Instagram’s New Thumbnail Ratio Update
What You Need to Know About Instagram’s New Thumbnail Ratio Update
Have you noticed the change yet?
Instagram has rolled out a significant update that’s changing how your profile grid appears. The platform’s new 3:4 profile thumbnail ratio is now in effect, replacing the previous square crop. This means your carefully curated visuals may not be displaying as intended—so it’s time to take a closer look.
📏 What’s Changed?
The new profile thumbnail ratio is now 1015 x 1350 px (3:4), meaning portrait-style images take up more space, and square or landscape images may not display as expected. Here’s how this affects your profile:
How It Impacts Your Profile Grid:
- Square, Landscaped, and 4:5 Images may be cropped due to this new update.
- Text-heavy images will have essential information made unreadable at thumbnail view.
- Your overall profile aesthetic might need adjusting to maintain a cohesive brand presence.
🛠 What You Can Do
This update is likely to shake things up for brands, businesses, and creators who’ve carefully designed their Instagram grids around the old format. Adapting to these changes can be challenging, but here’s how to navigate them:
1️⃣ Evaluate Your Profile: Scroll through your grid and check how your posts appear with the new cropping. If important elements are being cut off, consider updating future posts to fit the new ratio.
2️⃣ Adjust Your Strategy: If your content relies on graphic overlays, promotional images, or text-heavy posts, you might need to rethink your design approach. Creating taller, portrait-oriented graphics will help maintain clarity and engagement. But remember to keep any necessary information within the 3:4 ratio.
3️⃣ Archive, Don’t Delete: Deleting a post means losing all the likes, comments, and shares it has accumulated. Archiving allows you to keep these interactions while keeping your profile visually cohesive.
4️⃣ Produce More Reels & Vertical Imagery: To fully leverage Instagram’s current preferences, consider increasing the production of Reels and vertical content. This allows viewers to see bigger, more immersive images and ensures your content aligns with the platform’s evolving visual trends.
📌 The Takeaway
This shift in Instagram’s profile display is a big change, and businesses that rely on visually cohesive branding may find it difficult to adjust. However, staying adaptable is key—review your profile, tweak your strategy, and optimize your content to keep your brand looking sharp. And remember, archiving posts rather than deleting them is a smart move.
🚀 Need Help Adapting?
Transitioning to the new Instagram profile style can be overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it alone. Cloud9 Marketing can help you adjust your content strategy, redesign your visuals, and maintain a strong, cohesive brand presence. Reach out to us for a free consultation.
Have you updated your Instagram strategy yet? Now’s the time to refresh your content and ensure your profile is making the best first impression! If you need more information on Instagram’s new ratio sizes, you can find the details in their official guide here.
