Free tool · Social media

Instagram post preview

See your photo, video or carousel as a post, on your profile grid and slide by slide before you publish. Check the crop and the caption, then export a PNG.

  • Free
  • No sign-up
  • Files stay on your device
Try a sample
Crop to fill trims the edges. Fit whole file keeps everything and adds empty bars.

In the feedslide 1 of 5

localbites.guide

Austin, Texas

1/5

2,148 likes

localbites.guide Five new spots to try this weekend. Swipe to the end for the boba stop everyone keeps asking about. Which one are you hitting…

View all 64 comments

2 hours ago

4:5 · upload at 1080 × 1350 px

On your profile3:4 tiles

localbites.guide

Your new post shows first

  • Carousel

The grid trims every post to a 3:4 tile and shows the first slide as the cover.

Drag your photos or videos here

One file for a single post, up to 20 for a carousel. They replace the sample.

The post

Letters, numbers, periods and underscores.

158 of 2,200 characters · the feed shows about 125, then “more” · 2 of 5 hashtags

Profile picture

“Save to browser” keeps this post, its photos and your text in this browser only. Nothing is uploaded.

Sample slides

5 of 20 · drag or use the arrows to reorder · the first slide is the cover

How it works

Preview a post in three steps.

  1. 1

    Add your photos or videos

    One file for a post, up to 20 for a carousel. Drag the slides into order. Nothing leaves your device.

  2. 2

    Check the crop

    Switch between 4:5, 3:4, 1:1 and 1.91:1 and see the post, your profile grid and every slide at once.

  3. 3

    Write the caption and export

    See where the feed cuts it off at “more”, then download a PNG to share for feedback.

Size guide

Instagram post sizes, side by side.

Every post is 1080 pixels wide. The height depends on the shape you pick, and every slide in a carousel uses the same one.

  • 1080 × 1350 px

    4:5 Portrait Safe default

    Fills more of the feed than a square. A safe default for photos and graphics.

  • 1080 × 1440 px

    3:4 Tall Tallest

    The tallest feed size and the same shape as your grid tiles. Phone cameras shoot 3:4.

  • 1080 × 1080 px

    1:1 Square

    Good for product shots and centred graphics. The grid trims the sides.

  • 1080 × 566 px

    1.91:1 Landscape

    For wide scenes and banners. It shows smallest in the feed, so keep text large.

4:5 post
1:1 post
1.91:1 post

The bright part is what your grid tile keeps. Shaded edges are trimmed.

Your profile grid

Your grid shows every post as a 3:4 tile.

People who open your profile see the cover of each post trimmed to the same tall shape. The preview's profile view shows yours in place, next to your last posts.

4:5 portrait
Loses a thin strip at each side, about 6% of the width. Almost everything shows.
3:4 tall
Matches the tile exactly. Nothing is trimmed.
1:1 square
Loses a quarter of its width, split between the two sides.
1.91:1 landscape
Shows only the middle 40% or so. Keep the subject and any text centred.

Carousels

Up to 20 photos or videos in one post. Line them up in the preview and flip through them like your followers will.

  1. Hot Fold: A lifted pizza slice pulls a long ribbon of cheese through bold lettering. Cover

  1. Lead with the cover

    The first slide is the one people see in the feed and on your grid. Make it the strongest one.

  2. Design for one shape

    A carousel uses one size for every slide, and files that don't match get cropped. Make every slide for the same ratio.

  3. Keep the subject in the middle

    When a slide is cropped, the edges go first. Keep faces, products and text away from the sides.

Videos and Reels

Check a video before it plays.

Videos play in the preview with the sound off, like the feed. Pause on a frame you like and the PNG export uses it.

1280 × 720 · wide
A wide video in a 4:5 postCrop to fill keeps the middle. Fit whole file adds bars above and below.
Reel · 1080 × 1920
A Reel, full screenThe caption and buttons sit over the bottom, so keep text above them.

stacktheory

Your new post shows first

  • Video
The same Reel on your gridTrimmed to a 3:4 tile, so the middle has to carry it.

Made by Lucas

The samples on this page were made by an AI social media manager.

Lucas is SmallForce’s AI social media manager. He makes posts and short videos from your photos, writes the captions and posts to Instagram and 10 other apps. Nothing goes out until you say OK.

See what Lucas does Get started
Reel
Made from this poster Stack Theory
Post
Made from this poster Hot Fold
Video
Made from this poster Offbeat Supply
Post
Made from this poster Dark Matter

36 posters for 36 different businesses, each made with AI. See them all on the social media page

FAQ

Instagram post preview questions.

Short answers about how the tool works and what it's for.

What size should an Instagram post be?

Posts are 1080 pixels wide. For the height, use 1350 px for a 4:5 portrait post, 1440 px for a 3:4 post, 1080 px for a square post or 566 px for a 1.91:1 landscape post. The two taller sizes take up the most room in the feed.

How do I preview an Instagram post before posting?

Add your photo or video to the tool above, pick a size and write your caption. The preview shows what gets cropped, where the feed cuts the caption off and how the carousel dots look. It's a mockup, so small details can differ from the app.

Can I preview a carousel post?

Yes. Add up to 20 photos or videos and put them in order by dragging or with the arrow buttons. Every slide shows in a strip under the preview, you can flip through them in the post, and the profile grid shows the first slide as the cover.

Can I preview a video post?

Yes. Videos play in the preview with their normal controls. The PNG export uses the frame showing in the post view, so pause on the frame you want before you export.

Does this tool upload my photos?

No. Your files open in your browser and are never sent to a server. The PNG is made in your browser too. Close the tab and they're gone.

Does it post to Instagram?

No. It only makes a preview. When you're ready, post from Instagram or your scheduling tool. Lucas, SmallForce's AI social media manager, can write and schedule posts for you and waits for your OK.

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Lucas · AI social media manager

Previewed it? Lucas can post it.

Lucas writes and schedules posts for Instagram and every other app you use, and waits for your OK before anything goes out.

Get started See the AI social media manager