Uploading To Instagram Without Losing Image Quality

Something I noticed when posting to Instagram from my desktop was that the paradigm 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 equally to why Instagram might be reducing the image quality on your posts.

There are a few reasons why the epitome quality is reduced when uploading straight from your PC, one of which is that you are not post-obit Instagram's max resolution guidelines, which is currently gear up at 1080 10 1350px. Whatever epitome that is greater than the said resolution volition exist made smaller by Instagram and thus may affect the quality of the prototype.

Secondly, it besides depends on the format of the image that you are using. Instagram's default format for images is JPEG (.jpg), meaning that any prototype that is uploaded in PNG (.png), BITMAP (.bmp), or anything other than JPEG, volition 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 Utilize The Correct Hashtags For YOU
  • READ: The BIGGEST Mistake I See People Making On Instagram

When you lot consider the number of images that are being 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 epitome quality) to avoid having it be poorly compressed past Instagram.

Last merely not to the lowest degree, 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 as with the developer tools method, can sometimes see a reduction in prototype quality when uploading to Instagram.

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

For many people, who take pictures of themselves, their domestic dog or the local beach, epitome quality doesn't really tend to thing. Yet, if yous're a creative similar me who designs content for their business organization and wants to found themselves as a professional, so maintaining quality with your uploads is very important.

I like to create my Instagram content using Photoshop, but the same principles volition apply to whichever photograph editing software you are using. In Photoshop you will want to fix a new file or artboard and prepare it to Instagram's maximum resolution (1080 10 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 allow you to alter the quality and file size of your final image. In the top right of the Save For Web window, nether Preset, you will want to select JPEG as the file type. Beneath that, you can change the overall quality of the image, starting from Depression all the way up to Maximum.

Hither is a screenshot of the Save To Web window for my Bruce Lee post in Photoshop. I have highlighted the areas yous need to monitor in order to reduce size and maintain image quality, such as the quality setting and dimensions of the image.

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 can monitor the size of the epitome in the bottom left (above example: 837.8K).

A lot of the fourth dimension, you will really notice that the Very High or Loftier setting reduces the file size significantly; without actually affecting the sharpness of the paradigm itself. You will want to cull the setting that achieves the best balance betwixt the two.

One time you're happy with the image file size and quality, you can hitting the relieve push button to save it to your computer. Following that, you lot will want to upload your new image to Google Drive where you volition and then download it to your mobile (or tablet) device. You can then upload the image direct to Instagram from your mobile.

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

Conclusion

Instagram can oftentimes reduce the quality of your images during uploads for a wide number of reasons, simply if y'all're looking to maintain quality then you should look 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 lot can follow me on Instagram here!

Take any feedback or questions near 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 epitome quality of your Instagram posts helpful? If so, I would exist very grateful if you could pin this image to Pinterest!

Mike Walters

Mike Walters

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

Mike Walters

Mike Walters

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

This Post Has 56 Comments

  1. Dandy mail, I was asking myself how much it shrink quality of photos when I send prototype to myself over messenger so post it on Instagram. Then I read this article and used the Google Drive. I must say at that place is a flake more than depth then sending over messenger. So yeah Google Drive works fine.

    1. Mike Walters 28 Sep 2020 Reply

      Hey Abraham, glad to run into that it worked for you using Google Bulldoze. That's what I currently use! Posting straight from Creator Studio works well too of course.

  2. Lily Crocker i Oct 2020 Reply

    Hi! Is there a way to practice to this from a mobile device? I do not have photoshop on my computer and am not looking to pay for it. Any tips?

    1. Mike Walters ane October 2020 Answer

      Hi Lily, you should find that uploading a photograph 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 just natural for the mobile uploads to be of expert quality. At that place will always be some level of compression, given the sheer number of photos that Instagram'south servers have to shop, merely non enough to ruin a photo. Hope this helps 🙂

    2. Wesley one Nov 2020 Reply

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

      1. Mike Walters i Nov 2020 Answer

        Great suggestions Wesley 🙂

  3. Ollie 16 Oct 2020 Reply

    Hi, accept you tried this method with other tools such equally 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 salve, ship to phone and finally transfer to instagram, instagram comprasses the image after a while. Any thoughts?

    1. Mike Walters eighteen Oct 2020 Respond

      Hi Ollie, I haven't created carousels or posts using PowerPoint just the theory should be the same. At that place is always going to be a pocket-sized bit of compression by Instagram when uploading to their platform, however, yous can minimize this simply uploading the prototype through the mobile app or via Instagram [Facebook] Creator Studio. Try uploading through one of those platforms and see how it goes

      1. Pavle Bogdanovic 4 Nov 2021 Reply

  4. Sophia 19 Oct 2020 Reply

    Howdy! My friend took some photos using her iPhone 7 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 I do to my photos to make sure they postal service at a better resolution because this photograph was taken on an iPhone, not a DSLR and then i'm dislocated as to how it would be blurry. Thank you!

    1. Mike Walters 20 October 2020 Reply

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

  5. Antonia 20 Oct 2020 Reply

    I use Canva to design my posts what would yous propose to salve the quality?

