Instagram sizes, specs, and posting limits

Instagram image failures are usually caused by aspect ratio, not a large square resolution. Feed and carousel images must stay between 9:16 and 16:9, with 4:5 recommended for portrait feed posts; Instagram can downscale wider supported images during processing.

Updated July 2026

Start publishing

Read the Instagram API docs

Recommended sizes

Good defaults for Instagram

Use these sizes when you need a sensible default. The tables below cover the limits enforced by the API.

Square feed image

1080×1080 (1:1)

A good square image size for feed posts and carousels.

Portrait feed image

1080×1350 (4:5)

The widely used recommended portrait format for feed posts.

Reels and Stories

1080×1920 (9:16)

The recommended vertical full-screen format.

API limits

Instagram API specifications

Check these values in your upload validator or before an agent submits a post.

Image limits

Image constraints for feed, carousel, and Story publishing.

Formats: JPEG; PNG accepted and prepared
Maximum file size: 8 MB
Feed aspect ratio: 9:16 to 16:9
Documented processing width: 320–1440px
Carousel size: 2–10 mixed media items

Video and caption limits

Limits for Reels, feed videos, Stories, and captions.

Formats: MP4, MOV
Reels: 300 MB; 3 seconds–15 minutes
Feed / carousel video: 300 MB; 3–60 minutes
Story video: 100 MB; 3–60 seconds
Caption: 2,200 characters
Hashtags / mentions: 30 / 20

API publishing limits

Account-level constraints specific to API publishing.

Publishing quota: 100 API-published posts / 24 hours
Carousel ratio: First item controls the entire carousel
GIF attachments: Not supported

Common publishing errors

Instagram publishing errors

Find the returned code or the closest matching failure below, then fix the cause before retrying the post.

2207052 (code 9004)

Instagram could not fetch the media while building its publishing container.

Fix: Retry once. If Instagram still cannot fetch it, re-upload the file to PublishQ and publish the new media item.

2207009 (code 36003)

The submitted image aspect ratio is outside Instagram’s accepted range.

Fix: Crop or pad the image to a ratio between 9:16 and 16:9.

2207027 (code 9007)

The media container is still processing and is not ready to publish.

Fix: Poll the container until it reports FINISHED before calling media_publish.

2207042 (code 9)

The account has reached the Content Publishing API daily limit.

Fix: Check content_publishing_limit and wait for the rolling 24-hour quota to clear.

190 OAuthException

The Instagram access token has expired, was revoked, or no longer grants publishing access.

Fix: Reconnect the Instagram Business or Creator account before retrying the post.

368 Temporarily Blocked

Instagram blocked the publishing action after detecting unusual or repetitive activity.

Fix: Pause retries, check the account for restrictions, and wait before sending a revised post.

Duplicate content detected

Instagram found the same caption or media in a recently published post.

Fix: Change the caption or media before trying again instead of resubmitting the same payload.

Why Instagram uploads fail

A feed image is wider than 16:9 or taller than 9:16, regardless of its pixel resolution.
Carousel items use conflicting ratios even though the first item determines the container.
A GIF is attached or the rolling 24-hour API publishing quota is exhausted.

What PublishQ handles

Prepares each image into the best version Instagram accepts, converting PNG to a supported format and compressing oversized images, then validates carousel counts and settings before publishing.
Keeps Instagram captions, hashtags, mentions, and content-type settings separate with post overrides.
Publishes Reels, feed posts, carousels, and Stories without requiring an agent to call Meta directly.

For developers and agents

Publish to Instagram through one API

Send PublishQ the post. We check it, prepare the media, and deliver it to Instagram. You can work in the dashboard or connect through the API, CLI, or MCP server.

Start publishing

Read the implementation guide

Compare other platform limits

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Instagram media sizes and API publishing limits.

What image size should I use for Instagram?

Use 1080×1080 for square posts, 1080×1350 for portrait feed posts, and 1080×1920 for Stories or Reels. Feed images must remain between 9:16 and 16:9.

Does Instagram reject images over 1440px wide?

Not necessarily. Instagram can downscale larger images. Unsupported aspect ratios are a more common API failure than large square resolution.

Can PublishQ post to Instagram from an API or AI agent?

Send Instagram posts through the PublishQ API or MCP server. PublishQ delivers the media with the selected content type and platform settings.

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Docs

Instagram API

API reference for Instagram API.

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