1080 | Classic square post, profile photos |
| 4:5 | 1080 × 1350 | Portrait post: takes up the most space in the feed |
| 9:16 | 1080 × 1920 | Stories and Reels |
| 16:9 | 1920 × 1080 | Landscape video thumbnails |
Portrait 4:5 usually gets more attention than square because it fills more of the screen.
Step by step
- Add your photo. Drop it on the box or tap to choose it.
- Pick a ratio. The preview updates instantly.
- Zoom to cut in closer, then use Left ↔ right and Up ↕ down to put your subject where you want it.
- Choose a format (same as the original is fine) and tap Crop image.
- Download the cropped photo.
Framing tips
- Put faces in the upper third of a portrait crop.
- Leave a little space around the subject so Instagram's rounded corners and profile grid don't cut off anything important.
- For Stories, keep text and faces away from the top and bottom 250 px, where the app's buttons sit.
Don't want to cut anything off?
If you want the whole photo in a square, don't crop it: use the Image Resizer, choose a preset such as Instagram Post, and pick Fit (add white borders).
Check the file size
Instagram recompresses photos, so there is no need for huge files. If your photo is several MB, shrink it first with the Image Compressor. Quality around 80% looks the same on a phone.
Need the right size for other apps?
See the full list in Social media image & video sizes 2026, or work out the matching height for any width with the Aspect Ratio Calculator.
Crop your photo: Image Cropper →