The best export settings for Instagram 2021 – Pat Kay
Gah! This image looks like it was shot from a potato. Pixelated, soft, full of artefacts. Gross.
…or maybe I was being too hard on myself once upon a time.
Either way, if Instagram is killing your images after you’ve spent time perfecting them in Lightroom, this article is for you. I’ll teach you the best export settings for Instagram in 2020, and if you stick around, there’s some freebies at the end.
So, Instagram has some recommended guidelines for images. Basically:
Aspect ratios will be between 1. 91:1 and 4:5.
They will always be cropped to fit at 1080 pixels wide unless it’s exactly that size.
Some other things we do know, though, is that Instagram also uses what’s called an image compression algorithm on all images that get uploaded to their servers.
The compression myth
The reason why they do this is the same reason why many websites squash images too (including this website you’re reading this on! ) – performance. Instagram is optimising for images to load as fast as they can for the best experience, so they try and reduce the file sizes of your images so there’s less to download and thus your feeds load quicker.
Warning: this next bit gets a tad technical.
Some image compression techniques are better than others, and to be quite honest, Instagram’s is actually quite good – a decent quality for the file size. However some people find problems with it, and that’s where this article comes in.
But first, let’s dispel a myth that there’s a ‘quality’ or file size you can get to in order to avoid the compression algorithm.
I’ve seen some people say that if you set your export settings to 75% quality, or if your images are under 500kb, you’ll somehow magically bypass the compression algorithm.
That’s a total lie.
In fact, by doing so, you’re actually making your end image worse than what it could be. Here’s why.
The upload process looks a little like this:
A user sets up and shares their image
The image goes into the server
The server compresses the base image
It then makes copies of that compressed image, resizing at 150px, 240px, 320px, 480px, 640px and 1080px in what’s called a source set (srcset) so that it can show you the most relevant size of your image depending on where it’s viewed
In the feed you usually see the 1080px wide version.
Every image is compressed. It needs to be that way because it doesn’t make logical sense to assume that the user’s compression is better than their own. There’s too many variables, and therefore the most reasonable approach is to standardise all images, even if it ends up being parity or just a check.
You can test this yourself. Upload an image at 50% quality at less than 500kb and extract that image from the desktop version of Instagram (right click > inspect element on your image > expand the sibling DIV > right click to open your image in a new tab > save) and compare it to your original image. The actual quality of the algorithm is quite good – compressing file size considerably at little loss of quality – so it’ll be hard to tell, but there’s definitely compression there.
Therefore, if you’re uploading at 75% quality, then you’re compressing 75% quality. Alternatively, if you upload at 100%, you also compress at 100%.
The best export settings for Instagram in Lightroom
With that said, there are 6 dimensions to consider when exporting for Instagram.
Sharpening
This is actually the biggest deal when it comes to what looks like a high quality image.
Sharpness is usually perceived as detail, and a more detailed image looks better generally.
As with all formats, whether it’s print or digital, you need to sharpen for your medium. Typically, you’ll have different sharpening levels if you’re getting your image printed vs being viewed on a mobile device. This is because depending on what medium you’re viewing the image on, there are variables in the quality of your viewing experience.
How many pixels per inch does your phone pack into its display? How many dots per inch is your printer printing your image at? What material and size? What about the size of your display? How far are they standing away from the image? What size is it seen at? All of these variables and many more determine how good your image looks when someone is viewing it.
That’s a long-winded way to say that you need to sharpen for a phone display. And although you can do that by setting your “Output sharpening” to “Screen”, we can do better.
Check out this article on how to sharpen images in Lightroom. The juicy part is at number 5. TLDR; use masking.
Once you’ve sharpened your shot, send it to your phone. If it looks like it’s almost too sharp, you’re golden. The compression will dull it down when you upload it.
Crop
While Instagram supports every ratio between 1. 91:1 and 4:5, there’s only really one crop size you should be uploading at – 4:5.
4:5 turns out to be the largest pixel size you can upload. It not only gives you the most digital real estate to work with in your photo, but it also takes up the most size in the feed.
Due to the nature of their aspect ratio in the portrait orientation of a phone, when your audience scrolls through their feeds, unfortunately the landscape images – the little images – get skipped over pretty fast.
Square images are better, but 4:5 images are the best.
(For the record, I prefer to shoot and showcase my work in landscape mostly, but eh, you gotta change with the times! )
Quality
If you missed it, read the previous section on “The compression myth”, but this section is otherwise pretty straight forward.
Best quality. No limit. JPEG or PNG. Size be dammed. That’s what the image compression algorithm is for. It’s going to be compressed regardless of what you do.
Colour space
There are a few choices for what colour space you can export to. Many printers prefer their files in AdobeRGB (1998) because the colour space is wide and varied enough for the subtle changes in tonality, while matching with what most physical printers print at.
