Recently, Instagram has quietly launched an update that is quite friendly to image creators - the platform now natively supports 3:4 image ratio.
In the past, Instagram's preferred ratios for image display were 1:1 (square) and 4:5 (close to vertical). This resulted in many 3:4 native ratio photos taken with mobile phones being forcibly cropped or filled with white space when uploaded, which not only destroyed the composition of the picture but also affected the user's browsing experience.
Now, Instagram officially supports the native 3:4 aspect ratio image format. Finally, it can be directly displayed on the mainstream IG interface without being cropped or stretched!
In this article, we'll walk you through the meaning of this new feature and how to use it in your Instagram content strategy to improve your visual presentation and account performance.
What is the 3:4 image ratio?
3:4 is the default ratio for many mobile phone cameras, especially professional or flagship models such as iPhone, Samsung, Huawei, etc., which mostly use this ratio in the default shooting mode. Previously, when uploading on Instagram, if it is not 1:1 (square) or 4:5 (vertical image that is almost full of the screen), 3:4 images are often cropped, stretched or added with background, affecting the visual effect.
Now, the 3:4 images you upload will be presented in their original size and will no longer be cropped or stretched. This is undoubtedly a great benefit for creators who pursue content completeness and visual beauty.
Practical tutorial: How to publish 3:4 ratio pictures?
Step 1: Shoot & Edit
Use the phone's rear camera, set to 3:4 ratio (mostly default setting)
Moderate color correction in tools such as Lightroom, Snapseed, etc. without changing the scale
Step 2: Upload to Instagram
Click to post a new post and select the 3:4 picture you took
Don't use Instagram's cropping tool, keep the original proportions
After completing the description and tag settings, publish directly
Step 3: Match content strategy
Use "storytelling" text content to guide users to stay longer
Maintain a unified style in the carousel to enhance visual consistency
Use 3:4 to display full-body photos of people, vertical buildings, product details, etc. to increase information density
Three major impacts on content strategy
1. Higher quality content and more realistic restoration
Photography bloggers, travel and lifestyle accounts will be the biggest beneficiaries of this wave of updates. You can now:
Take photos directly with your phone and upload without cropping
Preserve the edge details of the composition to enhance the professionalism of the content
Avoid image quality loss due to compression and cropping
2. The visual layout of pictures is more diverse, improving differentiation
In the past, the entire screen was filled with 1:1 or 4:5 images, but now with the introduction of 3:4, there is a chance to visually "jump out" of the information flow.
For the same picture, 3:4 can present more sense of space
Interlaced layout with 4:5 to enhance the "layering" of the content
Combined with multi-image carousel, it can create a sense of visual rhythm
3. More flexible material integration, saving editing and typesetting time
In the past, when making pictures or editing, you need to specially adapt to the IG ratio:
Photography should be cropped to 4:5 or with a border
Brands require multiple versions to adapt to delivery or content
Now you can use one picture for multiple purposes, improving production efficiency
Strategic advice: How to optimize your IG operations with new support?
For photography/illustration accounts:
Keep the native 3:4 ratio, no need to crop, to make the composition more complete
Multi-image carousel displays photography portfolio, highlighting unified aesthetics
For brand/e-commerce accounts:
Use a 3:4 ratio to display product images to avoid distortion and cropping of key details
Intersperse product pictures with life scene pictures in a carousel to create visual fluidity
For content creators:
Consider 3:4 composition when shooting Vlog cover pictures, and adapt to the IG still picture and video fusion strategy
Use 3:4 images to guide users to convert to videos or links to improve interaction efficiency
How should creators adjust their content strategies?
Although Instagram is gradually transforming from a "photo sharing platform" to an interactive platform mainly based on video (especially Reels) and private messages, high-quality images still have their place. Here are some suggestions for updating your content strategy that you can consider:
1. Optimize the original image composition and make good use of the 3:4 ratio
When shooting, you can boldly use the native 3:4 ratio composition without having to worry about compression or cropping after uploading.
It is particularly suitable for portrait photography, product display, tutorial-type static graphic content, and other content that requires detail preservation.
2. More flexible layout design
Designers can use the 3:4 ratio more freely when creating graphic content (such as long pictures, tutorial cards, and visual posters).
It is no longer limited to the 4:5 limitation of the old version and is more conducive to the arrangement of text and image information.
3. Hybrid content publishing: photo + Reels linkage
Adding a related Reels short video after the picture can take into account both visual quality and platform traffic bonus.
For example: first post a product picture, then use Reels to demonstrate the product usage process and guide user interaction.
Practical Tips
Reorganize your photo library , especially the original 3:4 photos, and upload them directly without cropping;
It is recommended that the cover design and carousel layout be designed based on a 3:4 ratio;
Try to use 3:4 to break the homogeneous layout and enhance visual differentiation;
Don't forget to pair it with attractive first image copy and Alt text to improve discoverability;
Multi-image carousel can use a mix of 1:1, 4:5 and 3:4 to create a visual rhythm.
Current Instagram content trends
While photo updates are worth noting, you also need to pay attention to the current big trends on IG:
More than 50% of content already consists of AI-recommended Reels
The amount of message interaction has increased significantly, and users are more inclined to communicate through private messages
Video content remains the core driving force for platform growth
That is to say, if you are a brand, blogger or marketer, you still need to use video as the main content form and use pictures as a supplement or auxiliary form.
Conclusion
Although Reels and private messaging are becoming the mainstay of Instagram, pictures have never left the stage. Instagram's native support for the 3:4 ratio update not only reflects the platform's respect for creators' freedom of expression, but also provides more possibilities for brand vision and content operations.
If you are a creator, brand operator, or photography enthusiast, you might as well try uploading a 3:4 photo starting today. Maybe you will get different results and feedback!
Are you ready to re-plan your image content strategy?
