How to Upload a Cover Photo on Facebook
Never post a blurry photo again with this no-nonsense guide to Facebook image sizes for cover photos, profile photos, posts, and more.
In an age when consumers are inundated with visuals, there's no overstating the importance of knowing the correct Facebook images sizes so that the images you post to Facebook are as engaging as can be. Facebook now boasts over 2.8 billion monthly active users, and research shows that 67% of Facebook users visit a local business's Facebook page at least once per week. You can bet your customers are among them.
Consumers come to your Facebook page to learn more about your company and products, and what they find there reflects on your brand. Like the sign outside a retail store, your Facebook cover photos, event posts, and ads embody your brand and convey key information to your target audience.
Ready to get started? We'll cover Facebook dimensions and aspect ratios for cover photos, profile photos, event photos, posts, posts with links, Stories, image ads, video ads, Story ads, plus review how to post your images to Facebook.
Facebook Image Sizes for 2022
There are few things more frustrating for a marketer than preparing content for a Facebook post only to hit upload and discover the photo quality isn't up to snuff. What's even worse is that your customers are sure to notice those results.
| Image Type | Size (Desktop) | Aspect Ratio |
| Facebook cover photos | 820 x 312 pixels | 1.91:1 |
| Facebook profile photos | 170 x 170 px | 1:1 |
| Facebook event photos | 1200 x 628 px | 1.91:1 |
| Facebook posts | At least 1200 x 630 px | 1.91:1 |
| Facebook posts with links | At least 1200 x 628 px | 1.91:1 |
| Facebook Stories | 1080 x 1920 px | 9:16 |
| Facebook ads (single image) | At least 1080 x 1080 px | 1.91:1 or 4:5 |
| Facebook video ads | At least 1080 x 1080 px | 16:9 or 9:16 |
| Facebook Story ads | 1080 x 1920 px | 9:16 |
So, how does blurriness happen? In short, Facebook automatically resizes and reformats photos to fit its technical specifications. This means that if you post a photo that's too small, it will enlarge to fit the space, and if your photo is too big, it will shrink down.
Clear, high-quality images speak to the competence of your business, and may even send a subliminal message to consumers about the caliber of your products.
We've provided basic desktop dimensions and aspect ratios above, but keep reading for a more detailed breakdown of each image type across multiple devices.
Keep in mind that Facebook often recommends dimensions with the caveat "at least." Meaning, your image should be at least that large, but can most likely be larger.
Facebook Cover Photo Size
Think of your Facebook cover photo as a banner that welcomes visitors to your business page. It's the first thing they'll notice when they arrive, and due to its size and prominent positioning—depending on the browser, a cover photo can take up almost a quarter of the screen—it can have a big impact on how your followers perceive your brand.
Many brands update these images on a regular basis to inform their followers about new products, herald the arrival of a new season, or simply to keep their page looking fresh. But, it isn't just your existing followers who'll be exposed to your Facebook cover photo.
Here are a few facts to note:
- Because cover photos are public, they're visible to consumers both on and off Facebook.
- Whenever you modify or replace your cover photo, the updated image can appear on your timeline, in your followers' News Feeds, and in your Cover Photos albums, where users can view both current and past photos.
With this in mind, it's important to make sure your cover photo looks as good as possible. Your goal should be to get it right the first time, every time. Even though a whopping 98.5% of users access Facebook via a mobile device, you should always optimize your Facebook cover photo for both mobile and desktop to ensure every user has the same positive experience.
Images will display at 820 x 312 pixels for desktop computers and 640 x 360 pixels for smartphones. Facebook recommends images that are at least 400 pixels wide and 150 pixels tall. Anything smaller than that, and your photo could appear stretched or distorted.
When it comes to choosing a file format, you have two choices:
- An sRGB, which is based on the RBG color model: red, green, and blue
- A JPEG file
Regardless of which one you choose, stick with less than 100 kilobytes in size. This will get you the fastest load time, and create a more seamless experience for visitors to your page.
Check out our Facebook cover photo templates for a perfectly sized layout to start designing on.
