Highlights
- Instagram now fully supports the 3:4 aspect ratio to ensure smartphone shots appear exactly as they were taken.
- Previously, images were slightly cropped when uploaded but now users can post 3:4 images without losing any part of their composition.
- The update reflects Instagram’s move toward vertical content, following changes in user profile grids earlier this year.
Caption – New Instagram update announced. (Photo by Cedrik Wesche on Unsplash)
Instagram is finally making life easier for smartphone photographers. The app now supports 3:4 aspect ratio photos, meaning your pictures will appear exactly how you shot them, which means there will be no more unexpected cropping.
Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, shared the news on Threads. Mosseri wrote, “Instagram now supports 3:4 aspect ratio photos – the format that almost every phone camera defaults to. From now on, if you upload a 3:4 image, it’ll now appear just exactly as you shot it.”
View on Threads
Most smartphone cameras including iPhones shoot in the 3:4 (or 4:3 in landscape) aspect ratio by default. That’s the format filling up most people’s photo galleries. But until now, Instagram didn’t fully support it. Instead, the platform stuck with its long-standing 1:1 square format and 4:5 portrait format.
At first glance, 4:5 and 3:4 might seem similar, which is why many users didn’t notice their images were being slightly cropped. But that small difference meant parts of the top and bottom of your photos were often cut off when posting. Even if you tried pinching and adjusting the image in Preview, you were forced to sacrifice some part of your photo.
Caption – New update explainer posted by Instagram on its broadcast channel. (Image credit – Instagram)
Anyhow, Instagram now lets you upload 3:4 images without cropping, whether it’s a single photo or part of a carousel. An example shared through Instagram’s broadcast channel shows just how much of your original framing is now preserved.
Of course, you can still post in square (1:1) or 4:5 formats if you prefer. But this update means your photos can finally appear on Instagram just the way your phone captured them.
This move is part of Instagram’s ongoing shift away from its square-photo origins. Back in January, the platform also began using rectangular frames in user profile grids, reflecting how vertical content, whether photos or videos, continues to dominate.
FAQS
Q1. What does Instagram’s new update change for smartphone photographers?
Answer. Instagram now supports the 3:4 aspect ratio, ensuring photos appear exactly as they were taken, without cropping any part of the image.
Q2. How were 3:4 images affected before this Instagram update?
Answer. Previously, Instagram forced slight cropping in its 1:1 and 4:5 formats, cutting off parts of the top and bottom of photos, even when users tried adjusting them.
Q3. Can users still post photos on Instagram in square or portrait formats?
Answer. Yes, Instagram still supports 1:1 square and 4:5 portrait formats, but this update allows users to upload 3:4 images without losing any part of their composition.
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