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 prototype 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 epitome quality on your posts.

There are a few reasons why the epitome quality is reduced when uploading directly from your PC, 1 of which is that yous are non post-obit Instagram's max resolution guidelines, which is currently set at 1080 x 1350px. Whatsoever image that is greater than the said resolution will exist made smaller by Instagram and thus may affect the quality of the prototype.

Secondly, information technology also depends on the format of the image that you are using. Instagram'south default format for images is JPEG (.jpg), meaning that whatsoever epitome that is uploaded in PNG (.png), BITMAP (.bmp), or annihilation other than JPEG, will be 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 Apply The Right Hashtags For You
  • READ: The BIGGEST Error I See People Making On Instagram

When y'all consider the number of images that are existence uploaded to Instagram every single day and the server ability that is needed to run the platform, you lot'll soon 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 it be poorly compressed past Instagram.

Last but non least, Instagram is predominantly a mobile-based app, and as such prioritises uploads from mobile (or tablet) devices when it comes to quality. This ways that images uploaded via your desktop, such as with the developer tools method, can sometimes come across 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 dog or the local beach, epitome quality doesn't really tend to matter. However, if you're a creative like me who designs content for their business and wants to plant themselves as a professional person, so maintaining quality with your uploads is very of import.

I like to create my Instagram content using Photoshop, only the same principles will use to whichever photograph editing software you are using. In Photoshop you will want to set up a new file or artboard and set it to Instagram'southward maximum resolution (1080 x 1350px). Once you have created your design, you need to go to File > Export > Salve For Web (Legacy)…

For those that don't know, saving in this style will allow you to alter the quality and file size of your final prototype. In the top right of the Save For Web window, nether Preset, yous volition want to select JPEG equally the file blazon. Below that, you can change the overall quality of the image, starting from Low all the fashion up to Maximum.

Hither is a screenshot of the Salvage To Web window for my Bruce Lee post in Photoshop. I take highlighted the areas y'all need to monitor in order to reduce size and maintain image quality, such every bit 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 compression into their own hands. You lot can monitor the size of the image in the lesser left (above example: 837.8K).

A lot of the time, 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 want to choose the setting that achieves the best residue between the two.

Once yous're happy with the paradigm file size and quality, you lot can hit the relieve button to save it to your reckoner. Following that, y'all volition want to upload your new prototype to Google Drive where you will and so download it to your mobile (or tablet) device. You can then upload the image straight to Instagram from your mobile.

If you really want to make the near of your mail service and get as much engagement as possible, then you'll want to besides 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 you're looking to maintain quality then you should look to upload a loftier-quality, compressed JPEG file (max resolution: 1080 10 1350px) directly from your mobile or tablet to avert whatsoever further compression by Instagram.

You lot can follow me on Instagram here!

Take any feedback or questions about this mail service? 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 observe this post on improving the prototype quality of your Instagram posts helpful? If so, I would be very grateful if you could pivot this epitome 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 and so post information technology on Instagram. Then I read this article and used the Google Drive. I must say there is a flake more depth then sending over messenger. So yep 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'south what I currently utilise! Posting straight from Creator Studio works well too of class.

  2. Lily Crocker i October 2020 Reply

    Howdy! Is there a way to practise to this from a mobile device? I exercise not have photoshop on my computer and am not looking to pay for information technology. Whatever tips?

    1. Mike Walters 1 Oct 2020 Answer

      Hi Lily, you lot should discover 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, then information technology's just natural for the mobile uploads to be of skillful quality. There will e'er be some level of compression, given the sheer number of photos that Instagram'southward servers have to store, but non enough to ruin a photograph. Hope this helps 🙂

    2. Wesley one Nov 2020 Reply

      I'd recommend using Google'south Snapseed app or Adobe Photoshop Express. Both of them are free and let yous 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 October 2020 Reply

    Hullo, accept y'all tried this method with other tools such as powerpoint? The basics seem to be the same. I've tried to set the same hight width but when I export the image to jpeg and relieve, send to phone and finally transfer to instagram, instagram comprasses the epitome after a while. Any thoughts?

    1. Mike Walters 18 Oct 2020 Reply

      Hi Ollie, I haven't created carousels or posts using PowerPoint but the theory should be the same. There is ever going to be a pocket-size bit of compression by Instagram when uploading to their platform, withal, you can minimize this just uploading the paradigm through the mobile app or via Instagram [Facebook] Creator Studio. Try uploading through one of those platforms and encounter how information technology goes

      1. Pavle Bogdanovic four Nov 2021 Reply

  4. Sophia 19 October 2020 Answer

    Hi! My friend took some photos using her iPhone seven plus and sent me the photos which I then I edited on my iPhone 11, and when I went to post the images to instagram, the photos came out blurry! What tin can I do to my photos to make sure they post at a better resolution because this photo was taken on an iPhone, not a DSLR so i'm confused as to how information technology would be blurry. Thank you!

