How to Fit a Whole Picture on Instagram

Post a picture without cropping it

By Robert Earl Wells III
Updated on August 26, 2022
Reviewed by
Jessica Kormos
Jessica Kormos
Reviewed by Jessica Kormos
  • Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
Jessica Kormos is a writer and editor with 15 years' experience writing articles, copy, and UX content for Tecca.com, Rosenfeld Media, and many others.
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What to Know

  • Choose a photo to post and tap the gray Expand icon in the lower-left corner of the preview.
  • Or, pinch your fingers together on the image to zoom out and make it fit.
  • Alternatively, use a third-party image app like Kapwing.com to make the image 4:5.

This article explains how to fit a whole picture on Instagram without cropping. The instructions apply to the Instagram app for iOS and Android.

How to Make a Picture Fit on Instagram

Instagram automatically crops posts to an aspect ratio of 4:5 so that they don't take up too much space in your feed. Fortunately, the app offers a way to make your photos fit the post preview window.

  1. After choosing a photo to post, tap the gray Expand icon in the lower-left corner of the preview window. The entire picture will appear with a white border around it.

    Alternatively, pinch your fingers together on the image to zoom out and make it fit.

  2. Tap the right arrow to continue posting.

    Post, Resize icon, and arrow icon in Instagram app

  3. This method usually works fine, but sometimes the image won't look quite right. If you're unsatisfied with the results, use a third-party app to resize your image before posting it.

If you enable Instagram dark mode, the background around the image will be black instead of white.

How to Resize a Post for Instagram

There are plenty of free photo resizers online, but Kapwing is ideal for resizing Instagram photos since you can add white space so that it fits the 4:5 ratio requirements.

  1. On your mobile device, go to Kapwing.com and select Get Started.

  2. Choose 4:5.

  3. Tap Upload.

    Get Started, 4:5, and Upload on Kawping.com

  4. Tap Click to Upload.

  5. Tap Files.

  6. Go to your photos app and choose the photo you want to resize.

    Click to Upload, Files, and Google Photos on Kawping.com

  7. Make sure the image looks how you want it, then tap Export.

  8. Tap Export a JPEG.

  9. You'll see a preview of the edited image. Scroll down the page for options.

    Kapwing will put a watermark on the border of the photo. Use a free photo editing tool to cover the watermark with a white rectangle.

    Export, Export as JPEG, and down arrow on Kawping.com

  10. Tap Download File.

  11. Post the resized image on Instagram as usual.

    Download File and Post arrow in Instagram app
FAQ
  • How do I fit a whole picture on Instagram without a white background?

    Because all Instagram posts are 4:5, landscape and portrait images will always have a border. However, you can use an app like No Crop for Instagram to choose a different background color other than white.

  • How do I post multiple photos on Instagram?

    To post multiple photos on Instagram, choose a photo to post, then tap Add (+) > Select Multiple. Select up to 10 photos, then tap the Arrow to continue posting.

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