Facebook Profile Photo Size
Like your cover photo, your profile photo is front and center on the page and introduces your visitors to your brand. Many companies use it to post their logo, which makes it easier for consumers to know they've found the business they were looking for. But, you can also employ this space to promote a particular product or to post your headshot.
Profile photos on Facebook display at 170 x 170 pixels on desktop computers and 128 x 128 pixels on smartphones. Keep in mind, though, that not all smartphones are created equal. Older models that have buttons and a smaller screen, sometimes known as feature phones, will typically display your profile photo at 36 x 36 pixels.
Making sure your images look their best on every type of screen may seem like a labor-intensive process. However, from a marketing standpoint, it's critical that you always consider how and where your audience engages with your brand.
Even though only 1.5% of Facebook users log on via desktop or laptop computer, the experience of interacting with your brand on your Facebook page should be consistent for consumers across all devices.
Something else to consider as you create your Facebook profile image is the file format:
- JPEG is a good choice for images like photos or illustrations.
- PNG might produce a crisper result if your profile pic includes your logo or text.
As with Facebook cover photos, any updates or modifications you make to your profile picture will appear on your timeline and in your followers' News Feeds. It will also save to your Profile Pictures album, and (of course) a thumbnail version of it will also appear next to your business's name throughout the Facebook network.
Facebook Event Photo Size
With 35 million people viewing a public event on Facebook every day, Facebook Events is a nice way to let your target audience know about your business's activities.
These may include:
- Brand launches
- Exclusive sales
- Workshops
- Fundraisers
- Award ceremonies
- Guest appearances
- Book signings
- Pop-up stores
Events likes these are a surefire way to connect with your local community. As with any ad, the image you choose is crucial to garnering attention, conveying key details about your event, generating excitement, and encouraging viewers to share the post with friends.
To avoid that dreaded blurriness, size your Facebook event photo to 1200 x 628 pixels, with an aspect ratio of about 2:1 (or, more specifically, 1.91:1). Because Facebook auto-sizes and crops photos to fit the dimensions of a post, using a photo that's smaller than the recommended dimensions could impact the quality of your image.
When it appears on your page and users' feeds, your photo will display at 470 x 174 pixels, so it's wise to check out the quality of your image in this size prior to posting.
You won't be able to edit the size of your photo after it's been added to your event post, so make sure you've got the right image for the job prior to making it available to the public.
As an alternative to a photo, you can also use a video as the main image associated with your event. Be sure to keep the length of the clip between thirty seconds and five minutes. Again, optimize your video in advance, as you won't have the chance to edit it once it's been uploaded to Facebook.
Facebook Post Size
One of the easiest and most popular ways to generate social media content is by sharing images to your Facebook business page.
These can include:
- Product photos
- Consumer-generated content featuring your customers
- Behind-the-scenes photos of your store, headquarters, factory, or warehouse
- Photos of your founder and staff
Regardless of which type of photo you choose, you'll want the images on your page to be sharp and clean. The recommended image size for a standard Facebook post is 1200 x 630. Shared images will appear in your followers' feeds at a maximum width of 470 pixels, and on the page at a maximum width of 504 pixels. In both cases, it will scale to a ratio of 1:1.
Remember, Facebook will crop the image in order to provide a preview to users. So, it's vital that you use an aspect ratio of about 2:1 for your photo. Using a JPEG or sRGB format will also help keep your image clear.
You have to post to Facebook frequently in order to stay top-of-mind in your followers' feeds. But, it can be easy to run out of ideas. That's why we have professionally designed Facebook image templates, so you can customize and share beautifully designed content in a fraction of the time it takes to build something from scratch.
Facebook Post with Link Size
Another option is to share an image with a link. Whether you want to drive traffic to a particular product page on your site, promote a sale, or generate visits to your home page, posting a link and call-to-action along with your image will generate the results you're looking for.
When including a link with your image, the dimensions of your photo will be slightly different. Your upload size will then be 1200 x 628 pixels.
