Social media, Facebook included, are visual-driven, so getting your images right is crucial for making a lasting impression on Facebook.

If you're actively posting content on Facebook, you're likely using a variety of images to capture your audience's attention. From the cover photo on your Facebook page to the thumbnail of an article you share, it's easy to lose track of the different image sizes required.

Each type of image, be it a profile picture, cover photo, post image, event photo, group cover, or ad, has its own set of recommended dimensions. Let's break down the optimal image sizes for different aspects of your Facebook presence.

No worries if some of your images are too large to upload on Facebook right away! 4K Image Compressor will fix it for you and optimise any JPEG, PNG, WEBP, and HEIC photo without quality loss in mere seconds. What’s more, you can upload multiple images for compression in bulk.

Facebook Cover Image Size

The recommended size and aspect ratio for Facebook cover images differ based on the type of cover photo you're uploading.

Facebook automatically adjusts your photo, but to avoid distortion, adhere to the recommended size. If not, maintain a minimum size of 400px by 150px. Design with both desktop (820px by 312px) and smartphone (640px by 360px) displays in mind.

Ideal Size: 851 x 312 pixels.
Format: JPG, RGB color, less than 100 KB.

Facebook Profile Image Size

Let's break down the details about Facebook profile picture sizes:

On desktop devices, your profile picture displays at 170 x 170 pixels.
On smartphones, it's 128 x 128 pixels.
On most feature phones and mobile browsers, it's 36 x 36 pixels.
These dimensions apply to both Facebook pages and profiles.

You can use either PNG or JPG files for your profile picture. However, if you're uploading a logo, it's recommended to use a PNG file to avoid pixelation.

It's important to note that a 170 x 170 pixels image may pixelate when someone clicks on your profile photo to enlarge it. To prevent this, use an image that's at least 400 x 400 pixels. This ensures the right resolution across all devices, maintaining a 1:1 aspect ratio.

With Facebook's latest redesign, profile pictures are cropped into a circular shape in the thumbnail. To adapt to this, use an image that is centrally aligned or has a symmetric composition. If your profile picture is a logo, resizing it on a plain background allows space for the circular crop. This way, you can ensure your profile picture looks good and maintains its intended design, especially with the circular cropping feature in mind.

Facebook Post Image Size

When it comes to Facebook posts, you have flexibility in playing with various image sizes and dimensions. Regardless of the original size, Facebook will automatically resize your post image to a width of 500 pixels.

To maintain image quality, avoid pixelation, cropping issues, and slow loading times, we recommend adhering to Facebook post dimensions of 1200 x 630 pixels, with an aspect ratio of 1.91:1. The minimum recommended image size is 600 x 315 pixels.

Feel free to experiment with different image orientations and dimensions, including square, portrait, and landscape formats. For square photos, the same image size used for Instagram posts (1080 x 1080 pixels) works well on Facebook too. This flexibility allows you to tailor your visuals to better suit the content and engagement style you desire on the platform.

Facebook supports various formats (JPEG, BMP, PNG, GIF, TIFF). High-resolution uploads maintain image quality.

Ideal Size: 1200 x 630 pixels (flexible height).
Format: JPG, RGB color, less than 15 MB.

Facebook Event Photo Image Size

For event cover photos on Facebook, the platform suggests using images with dimensions of 1200 x 628 pixels, resulting in an aspect ratio of 1.91:1. However, it's important to note that depending on the device, the cover image might experience stretching.

To ensure optimal display across various devices, we recommend using a larger Facebook event photo size than the suggested dimensions. Ideally, your Facebook event banner should be sized at 1920 x 1005 pixels. This adjustment helps prevent distortion and ensures that your event cover photo maintains its intended proportions, delivering a more visually consistent and appealing experience for viewers on different devices.

Ideal Size: 1920 x 1005 pixels (2:1 ratio).
Format: JPG or PNG for text or logos.

Facebook Group Cover Photo Size

Similar to event cover photos, Facebook recommends a size of 1640 x 856 pixels for group cover photos, maintaining an aspect ratio of 1.91:1.

However, it's worth noting that if you access a Facebook group from a smartphone, the bottom part of the cover photo tends to get cropped. To overcome this, use an image that measures 1920 x 1005 pixels. Additionally, employing a centrally aligned image ensures proper visibility on both desktop and mobile devices.

This practice becomes even more crucial, considering that the group cover photo doubles as its preview thumbnail in Facebook search results. By using the larger dimensions and maintaining a central alignment, you enhance the chances of your group cover photo being accurately represented across different platforms, offering a seamless and visually pleasing experience for users.

Ideal Size: 1,640 x 856 pixels (or 1.91:1 ratio).
Tips: Crop may occur, be cautious of important details in the white space.

Facebook Link Shares (Open Graph Tag) Size

Ideal Size: 1200 x 630 pixels (or close to 1.91:1 ratio).
File Size: Not more than 8 MB.

Facebook Ads Image Guidelines

Ideal Ratio: 1.91:1 to 4:5
Resolution: Highest possible (JPG or PNG)
Text Limit: 125 characters; avoid more than 20% text for optimal delivery.
Link Ads Ratio: 1.91:1 to 1:1, resolution at least 1080px by 1080px.
Panoramas or 360 Photos: Less than 30,000px in any dimension, less than 135,000,000px in total size.

Tip: Use 4K Image Compressor if your image is too large to upload on Facebook. The tool will optimise any JPEG, PNG, WEBP, and HEIC files without quality loss.

Bottom Line: Why It’s Important to Know the Right Facebook Image Size

The images you choose to share on Facebook are not merely visual accompaniments. Whether it's your profile picture or cover photo, these images are often the first things visitors notice when they land on your Facebook page. Optimal image sizes ensure that your visuals appear crisp, professional, and visually appealing, contributing to a positive first impression.

With a substantial portion of Facebook users accessing the platform via mobile devices, it's vital that your images are optimised for various screen sizes, and recommended image sizes ensure that your content looks polished and is easily viewable on both desktop and mobile devices.

What;’s more, overly large images can slow down page loading times, potentially leading to a poor user experience. Following recommended image sizes helps strike a balance between quality and performance, ensuring that your content loads quickly and seamlessly.

Incorrectly sized images can be distorted or cropped, compromising the integrity of your visual content. By using the recommended dimensions, you eliminate the risk of your images appearing stretched or pixelated, preserving the intended look and feel.

To make sure you won’t face these issues, optimes files with 4K Image Compressor, a free desktop solution that easily compresses images in various formats and doesn’t reduce their quality.