    1. Mike Walters 20 Oct 2020 Reply

      Hello Sophia, I estimate information technology 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 picture quality during that transfer. If you make sure to upload them to the Google Bulldoze (or something like) and and so download them from there, you lot might notice that the picture quality is a lot better – depending on how yous upload it of course. Upload the picture via your mobile or Facebook/Instagram Creator Studio. Allow me know how information technology goes 🙂

  5. Antonia 20 October 2020 Respond

    I use Canva to design my posts what would y'all suggest to salve the quality?

    1. Mike Walters twenty October 2020 Reply

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

  6. Mike Walters 20 October 2020 Answer

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

  7. Alfonso four 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 tin't even give a F***one thousand 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 half dozen Nov 2020 Respond

      Haha, I feel your pain Alfonso. It'south true that some people's Instagram posts don't practice 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 ameliorate 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 especially in the sky area, i accept remove all banding before as i said looks perfect in all web applications, so seems that IG still compressing my file for some reason, do you have any idea about this? Thank you in Advanced

    1. Mike Walters 10 Nov 2020 Respond

      Hi Tony, thanks for reaching out. I also endure from the same banding issues on Instagram. I believe that the platform just isn't suited to such loftier-level photography. Which is ironic, given the premise of the platform. I've since tried to avoid gradients where possible. I'm distressing I can't assist much farther!

  9. Sofia 16 November 2020 Reply

    Hi! I use Canva on both my laptop and iPhone. After downloading images from the mobile app and uploading them to Instagram, they nevertheless experience lower quality and a slight change in color. Do you lot accept more tips on this? Thanks!

    1. Mike Walters 18 Nov 2020 Reply

      Hi Sofia, I can't really say without seeing the images merely at that place will always be some class of pinch when uploading to Instagram – no matter what yous practise. Equally for the colour divergence, 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, thank you for this. It's incredibly helpful info. I've been using this workflow, more or less, in Photoshop for the terminal couple of years, only have e'er noticed a drop in quality once I put my files on Instagram. Further, I've been interested in making stop motility videos and have noticed that, again, the drib in quality is evident in the final product whenever I try to upload to IG, with just plenty mistiness showing that I haven't yet posted any of these. I'thou going to accommodate my workflow and effort the videos again. Bookmarked this commodity for reference.
    – Laura

    1. Mike Walters 24 November 2020 Reply

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

  11. ER 27 Nov 2020 Reply

    What about chip depth? Doesn't Instagram limit images to viii bit jpgs?

    1. Mike Walters two Dec 2020 Reply

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

  12. Annabelle Mostert ane Dec 2020 Reply

    Hi,

    Maybe this is a silly quetion, but i have created the file in photoshop to the size specification you fix out to a higher place.
    How do i re-size my prototype ti fit instagram afterwards making information technology (1080 x 1350px). I understand how to salve for web only not how to re-size it.
    Thanks

    1. Mike Walters 1 Dec 2020 Reply

      Hullo Annabelle, not a lightheaded question at all. 1080x1350px is a dandy size for Instagram for portrait photos. If y'all are after a foursquare prototype then you would demand to change the Sheet Size in Photoshop before you Salve For Spider web. You can change the Canvas size by going to Image > Canvas Size. There might be a link icon which is selected to lock the ratio (to 1080x1350px). You lot will need to unselect this to modify it to i:1 ratio.

  13. Eric seven Dec 2020 Reply

    What if you lot do all this and it's still desaturated? I've exported in .jpg, sRGB colour space, aforementioned dimensions you lot describe, and information technology's still messed upwardly. Just nearly every one of my pictures is from what I can tell. They look fine on my phone, on the computer, even in the screen on IG where I upload the picture. I make my posts ahead of time and save them, and even that petty thumbnail looks fine. Information technology's just when information technology gets uploaded, it goes all wrong.

    1. Mike Walters 8 Dec 2020 Reply

      Hey Eric, that is a tough 1 and I empathise your frustration. I would have to guess that it'southward down to the size of the (image) file. Maybe endeavor compressing it equally much as possible, without reducing the quality of the image, and see how that fairs when uploaded to IG?

  14. Eric 9 December 2020 Reply

    I'chiliad non 100% but that might have worked. I posted ane this morning that got desaturated again, tried exporting it from Lightroom with lower quality (I had it fix to 100, at present I'thou around 75) and then posted that version. Information technology looked to exist a lilliputian more saturated than the previous 1, so I think yous're on to something. Thanks!

    1. Mike Walters 9 Dec 2020 Respond

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

      1. Eric 29 December 2020 Reply

        Thank you for responding, that'south pretty rare anymore. Anyways they are still desaturating my pictures. I think what I did before might have helped a fleck, but it'due south still very noticeable. My export settings from Lightroom are: .jpg, sRGB, quality at 76, resize to fit checked, width set to 1080, peak left blank, resolution 72, sharpen for screen, standard, the default settings for metadata, and and then a watermark which is just my name in the bottom right corner, no image or anything similar that. I don't get information technology. I edit in Lightroom initially, export at 300 ppi and in AdobeRGB, open that file in Photoshop, brand edits there, salvage a re-create, import that into Lightroom so I can export with those settings. It's a niggling convoluted only it works for me I guess. Any thoughts?

        1. Mike Walters eleven Jan 2021 Reply

          No trouble, happy to be one of the rare ones! I'thou really 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 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 try to figure this out.

