Why Is My Instagram Still Square? 7 Crucial Reasons & The 2025 Aspect Ratio Fixes You Need

Are you still seeing the iconic 1:1 square format on your Instagram feed or profile grid today, December 14, 2025? If so, you're not alone, and your confusion is completely valid. Instagram officially abandoned its strict square-only policy years ago and has been aggressively pushing for a vertical, full-screen, and immersive experience (like its Reels format) for all content, with the optimal feed post size now being a taller 4:5 portrait ratio. The fact that your posts are still appearing square means one of seven common issues is overriding the platform's new default settings, ranging from a simple missed tap during the upload process to a major app update you haven't received yet.

The square format is no longer the default preference for the main feed, but it remains a persistent feature due to user habit, specific technical glitches, and the way your profile grid (not the main feed) still handles photo previews. Understanding the difference between the Feed View (where 4:5 is king) and the Profile Grid Preview (where square still reigns) is the key to unlocking full-size, uncropped photos and videos in 2025.

The 7 Reasons Your Instagram Posts Are Still Square (And How to Fix Them)

While Instagram has evolved to support a variety of aspect ratios—including 4:5 for portrait, 1.91:1 for landscape, and 1:1 for the classic square—the app's default behavior and various user settings can force your images back into the restrictive 1:1 box. Here are the most common and up-to-date reasons why your content remains square, and the direct fixes for each.

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1. You Forgot to Tap the "Expand" Icon During Upload

This is the most frequent and easily solved reason. When you select a photo from your phone's gallery, Instagram's upload screen often defaults to a square crop of the image, even in 2025.

• The Problem: The app automatically zooms in or crops your non-square photo to fit the 1:1 preview window on the initial upload screen.
• The Fix: Before hitting "Next," look for the small "Expand" icon (which looks like two opposing arrows or a < to > symbol) in the bottom-left corner of the photo preview. Tapping this icon will immediately switch the crop from the default 1:1 square to the photo's original aspect ratio (e.g., 4:5 or 1.91:1), allowing you to post the full image without cropping.

2. Your Image Aspect Ratio Exceeds Instagram's Limits

If your photo is too tall or too wide, Instagram will be forced to crop it, and often defaults to the nearest supported ratio, or a square, to maintain a clean display.

• The Problem: Instagram has hard limits on supported aspect ratios. Anything taller than 4:5 (1080 x 1350 pixels) or wider than 1.91:1 (1080 x 566 pixels) will be automatically cropped and compressed. A photo that is 9:16 (like a typical phone screen) will be cropped to 4:5 in the feed.
• The Fix: Use a third-party photo editing app (like Adobe Express, Kapwing, or a simple image resizer tool) to pre-crop or resize your image to the ideal dimensions: 1080 x 1350 pixels (4:5) for portrait or 1080 x 566 pixels (1.91:1) for landscape. This ensures the app has no reason to force a square crop.

3. You Are Viewing the Profile Grid Preview (The "Square Trap")

This is a major source of confusion for users. The way your posts appear in the main feed is different from how they look on your profile page.

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• The Problem: Even if you post a perfect 4:5 portrait photo, the photo's preview on your main profile grid (where all your posts are displayed in a 3-column layout) is still cropped to a 1:1 square thumbnail. This square thumbnail is what most people see first when they visit your page.
• The Fix: There is no direct "fix" for this, as it is a core design feature of the profile grid. However, Instagram has been testing a new 4:5 grid layout that moves away from the 1:1 square preview entirely. For now, the best strategy is to place the most important visual element of your photo in the center, ensuring it looks good when cropped to a square.

4. You Are Uploading a Carousel (Multiple Photos)

The process for uploading multiple images in a single post (a carousel) often reverts to older, more restrictive behavior.

• The Problem: When you select multiple photos for a carousel post, Instagram often defaults all selected images to a square crop, even if they were originally vertical or horizontal.
• The Fix: After selecting your photos, tap the "Expand" icon on the first image to set its ratio (e.g., 4:5). You must then manually tap on each subsequent image in the carousel preview and tap the "Expand" icon for each one to ensure they also adopt the new aspect ratio. If you only adjust the first photo, the others may remain square.

5. Your Instagram App is Outdated or Glitching

New features, like the 4:5 default and full-screen feed tests, are rolled out through app updates. If your app is old, you're stuck with the old rules.

• The Problem: Older versions of the Instagram app may still have the 1:1 square crop set as the firm default, or you may be experiencing a temporary bug that is hiding the "Expand" icon.
• The Fix: Go to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and search for "Instagram." Ensure you have the absolute latest version installed. If the problem persists, try clearing your app's cache (Settings > Apps > Instagram > Storage > Clear Cache on Android, or simply reinstalling the app on iOS).

6. You Are Using the Desktop/Web Version

While the mobile app is the primary focus of Instagram's updates, the web experience often lags behind.

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• The Problem: The desktop browser version of Instagram is known to be less feature-rich and may still display posts with a square frame, even if they are 4:5 on your mobile device.
• The Fix: Always upload and check your posts on the official mobile app (iOS or Android). The mobile app is the definitive view of how your content appears to the majority of users.

7. You Are Part of a Specific A/B Test Group

Instagram is notorious for testing new features on small groups of users before a global rollout. This can lead to different experiences for different people.

• The Problem: You may be in a test group that is being shown a different feed or profile grid design than your friends, or you may be excluded from the test groups receiving the full-screen, vertical feed updates.
• The Fix: Unfortunately, there is no way to opt-in or out of Instagram's A/B testing. The only solution is to ensure your app is fully updated (see point 5) and to continue optimizing your content for the 4:5 portrait ratio, as this is the direction the platform is officially moving.

The Current Instagram Aspect Ratio Guide (2025)

To completely avoid the square format and maximize your screen real estate, you must adhere to the platform's current optimal dimensions. Using these sizes ensures your photo takes up the maximum possible space on a user's screen, which is crucial for engagement and visibility.

Optimal Feed Post Dimensions

The key to mastering your Instagram feed in 2025 is to prioritize the 4:5 ratio, as it offers 25% more screen coverage than the old 1:1 square.

• Portrait (Vertical) Photo: 1080 x 1350 pixels (4:5 aspect ratio). This is the new optimal size for maximum visibility in the main feed.
• Landscape (Horizontal) Photo: 1080 x 566 pixels (1.91:1 aspect ratio).
• Square Photo (Still Supported): 1080 x 1080 pixels (1:1 aspect ratio).

Reels and Stories Dimensions

For the truly full-screen, immersive experience that Instagram is pushing, you need the 9:16 aspect ratio.

• Reels and Stories: 1080 x 1920 pixels (9:16 aspect ratio). This is the standard for full-screen vertical video and photo content.

In conclusion, if you are still seeing the square format, it's a sign that you are either missing a simple tap of the "Expand" icon, your photo is sized incorrectly, or you are looking at the profile grid preview. By manually selecting the 4:5 portrait ratio and keeping your app updated, you can finally break free from the square and embrace the taller, more engaging feed experience of modern Instagram.