For square photos, go with a minimum of 154 x 154 for the News Feed and 116 x 116 on the page. For rectangular photos, choose 470 x 246 pixels in the feed and 484 x 252 on the page.
Facebook Story Size
The other type of post available to you is the Facebook Story. These Snapchat-like posts are designed to "share personal, relatable content through fun, fleeting moments that bind everyone together." What's more, they can fill the gap that exists between your usual Facebook posts, keeping your brand top of mind for consumers.
Comprised of photos or videos that can be customized with overlays, Facebook Stories are only live for 24 hours. But, they offer an immersive experience and are useful for engaging those followers who don't make a habit of visiting your page and may not be exposed to all of your content.
As with a Facebook ad, you can view the insights associated with your post to gauge your level of engagement and optimize your approach accordingly.
The photos you post to a Facebook Story will play for five seconds each. Videos can be up to twenty seconds in length.
Aim to keep your Facebook Story photos at 1080 x 1920 pixels.
Facebook Ad Size
Advertising in Facebook's News Feed provides an opportunity to share images of your products and services to audiences in specific locations and with specific interests.
To keep both desktop and mobile ads looking sharp and clear, post a JPEG or PNG file with an image ratio of 1.91:1 to 4:5. Facebook encourages advertisers to go with the highest resolution possible.
Facebook Video Ad Size
Do you have a video that needs some additional exposure? A Facebook video ad can help you:
- Showcase your products and services
- Tell your brand story
- Engage your followers
- Generate website visits and sales
Your video ads can be a maximum of fifteen seconds in length. You can manually crop your video by selecting an aspect ratio of 4:5, 9:16, 1:1, or 16:9, depending on the type of placement you want.
To crop your ad automatically, enable Auto Cropping. After that, Facebook recommends choosing an aspect ratio of 1:1 or 9:16. You'll have the chance to preview both to make sure you're happy with the quality and sizing prior to posting.
Facebook Story Ad Size
You can also advertise within a Facebook Story—or rather, between them. These full-screen ads are shown to users for a maximum of five seconds. Mobile users may also swipe to skip them, if desired.
An effective Facebook Story ad may include:
- Clips from a YouTube video that describes your brand's history
- Footage of your products or services in action
- Footage of your team or staff
- Behind-the-scenes video of your restaurant or retail store
- Customer testimonials
- Consumer-generated content
When it comes to sizing the image for your ad, Facebook advises that marketers leave "14% (250 pixels) of the top and bottom of the image free from text and logos to avoid covering these key elements with the profile icon or call-to-action."
In other words, if you've sized your video at 1080 x 1920, check that your logo, ad copy, and any other core elements are within 1080 x 1420 to avoid cutting them off.
In terms of aspect ratio, make your ad 1.91 to 9:16. There's no maximum resolution for your image, but note that dynamic ads don't accept an image ratio of 9:16.
If you still have questions, or need more help with your brand's social media marketing content, try Shutterstock Editor. Shutterstock Editor allows you to develop professional-looking digital content, and also provides access to preset images sizes for Facebook along with other social sites.
How to Post Photos to Facebook
Now that your photo is perfectly sized, here's how to share it with the world.
To share a photo on your news feed:
- Log in to Facebook.
- Click Photo/Video at the top of your newsfeed.
- Add your photo and include a caption, if desired.
- Click Post to share your photo.
To change your profile picture:
- Log in to Facebook.
- Click your current profile picture icon in the top-right corner.
- Click the camera icon in the bottom-right of your pic.
- Choose your photo and adjust, as needed.
- Click Save. All set!
Looking for more tips to increase engagement and add creativity on Facebook? Check out these articles:
- Overlooked Digital Spaces You Need to Rebrand ASAP
- How to Make Video File Sizes Smaller and What Software to Use
- Creating a Great First Impression with Facebook Pinned Posts
- How to Master the PC to Instagram Workflow for Posts
- How to Create an Engaging Facebook Image in 7 Easy Steps
Cover image via Rawpixel and Sasha Ka.
How to Upload a Cover Photo on Facebook
Source: https://www.shutterstock.com/blog/facebook-image-sizes-guide
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