How to split an image for your Instagram grid
- Drop in one image. A portrait-shaped image works best for a 3×3 grid, because nine 3:4 tiles add up to a 3:4 picture.
- Set rows and columns. Keep 3 columns for Instagram. Use 1 row for a banner, 2 for a 3×2, or 3 for the classic nine-post puzzle.
- Choose the tile shape. 3:4 matches the profile grid exactly. Read below if you're unsure.
- Drag the preview to choose which part of the image is used, and zoom if you want a tighter crop. The badges show the order you'll post each tile in.
- Download the ZIP and post
post-1first, thenpost-2, and so on — one tile per post.
Why tiles are numbered backwards
Instagram puts your newest post in the top-left corner of your grid. So the tile you want in the top-left has to be posted last, and the bottom-right tile goes up first.
The ZIP's file names handle this for you. post-1-of-9_row3-col3 is the bottom-right tile, and post-9-of-9_row1-col1 is the top-left. Post in file-name order and the picture assembles itself.
3:4, 4:5, or square tiles?
Since early 2025, Instagram's profile grid shows each post as a 3:4 thumbnail (taller than wide) instead of a square. That changes the math for grid puzzles.
| Tile shape | Exported size | What the grid shows |
|---|---|---|
| 3:4 | 1080 × 1440 | The whole tile. Edges meet edges, so the puzzle lines up. |
| 4:5 | 1080 × 1350 | A center crop trimming about 34 px from each side. Small seams appear between columns. |
| 1:1 | 1080 × 1080 | A center crop trimming 135 px from each side — a quarter of every tile is lost. Only use it for older templates. |
Older grid splitters that still cut squares are the main reason "my puzzle doesn't line up anymore" posts started in 2025.
Before you post
- Unpin first. Pinned posts sit in the top-left slots and shift everything else along by one. Unpin them, or plan around them.
- Post in multiples of 3. Every later single post pushes the whole puzzle one slot to the right and breaks the rows. If you want to keep the picture intact, add new posts three at a time.
- Remember the gutters. The grid has thin white lines between thumbnails. Keep faces and small text away from tile edges. The preview draws these gutters so you can check.
- Post one test tile and look at it on your profile before posting the rest.