For digital, we’re looking for sRGB. The majority of digital is sRGB – that’s what you should be editing with and that’s what you should be exporting at for the most consistent experience. Now, what I mean by “consistent” is that there are many devices today that support the P3 colour gamut (and even the Instagram app itself does). However, that’s not to say that all devices showing Instagram show that. So when a P3 image tries to show itself on an sRGB gamut device, because it’s wider than the sRGB gamut, gets smushed and colours get compressed. It’s unavoidable, but even worse than that, uncontrollable; you don’t get a choice in the matter.
Therefore, the best solution here is to edit and output in sRGB, this is the safest approach to make sure your image looks as consistent as possible on all devices.
Image sizing
Instagram always displays images at 1080px. In their guidelines, they say that they skip the resizing process if your uploaded image is equal to or less than that resolution.
There’s two approaches here:
1) Export at 1080px wide. That means:
Square: 1080px x 1080px
4:5: 1080px x 1350px
2) Export at exactly double 1080px wide.
One of the reasons why I do this is because if Instagram wants to increase the displayed image sizes in the future, they have a 2x version of my image that they can re-splice a source set from.
But the main reason is that exactly 2x or 4x resized downwards will always be kind and safe to whatever resizing work is going on in the background. In some cases, it’s even sharper (for example: cameras downsampling from 6k to 4k for a superior, sharper image like in the Sony A6500).
Square: 2160px x 2160px
4:5: 2160px x 2700px
Again, it’s a safe option, vs having the resize algorithm squish and strangely resize your image to something that doesn’t look great.
When it comes to resolution, DPI/PPI doesn’t matter for digital. It has absolutely no visual effect whether this setting is at 0 or 300. In the digital world, a pixel is a pixel. In the print world where these values actually do matter, a digital pixel can manifest itself as different physical sizes depending on the technique of the printer and the print machine itself.
For our use case, let’s just leave it as the default, 72.
Meta
Instagram strips all your metadata. Up to you if you want to export any out, but by the time you upload it, it’s gone and it never comes back.
Recommendations for exporting in Lightroom
Okay, time to put it all together!
Sharpen your image first before exporting
Use a 4:5 crop
Image format: JPEG
Quality: 100
Color space: sRGB
No limit on file size
Resize to fit: Width & Height, Don’t enlarge, W = 2160px H = blank
Resolution: default, 72 pixels per inch
Output sharpening: Sharpen for Screen, Standard
Enjoy! I’m sure your images will look absolutely fantastic quality after this.
The Best Instagram Video Format You Should Use – Snappa …
Instagram started off as a photo app, but has evolved into a much more advanced platform and now includes video content in the form of Instagram stories, Instagram posts, Instagram ads, and long form video content on the increase in video popularity on the platform, individuals and brands are quickly learning the ins and out of video and video optimization on Instagram to better their content and engagement. One common question we’ve seen asked is what Instagram video format is most ideal for the platform? I’ve outlined the best Instagram video format that everyone should use, ways that you can increase video quality, and I showcase some examples of the best Instagram videos on the Creating graphics for Instagram? Try our graphic design tool and access hundreds of free Instagram templates! What Is the Best Instagram Video Format You Should Use? The best Instagram video format is MP4. The MP4 video file format should include these technical specifications: H. 264 CodecAAC Audio3 500 kbps bitrate for videoFrame rate of 30 fps (frames per second)Maximum file size of 15 mbVideo must be a maximum of 60 secondsMaximum video width is 1080 px (pixels) wideThe Best Instagram Video Dimensions and SizeThe best Instagram video dimensions you should use are 864 pixels (width) by 1080 pixels (height) amount with an aspect ratio of 4:5. These dimensions and aspect ratio help are optimized to give you more screen real estate for your followers. Wide screen videos might look great on YouTube or Facebook, but on Instagram where most users are on mobile. It makes sense to maximize the vertical dimensions of a to Increase Video Quality on InstagramInstagram video isn’t easy to work with. Instagram has made it known that if you are looking to achieve the highest quality of video on the platform, you will need to optimize the Instagram video perfectly before posting. Some things to consider when posting videos on Instagram:Connect to WIFI when posting on InstagramMake sure you are using the right video dimensionsTransfer your video file through Google Drive or Apple AirdropRecord your videos with the best quality camera availableEdit your videos with the proper settings in mindSome methods of file transfer actually compress video to help optimize the file move, but this ends up killing the quality of your video by the time it gets posted from your phone. To make sure that you are uploading the highest possible quality video on Instagram, you will need to: use the best camera you have, upload on a solid internet connection, and use the right video settings. Examples of the Best Instagram VideosWhen you get the best Instagram video format with the right settings, you can upload flawless videos for your followers. I’ve compiled some of the best filmmakers on Instagram and display some of the best videos I’ve seen posted on Instagram in various video Kolder Matt Komo Sam Evans Andy ToYes, some of these videos might have been taking from very expensive professional cameras, but the video from Andy To was actually taken from an iPhone and the video quality on Instagram was very comparable to the other videos I showcased. What you can see from these Instagram video creators is that they use the 4:5 aspect ratio because they are looking to get the most screen real estate possible. About the author: Nick Le is the marketing manager at Snappa. He has published several articles relating to social media marketing.