    1. Mike Walters twenty October 2020 Reply

      Hi Antonia. Luckily for you, there are many great content creators that use Canva to blueprint their posts. I would advise saving as 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 iv Nov 2020 Reply

    Artwork
    Fine lines: go 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 just considering Instagram can't fifty-fifty give a F***g guide on how to employ their site other than "tap here to upload". How nigh 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 Reply

      Haha, I experience your hurting Alfonso. Information technology'due south true that some people'southward Instagram posts don't do their piece of work justice!

  8. This is really helpful just i have a question, i was familiar with this workflow of reducing the resolution of your image manually, but this helped me to amend that workflow, that being said, after doing all that and make sure that my image looks correctly for web and how-do-you-do-quality, when i post information technology on Instagram in getting a terrible Banding peculiarly in the sky expanse, i have remove all banding before as i said looks perfect in all web applications, so seems that IG all the same compressing my file for some reason, do you have whatsoever idea well-nigh this? Thanks in Advanced

    1. Mike Walters 10 Nov 2020 Reply

      Hello Tony, thanks for reaching out. I too endure 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'thou lamentable I tin can't help much further!

  9. Sofia 16 Nov 2020 Reply

    Hi! I utilize Canva on both my laptop and iPhone. Afterward downloading images from the mobile app and uploading them to Instagram, they all the same experience lower quality and a slight modify in color. Practice you have more tips on this? Cheers!

    1. Mike Walters 18 Nov 2020 Reply

      Hi Sofia, I tin can't really say without seeing the images just at that place will always exist some course of compression when uploading to Instagram – no thing what you do. As for the color divergence, could information technology exist that you'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, cheers for this. It's incredibly helpful info. I've been using this workflow, more or less, in Photoshop for the terminal couple of years, but have always noticed a driblet in quality in one case I put my files on Instagram. Further, I've been interested in making end motility videos and have noticed that, once more, the drop in quality is axiomatic in the terminal production whenever I try to upload to IG, with just enough blur showing that I haven't still posted any of these. I'grand going to adjust my workflow and try the videos again. Bookmarked this commodity for reference.
    – Laura

    1. Mike Walters 24 November 2020 Reply

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

  11. ER 27 November 2020 Answer

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

    1. Mike Walters 2 Dec 2020 Reply

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

  12. Annabelle Mostert 1 December 2020 Reply

    Hi,

    Maybe this is a silly quetion, but i have created the file in photoshop to the size specification you lot set up out above.
    How do i re-size my image ti fit instagram subsequently making information technology (1080 x 1350px). I understand how to save for web but non how to re-size information technology.
    Thanks

    1. Mike Walters ane December 2020 Reply

      Hi Annabelle, not a silly question at all. 1080x1350px is a great size for Instagram for portrait photos. If you lot are after a foursquare image then you would demand to change the Canvas Size in Photoshop earlier yous Save For Spider web. You can change the Sail size by going to Paradigm > Canvas Size. There might exist a link icon which is selected to lock the ratio (to 1080x1350px). You will need to unselect this to modify it to i:1 ratio.

  13. Eric 7 Dec 2020 Reply

    What if you do all this and it'due south nevertheless desaturated? I've exported in .jpg, sRGB colour space, same dimensions you describe, and it'south still messed up. Just about every one of my pictures is from what I tin can tell. They look fine on my phone, on the computer, fifty-fifty 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. It's just when it gets uploaded, it goes all wrong.

    1. Mike Walters 8 December 2020 Reply

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

  14. Eric 9 Dec 2020 Reply

    I'm not 100% but that might have worked. I posted 1 this morn that got desaturated again, tried exporting information technology from Lightroom with lower quality (I had information technology set to 100, now I'k around 75) and and so posted that version. Information technology looked to exist a little more saturated than the previous one, so I think you're on to something. Thank you!

    1. Mike Walters 9 Dec 2020 Respond

      I'1000 glad that it helped a chip! Thanks for getting back to me Eric

      1. Eric 29 December 2020 Answer

        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 flake, but it'southward still very noticeable. My export settings from Lightroom are: .jpg, sRGB, quality at 76, resize to fit checked, width set to 1080, superlative left blank, resolution 72, acuminate for screen, standard, the default settings for metadata, and then a watermark which is just my name in the lesser right corner, no image or annihilation similar that. I don't get it. I edit in Lightroom initially, export at 300 ppi and in AdobeRGB, open that file in Photoshop, make edits there, relieve a copy, import that into Lightroom so I can export with those settings. Information technology's a little convoluted but it works for me I guess. Whatever thoughts?

        1. Mike Walters xi Jan 2021 Reply

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

          1. Eric 21 January 2021

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

          2. Mike Walters 12 February 2021

            Hmm, 446kb might exist a bit too much for Instagram. If yous were using Photoshop then I presume that was at a Very High to Maximum quality setting. Perhaps lower the quality before uploading to Instagram to reduce file size

  15. Jalal Mustafa 10 Dec 2020 Respond

    I was exporting PNGs from corel describe for instagram uploads and quality was decreasing. now i will use jpegs after seeing this article. also 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 just the recommended size for portrait images.