          2. Mike Walters 12 February 2021

            Hmm, 446kb might be a fleck also much for Instagram. If you were using Photoshop 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 10 Dec 2020 Reply

    I was exporting PNGs from corel draw for instagram uploads and quality was decreasing. at present i volition use jpegs after seeing this article. 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 L i Feb 2021 Reply

    Earlier exporting a motion-picture show to post on IG, do you salvage/downsize the file to to IGs recommended aspect ratio/max resolution specs? Ie 1080, To avoid potential pinch loss?

    Or do you just mail what's almost likely a much larger/higher resolution file and let it automatically go through the compression algorithm to scale information technology down/lower the image quality to fit the app?

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

    1. Mike Walters 12 Feb 2021 Reply

      Hey Matt, good question. I actually merely go along all of my sail sizes to the recommended 1080×1080 or 1080×1350, so I haven't experimented with larger sizes. That being said, it's all-time to keep the file size every bit low as possible to avoid unnecessary compression by Instagram's platform. All of my posts are created on desktop using Photoshop so I'1000 non sure almost smartphone files, merely in the past I've noticed that photos taken on my iPhone tend not to be ruined with compression. Let me know if you observe anything useful when experimenting!

  17. Arash 7 Feb 2021 Reply

    Thank you Mike!

    So…
    1080 10 1080
    1080 x 1350 only for portrait images

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

    1. Mike Walters 12 Feb 2021 Answer

      Hey Arash, to be honest I'm not sure on the verbal ppi, kB or MB that Instagram volition accept but it'southward best practice to keep it as depression as possible. I can ostend that those ratios are best for both square & portrait images.

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

    1. Mike Walters 12 Feb 2021 Answer

      Thank you Elizabeth! Appreciate the feedback 🙂

  19. Laini 14 Apr 2021 Answer

    I have tried uploading a logo using all the right 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. Whatsoever tricks with logos with text?

    1. Mike Walters 20 Apr 2021 Answer

      Hi Laini, it often comes down to the size of the file. Information technology may be best to lower the quality when saving the file, to ensure that the file size is every bit low every bit possible, so that Instagram doesn't compress the image too much. Accept a play around with this and come across what works all-time for you.

  20. Alex 4 May 2021 Reply

    Hi, Mike! I think I have two questions for you. 😀
    1. I am curious about your opinion on this: I post a regular portrait photograph 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 movie so that it fits prissy in the IG Story dimensions, i.eastward. 1080 10 1920px, only the image looks a niggling blurry after it is posted on IG Story. Is it improve and like a best practise to have the pictures for the feed in 1080 x 1350px and those for stories in 1080 10 1920px? I piece of 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 it may be ameliorate if my pictures for feed would exist in the recommended dimensions of 1080 x 1350px / 1080 x 1080px and for stories 1080 x 1920px? 2.Likewise, you lot're saying that if I have my picture with my phone (I have a Samsung S21 Ultra) and I post information technology just similar it was shot, in that location won't be quality loss? The pictures taken with this phone have, for eg. 4000 ten 3000px 2.75 MB. Should I low resolution and peradventure fifty-fifty the quality even on these pictures I take with the telephone? Maan, this is nuts! Hate IG for this😒
    Thanks in accelerate for your respond!

    1. Mike Walters 25 May 2021 Reply

      Hey Alex, sorry for the late reply! Aye, you should create ii dissimilar versions of the aforementioned graphic if you want to share them to your post & story respectively. Alternatively, you could upload your post and and so "share it to your story" which may be easier, if that's the effect y'all were after. As for your Samsung, I'chiliad an iPhone guy but I've just noticed that my images used to upload in fairly loftier quality when uploading directly from my phone. I'm non sure why this is, every bit the file sizes (and dimensions) seem to exist very high – every bit you lot say. Sad I couldn't exist of more than assistance.

  21. FAHAD xvi Aug 2021 Answer

    I WANT TO POST VIDEO IN 2K ON INSTGRAM FROM MOBILE I EXPORT It IN 2K BUT IT STILL COMPRESSES THE QUALITY CAN YOU Aid ME ?

    1. Mike Walters 17 Aug 2021 Reply

      Hello Fahad, I would assume that a 2K video is merely too big to exist uploaded to Instagram without existence compressed. Yous will desire to compress the video yourself before uploading to Instagram to avoid them doing so themselves.

  22. What are you hateful 1350 ? I tin 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. Thanks! This has been driving me Basics!!! Any 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

    Howdy, this is a neat post!
    I have a question though, when i resize my paradigm to 1080×1350, it gets wider? I don't understand how to set that, could you please help.
    Thank you!

    1. Mike Walters thirty Jan 2022 Respond

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

  25. Suresh 4 Mar 2022 Reply

    Hi,
    I would like to know if the prototype needs to exist cropped @ 4 x 5 ratio before proceeding to the Export option.
    Thanks

    1. Mike Walters 4 Mar 2022 Answer

      Hey Suresh! Yes, you would need to ingather it accordingly Earlier exporting for web. You can resize it within the export window but I don't call up you tin adjust the ratio at this point

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Mike Walters

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