Instagram Post Formatting Guide & Downloadable Templates
Instagram's formatting can be tricky, especially with recent updates affecting how posts appear on your profile grid. Previously, Instagram allowed static posts in a 3:4 ratio, but they often cropped awkwardly when viewed as a square on your grid. To navigate this, I used a wireframe template to ensure text placement was optimized—keeping key information visible while using the margins for additional details that appeared when users clicked in.
With the latest update, the display format has changed again. To help you adjust, I've created two downloadable templates for your design workflow.
Recommended Approach:
Create your post canvas in a 4:5 ratio upload size (1080 x 1350px).
Download the wireframe templates:
The new 3:4 preview template (1015 x 1350px)
The old square preview template (1080 x 1080px)
A combination of both can be found in the dual preview template. This overlay ensures your key content remains visible across all display formats.
Start by arranging your design using the window frame template, then use the other templates to check how it will display in both the new and old grid previews.
Place the transparent PNG overlays over your visual elements but under your text elements while arranging, and then re-layer them as necessary.
Key Size Breakdown:
New Upload Size: 1080 x 1350px (4:5 ratio)
New Preview Size on IG Grid: 1015 x 1350px (3:4 ratio)
Old Square Preview Size: 1080 x 1080px
Download the templates below to ensure your posts appear as intended on your feed.
DUAL TEMPLATE
NEW 3:4 TEMPLATE
What it will look like with the template:
When you overlay the window frame template onto your design, you’ll see how your content fits within the new 3:4 and old square preview spaces. This ensures your key text and images are visible in both formats, helping you create posts that look great across Instagram’s updated feed and grid.