  16. Matt 50 1 Feb 2021 Reply

    Before exporting a picture show to post on IG, do you save/downsize the file to to IGs recommended aspect ratio/max resolution specs? Ie 1080, To avert potential pinch loss?

    Or do you just postal service what's virtually likely a much larger/higher resolution file and let information technology automatically go through the compression algorithm to calibration information technology down/lower the paradigm quality to fit the app?

    If y'all've experimented can y'all even tell much of a difference on a smartphone?

    1. Mike Walters 12 February 2021 Answer

      Hey Matt, good question. I actually just keep all of my canvas sizes to the recommended 1080×1080 or 1080×1350, so I oasis't experimented with larger sizes. That existence said, it's all-time to keep the file size as low every bit possible to avoid unnecessary compression by Instagram'due south platform. All of my posts are created on desktop using Photoshop so I'chiliad non sure about smartphone files, merely in the past I've noticed that photos taken on my iPhone tend not to exist ruined with compression. Let me know if you lot find anything useful when experimenting!

  17. Arash 7 February 2021 Reply

    Thank you Mike!

    And then…
    1080 10 1080
    1080 x 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'thousand not certain on the exact ppi, kB or MB that Instagram will accept merely it's best practice to keep it as low as possible. I can confirm that those ratios are all-time for both foursquare & portrait images.

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

    1. Mike Walters 12 February 2021 Answer

      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 keen in monitor. Sizing correct and when I upload the logo it looks terrible. Whatever tricks with logos with text?

    1. Mike Walters 20 Apr 2021 Reply

      Hi Laini, it oftentimes comes downwardly 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 equally possible, and so that Instagram doesn't shrink the image too much. Have a play around with this and see what works best for you.

  20. Alex 4 May 2021 Answer

    Hello, Mike! I think I have 2 questions for you. 😀
    1. I am curious about your opinion on this: I post a regular portrait photo on feed, one of 1080 10 1350px, and then I desire to post the same picture on IG Story and IG automatically does a zoom-in on this picture and so that information technology fits nice in the IG Story dimensions, i.e. 1080 x 1920px, just the image looks a little blurry later it is posted on IG Story. Is it ameliorate and like a best practise to take the pictures for the feed in 1080 x 1350px and those for stories in 1080 ten 1920px? I work in social media and I am going crazy with some pictures I post that are loosing quality when posted 🙁 It is tiresome, but it may be amend if my pictures for feed would be in the recommended dimensions of 1080 x 1350px / 1080 x 1080px and for stories 1080 x 1920px? 2.Also, you're maxim that if I take my picture with my phone (I accept a Samsung S21 Ultra) and I post information technology merely similar information technology was shot, at that place won't exist quality loss? The pictures taken with this phone have, for eg. 4000 x 3000px 2.75 MB. Should I depression resolution and maybe even the quality fifty-fifty on these pictures I have with the phone? Maan, this is nuts! Hate IG for this😒
    Thanks in advance for your reply!

    1. Mike Walters 25 May 2021 Reply

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

  21. FAHAD 16 Aug 2021 Reply

    I Desire TO POST VIDEO IN 2K ON INSTGRAM FROM MOBILE I EXPORT It IN 2K BUT It STILL COMPRESSES THE QUALITY Can Y'all Aid ME ?

    1. Mike Walters 17 Aug 2021 Reply

      Hello Fahad, I would presume that a 2K video is just as well large to be uploaded to Instagram without being compressed. You will want to compress the video yourself before uploading to Instagram to avoid them doing so themselves.

  22. What are you mean 1350 ? I tin upload 1080×1920 to my stories , and that is the maximum pixel than I know.

    1. Mike Walters 26 Sep 2021 Answer

      1350×1080 is the max for regular posts.

  23. Thank you lot! This has been driving me NUTS!!! Any recommendations on export and upload workflow for Facebook?

    1. Mike Walters xxx Jan 2022 Reply

      Hey Andrew, how practice you mean exactly?

  24. Mike 17 January 2022 Reply

    Hello, this is a peachy mail service!
    I accept a question though, when i resize my epitome to 1080×1350, it gets wider? I don't empathize how to fix that, could you please help.
    Thank you lot!

    1. Mike Walters 30 Jan 2022 Reply

      Hey Mike, no problem. Depending on which software you're using, the solution could be as uncomplicated as using the opposite dimensions instead, i.east. 1350×1080. That should ingather your image to be taller than it is wide. Hope this helps!

  25. Suresh 4 Mar 2022 Reply

    Hello,
    I would similar to know if the image needs to be cropped @ iv 10 v ratio before proceeding to the Export option.
    Cheers

    1. Mike Walters four Mar 2022 Reply

      Hey Suresh! Yes, y'all would need to crop it appropriately Before exporting for web. You can resize it within the export window but I don't call back you can suit the ratio at this point

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Mike Walters

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