Jan 7, 2022

TUTORIAL: Simple fix for Instagram 4:5 Crop

The most common photo resolution is 2:3 because it captures a large area in one shot. Using different focal lengths can help fit more into your photo, but they also alter the composition.

Imagine you've nailed the composition and got an amazing photo. Now, you're eager to share it with people. But, when you open Instagram, your awesome photo gets cropped to a terrible 4:5 ratio. I understand that frustration, but don't worry - I've got a solution for you!

Take a look at this quick fix that lets you post your full photo while maintaining your current composition.

How to make any photo fit the Instagram 4x5 ratio

For this edit, we'll use Adobe Photoshop. I have the 2022 version, but it doesn't matter what version you have; the functions will be the same. It's nothing new.

Open your photo in Adobe Photoshop (remember to have already color-graded this photo because after this edit, you'll end up with a JPG format).

Select the crop tool from the toolbar on your left and adjust the crop factor to 4:5.

Instead of cropping in, we'll crop out just to fit the frame inside our 4:5 cropped selection, then confirm the change.

Here's where the magic happens. Use the rectangular selection tool to choose just one side of the picture. Duplicate this area (It's a good idea to keep your background layer untouched in case something goes wrong and you need to go back to the original file - make it a habit).

As you may have noticed, we need to stretch our image just a bit. The most important thing is not to stretch elements with easily recognisable shapes, like people, cars, or animals.

In this example, a slight stretch of the gate and the trees behind will be hardly noticeable, and in my opinion, the gate even looks better after the stretch.

To stretch the image, use the Move Tool and hold Shift while stretching. Repeat the same on the other side.

That's it. You can now merge visible layers and export your picture.

I hope this quick fix will solve your problem with the annoying Instagram crop. When I learned about it, it blew my mind how simple and genius it is. If you didn't understand it from my step-by-step guide, don't worry - I've got you covered! You can find a screen recording of how I'm editing this photo below.