Facebook allows users to upload photos to share with friends, family, and connections on the platform. However, Facebook does have limits on the size of photos that can be uploaded. Knowing the maximum photo size to upload to Facebook can help ensure your photos upload successfully.
What is the maximum photo size for Facebook cover photos?
For Facebook cover photos, the maximum file size is 100MB. Cover photos appear at the top of a Facebook profile and timeline. They are sized 820 pixels wide by 312 pixels tall on desktop, or 640 pixels wide by 360 pixels tall on mobile.
Here are some key details on Facebook cover photo sizes:
- Width: 820px on desktop, 640px on mobile
- Height: 312px on desktop, 360px on mobile
- Aspect Ratio: 3:1
- File Size: Up to 100MB
- File Types: JPG, PNG, GIF
Keeping cover photos under 100MB will ensure they can upload properly to Facebook. Using images sized for the cover photo dimensions will also make sure they display correctly across desktop and mobile.
What is the maximum profile picture size for Facebook?
For Facebook profile pictures, the maximum file size is also 100MB. Facebook profile pictures appear throughout Facebook on your profile, timeline posts, comments, and more.
Here are the key profile picture specifications for Facebook:
- Width & Height: At least 180px for square crops
- Minimum Dimensions: 180 x 180px
- File Size: Up to 100MB
- File Types: JPG, PNG, GIF
Keeping profile pictures under 100MB and using images at least 180 x 180px will ensure they look crisp throughout Facebook on all devices.
What is the maximum size for uploading single photos to Facebook?
When uploading single photos directly to Facebook as timeline posts, the maximum file size is also 100MB.
Some guidelines for uploading single photos to Facebook include:
- Width: Up to 960px
- Height: No limit
- File Size: Up to 100MB
- File Types: JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP
Photos larger than 960px wide will be automatically resized by Facebook to fit the width of the news feed. Keeping single photo uploads under 100MB will allow them to be uploaded successfully.
What is the maximum size for Facebook photo albums?
For photo albums on Facebook, there is a maximum of 200 photos per album. There are no limits on the number of albums you can create.
When uploading photos to a Facebook album, the specifications are:
- Width: Up to 960px
- Height: No limit
- File Size: Up to 100MB per photo
- File Types: JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP
- Max Photos Per Album: 200
Keeping individual photos under 100MB and albums under 200 photos will allow you to upload albums seamlessly.
What is the optimal photo size for Facebook?
While Facebook allows photo uploads up to 100MB, the optimal photo size is much smaller for the best performance across devices and networks.
Here are the recommended optimal photo sizes for Facebook:
| Use Case | Optimal Size |
|---|---|
| News Feed Post | Less than 2MB |
| Cover Photo | Less than 20MB |
| Profile Picture | Less than 5MB |
| Shared Image | Less than 5MB |
By resizing images to these optimal sizes before uploading, they will load faster for users throughout Facebook. Using image compression tools can help reduce file sizes.
How can you resize images for Facebook?
If you have images that exceed the optimal sizes for Facebook, you can use image editing or resizing tools to reduce the size before uploading.
Some options for resizing images include:
- Microsoft Paint (Windows)
- Preview (Mac)
- GIMP
- Canva
- PicMonkey
- Adobe Photoshop
Many of these tools allow you to customize the image dimensions and compression quality to achieve smaller file sizes.
There are also online compression tools specifically designed to optimize images for Facebook and social media. Some options include:
- Compressor.io
- TinyPNG
- Optimizilla
Using these tools can help ensure your photos meet the recommended sizes before uploading to Facebook.
Tips for uploading high quality photos to Facebook
Here are some additional tips for getting the best results when uploading photos to Facebook:
- Upload the highest resolution version possible – Facebook will scale down large images but can’t increase resolution of small images.
- Adjust compression to balance image quality and file size.
- Use JPEG for photos at 90% quality or higher.
- Use PNG for simple graphics like logos.
- Resize panoramas and very large photos to under 960px.
- Run images through a compression tool before uploading.
- Preview the photo after uploading to check quality.
Conclusion
To summarize, the key details on maximum photo sizes for Facebook:
- Cover Photos: 820 x 312px desktop, 640 x 360px mobile, 100MB max file size
- Profile Pictures: 180 x 180px minimum, 100MB max file size
- Shared Photos: 960px width maximum, 100MB max file size
- Photo Albums: 200 photos max per album, 100MB max per photo
Aim for smaller optimal sizes less than 2-20MB when possible. Use image editing tools to resize and compress photos before uploading to ensure they look their best on Facebook while upload quickly.
Keeping Facebook’s photo specifications and limits in mind will allow you to upload high quality, optimized images that take advantage of Facebook’s large photo sizes for stunning images.
Uploading appropriately sized photos that are compressed for performance will provide the best experience for you and all the Facebook users who interact with your photos and albums.