Instagram grid sizes: which layout to choose
Your Instagram profile is three posts wide, and every new post pushes the older ones one step along. That's why layouts with three columns (3×1, 3×2 and 3×3) are the ones that line up on the profile grid. The 1×3 and 2×3 strips don't match the three-column profile; use them as a carousel or a set of stories instead.
Each tile this grid maker exports is 1080 × 1080 pixels, so the source photo should be at least as large as the full grid to stay sharp.
| Layout | Posts | Lines up on profile? | Ideal source size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3×1 row | 3 | Yes, one row | 3240 × 1080 (3:1) |
| 3×2 | 6 | Yes, two rows | 3240 × 2160 (3:2) |
| 3×3 | 9 | Yes, three rows | 3240 × 3240 (1:1) |
| 1×3 strip | 3 | No, use as carousel | 1080 × 3240 (1:3) |
| 2×3 | 6 | No, use as carousel | 2160 × 3240 (2:3) |
How to post a split grid without breaking it
Post the tiles in reverse: the bottom-right piece goes up first and the top-left piece goes up last. The files are numbered in exactly that order, so you only need to follow the numbers. Post them back to back; anything you publish in between shifts the grid out of line.
Since 2025 Instagram shows profile thumbnails as 3:4 portrait crops rather than squares. Square tiles still line up, but a thin strip on the left and right of each tile is hidden on the profile, so the seams look slightly tighter than in the preview. Keep small text and faces away from the outer edges of each tile.
- Turn off auto-crop and filters so every tile is posted at its full size.
- Post captions on the tiles later if you want; editing doesn't change the order.
- Pinning a post moves it to the top and breaks the grid, so unpin or plan around it.
Looking for the My Social Boutique split or grid maker?
Lots of people find this page searching for the My Social Boutique split or My Social Boutique grid maker. PicX Studio isn't affiliated with My Social Boutique; this is an independent alternative that does the same job: one photo in, numbered square tiles out, ready to post as an Instagram puzzle feed.
Splitting and previewing are free with no account. Downloading the tiles needs a free PicX account, no card needed, and the photo stays in your browser the whole time.
