Every place an image appears expects certain dimensions. Instagram square posts are 1080 × 1080 pixels and X (Twitter) headers 1500 × 500. Website hero images are often around 1920 pixels wide, and email images are usually kept to about 600 pixels wide so they fit narrow layouts. Print needs far more pixels, about 300 per inch. With the wrong size, images get stretched or cropped by the platform, load slowly when they're too big, or look soft when they're too small.
Resizing changes how many pixels an image has. Scaling down removes pixels, so a 4000 × 3000 photo can become 1200 × 900, and the result usually looks just as sharp at its display size. Scaling up has to invent pixels from the existing ones, which looks soft, so start from the largest original you have.
Batch resizing saves time when many images need the same treatment. The batch resizer and bulk image resizer take up to 30 images per run. The social media image resizer makes every platform size you select from each photo, and the thumbnail generator does the same for YouTube and square thumbnails. All of them let you set a focal point so crops keep the subject in frame.
Frequently Asked Questions
What dimensions should I use for social media images?
Common sizes are 1080 × 1080 for Instagram square posts, 1080 × 1920 for Instagram Stories, 1600 × 900 for images in X (Twitter) posts, 1500 × 500 for the X header, 1200 × 630 for Facebook link images and 1200 × 627 for LinkedIn posts. The social media image resizer has these built in and can make several of them from one photo in a single run. Platforms change their sizes from time to time, so check their help pages if something looks off.
Does resizing affect image quality?
Making an image smaller usually keeps it looking sharp, although very fine details can disappear at small sizes. Making it larger reduces quality, because the software has to invent new pixels, which looks soft. Start from the largest original you have when you need several sizes, and avoid enlarging where you can.
Should I resize before or after compressing?
Resize first, then compress. Fewer pixels means less data for the compressor, so the file ends up smaller at the same quality and the work finishes faster.
What's the difference between resizing and cropping?
Resizing scales the whole image to new dimensions. Cropping cuts away part of the image to reach a new shape or size. Resize when you want the entire picture at another size, and crop when you need an exact shape or want to focus on one area. The resizers here can do both at once: scale to cover the target size and crop around the focal point you set.
Match image dimensions to where the image will appear: square for an Instagram post, wide for an X header, narrow for email. Batch resize when you have several images for the same purpose. All resizing happens in your browser.