The new Instagram portrait format 2025

Your Instagram feed, as you know it, is disappearing. Forget carefully framed square photos, precisely timed compositions, and aesthetic grids spent hours crafting. In 2025, Instagram is setting a new standard: the Instagram portrait format. Bigger, more immersive, and, above all, unavoidable. Whether you’re a content creator, photographer, or just a user, this change is disruptive
Why is Instagram taking this direction? What impact will it have on your content? And most importantly, how can you adapt without losing visibility? You’ll find all the answers in this article.
The new Instagram portrait format 2025

Why did Instagram adopt the portrait format?

There are two main reasons why Instagram opted for the portrait format.
To keep up with the competition
Vertical video has been the norm on social media for several years now. TikTok revolutionized content consumption with videos exclusively in portrait mode. This has since spread to other platforms.
YouTube introduced Shorts, Facebook increased its vertical video display, and even apps like Snapchat have embraced the format.
Buy Instagram Followers has always promoted square-oriented content, but given the current trend, the platform had no choice but to migrate to a more immersive experience.
First with full-screen Stories, then with Reels, which take up the entire mobile screen. The introduction of portrait format for posts is therefore part of this continuity. By favoring a vertical display, Instagram is responding to users’ habits, who consult the app while holding their phone in one hand.

To improve user experience

Instagram’s choice of vertical format is not only based on trends, but also on practical considerations. The main advantage of the 4:5 ratio is that it takes up more of the screen without being cut off in the news feed.
Unlike square images, which leave spaces at the top and bottom, a vertical post captures the viewer’s attention more effectively.
By optimizing display, Instagram seeks to maximize user engagement. A post that takes up more space in the news feed is more likely to be seen, talked about, and commented on.
Also, the immersive experience of the vertical Instagram format allows for better highlighting of visual content, whether it is photographs, illustrations, or promotional visuals.
This change also benefits brands and content creators, who benefit from more space to communicate. Product descriptions, advertising visuals, and staging are now more impactful because they are better suited to mobile viewing.

Implications for users and content creators

The introduction of the portrait format profoundly changes the way creators and brands must design their publications.
The square format, which has been the standard since Instagram’s early days, offers a certain visual harmony in feeds. Many users organized their profiles in a mosaic style, playing with the arrangement of images to create a cohesive aesthetic. With the shift to the 4:5 aspect ratio, these strategies must be rethought.
Content creators must now adapt their visuals in advance to avoid the automatic cropping imposed by Instagram. An unoptimized visual risks being cut off and losing its impact.
This involves adopting new methods of composition, centering key elements of the image in the visible area of ​​the portrait format.
Another consequence: photographers and designers accustomed to the square format will have to adjust their workflow. Some will have to crop their old photos to fit the new display.
For brands and businesses, this shift also requires adapting visual marketing campaigns. An ad designed for a square format risks losing its effectiveness if it is simply transposed to 4:5 without adjustment.

How to Optimize Your Posts for Portrait Format

Before posting a portrait image:
It’s essential to follow Instagram’s recommended dimensions. The official ratio is 4:5, which corresponds to an ideal resolution of 1080 x 1350 pixels. Our company is also provides Google reviews in Malaysia.
By using these dimensions, you ensure optimal display quality without the risk of compression or distortion.
Choosing the right file format is also important. Instagram supports JPG and PNG images, but choosing smaller files helps avoid quality loss due to the platform’s automatic compression.
A good balance between quality and file size will ensure a clean and well-defined publication.
Finally, to avoid cropping key elements of your image, it’s a good idea to center your main subjects within the visible area of ​​the 4:5 aspect ratio. Some add safety margins to the top and bottom of the image to ensure that key content remains clearly visible on all screen types.