Stream to Instagram live with Streamon and OBS Studio from …
Learn how to start a live stream to Instagram live from you Windows/Linux/MacOS computer with OBS Studio or any broadcasting stagram is a great platform for artists, creators, businessess because of it’s huge user base. Getting your brand out there on Instagram means you have to make sure your audience are enganged. There are a lot of different ways to put your content out there on Instagram and create a brand profile. Instagram live is a feature which helps Instagram users to go live to their followers, but here’s the catch. Instagram live only works on your phone and it only supports streaming through their official mobile app.
How can I go live on Instagram from my PC/Laptop?
You have your digital cameras, sound system and a high-end PC setup in your studio, or you simply want to stream a YouTube video or a live video call on Instagram. But, Instagram only support streaming through their offical app. Introducing Streamon! This tiny app can help you setup live streaming to instagram live with all your studio setup right from your Windows/Linux/Mac machine.
Follow these simple steps to setup live streaming to Instagram directly from your PC.
You need an Instagram account
Download and Install Streamon Client
Download and Install OBS Studio
1. Setting up OBS Studio
Head over to OBS Studio’s home page to download and install the Software on your system. Once the installation is complete open OBS Studio.
OBS studio start screenConfiguring a new stream profile and video output
Most of your viewers will be on a mobile device and mobile device screens are of a different aspect ration than your computer. Click on Profile menu on OBS at the top and click on New Profile and name the Profile as Instagram Streaming.
Now, Click on settings in the bottom right panel and go to the Video tab. Change the Base (canvas) Resolution to any of the 9:16 aspect ratio, in my case it’s 900×1600 of my monitor. And, set the Output (scaled) resolution to 720×1280. Click on Apply and OK.
OBS video settings screenAdding a video source
Once we configured the video output, we need to add a video source. Connect your camera, or you can simply use your PC’s screencast to be used as a video source. Click on the + icon from the bottom left, second panel which says Sources and click on any Video source that you want. In here, I’ll be using my PC’s screen capture, you can choose your Camera’s listed there. A popup will open, click on okay and you can start configuring the view.
Once you have added the view, you can click on the preview and use the handles to drag the added source to fit to the canvas.
OBS aligning a source to canvasIf you want to rotate the scene to a landscape mode so as to cover the entire canvas, right click on the preview and Transform -> Rotate 90 degree.
2. Starting a live stream with Streamon
Once you have configured your OBS studio, quickly open Streamon and sign in to your Instagram account. After logging in click on Start live stream, you will be greeted with a screen containing your Stream URL and Stream key. DONOT click on GO LIVE yet!
Streamon – Instagram live credentialsConfiguring OBS Studio with stream credentials
Now, open your OBS studio instance and click on settings and go to Stream tab. In the service, make sure to select Custom and then copy paste the *Server URL/Stream URL** and the Stream Key from the Streamon app into OBS. Click on apply and ok. Now, on the bottom right panel near the Settings Button click on Start Stream!. Once the stream is started, quickly go to the Streamon app and click on Go Live Button. Voila! You are now live on Instagram streaming through OBS Studio.
Streamon – Instagram live3. Managing live chat
Once you are live, a small speech bubble icon will appear on the bottom right. Clicking on that will open the Live Chat to your stream, if you wish to diable chat, simply toggle the switch on top to mute the chat.
Streamon – Instagram live chatIf you wish to see your stream and live chat on Instagram, simply sign in to your Instagram account from your PC’s Browser and goto. Replace the USERNAME with your Instagram username.
Please Note, you won’t be able to view your live stream from the Instagram mobile app or desktop directly. You can see the stream through the above method or login via a different Instagram account to view your stream.
You’re live on Instagram! To Stop the live stream, simply click on stop live stream from your OBS Studio and then from the Streamon app.
Stuck with something? Need help?
Head over to our community channel on Telegram () or Tweet to us at @streamonhq to get help from the community.
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Frequently Asked Questions about config اینستاگرام
How do you go to Settings on Instagram?
Instagram app for Android and iPhone: Tap or your profile picture in the bottom right to go to your profile. Tap in the top right, then tap Settings.
How do I deactivate my Instagram?
How do I delete my Instagram account?Go to the Delete Your Account page from a mobile browser or computer. If you’re not logged into Instagram on the web, you’ll be asked to log in first. … Select an option from the dropdown menu next to Why are you deleting your account? … Click or tap Delete [username].
How do I get my disabled Instagram back?
If your account was deleted by you or someone with your password, there’s no way to restore it. You can create a new account with the same email address you used before, but you may not be able to get the same username.