Why Pinterest Clips Your Pins in 2026 (And How to Fix Yours)

The correct Pinterest pin size in 2026 is 1000 x 1500 pixels, a 2:3 aspect ratio. Pinterest prioritizes this format in its algorithm and clips pins that fall outside it. If your pins are getting cut off in the feed, losing reach for no clear reason, or performing worse than expected, the image dimensions are almost certainly the problem.

What Is the Correct Pinterest Image Size in 2026?

The standard Pinterest pin size in 2026 is 1000 x 1500 pixels with a 2:3 aspect ratio. Pinterest gives this format priority in its algorithm over square, landscape, and extra-tall vertical images. Sticking to 2:3 is the single most reliable way to improve reach without changing anything else about your content.

Pinterest has enforced this specification more consistently in early 2026. Pins that fall significantly outside the 2:3 ratio, particularly those that go taller than 1:2.1 (approximately 1000 x 2100 pixels), are truncated in the feed. Users see a cropped preview and must tap to reveal the full image. Most users scroll past instead. The algorithm reads that lower interaction rate as a quality signal, and distribution drops. The 2:3 ratio fills the most vertical screen space on mobile without triggering the clipping penalty. Since 81% of Pinterest users browse on mobile, this matters far more than desktop display. Square pins and horizontal images receive significantly less engagement and reach less of the audience that would otherwise see them.

Why Is Pinterest Clipping Your Pins in the Feed?

Pinterest clips pins that exceed approximately a 1:2.1 aspect ratio. An image at 1000 x 2100 pixels is the outer limit of what displays in full. Go taller than that, and Pinterest cuts the image at the feed level. Users have to tap to see the rest, and most do not tap.

This behavior is not new, but Pinterest has applied it consistently throughout 2026 with no grace period for oversized images. The problem compounds over time: fewer saves lead to lower algorithmic distribution, which leads to even fewer saves. A single oversized upload can quietly underperform for weeks without the reason being obvious. The fix is straightforward. Crop to 1000 x 1500 before uploading. If your original photo is in landscape format, choose a vertical crop that focuses on the most important part of the image. Do not try to stretch or letterbox a horizontal photo into a vertical frame. Pinterest users respond to clean, intentional vertical framing, not images that look padded or distorted to fit the format.

What Are the Pinterest Image Sizes for Every Format?

Pinterest uses different dimensions for different content types. Standard pins use 1000 x 1500 pixels (2:3), Idea Pins use 1080 x 1920 pixels (9:16), and profile pictures display at 165 x 165 pixels in a circular crop. Knowing the right size for each format prevents clipping and keeps your content looking intentional across the platform.

Idea Pins and Story Pins

Idea Pins, which Pinterest previously called Story Pins, use a 9:16 aspect ratio at 1080 x 1920 pixels. This matches the full-screen vertical format on mobile. Keep the most important content, including text, faces, and products, within the central 1080 x 1420 pixel area. Pinterest overlays UI elements at the top and bottom of the screen that can cover content placed too close to the edges. Video Idea Pins use the same 9:16 ratio with a maximum file size of 2 gigabytes. Videos between 6 and 15 seconds perform best. Shorter videos loop automatically, which increases total view time. For Idea Pins with text overlays, use PNG format to keep text edges sharp, since JPG compression can blur text at smaller display sizes.

Square Pins, Carousel Pins, and Profile Images

Square pins use 1000 x 1000 pixels (1:1 ratio). They work in some product contexts but receive less algorithmic priority than vertical pins. Vertical 2:3 pins save at roughly 60 to 67% higher rates on mobile, so use the square format only when the image content genuinely does not work in portrait orientation. Carousel pins use 1000 x 1500 pixels per card and support up to five cards per carousel. Keep every card at the same dimensions for a consistent look in the feed. Profile pictures display at 165 x 165 pixels in a circular crop, so center faces or logos in the frame before uploading. Board covers use 600 x 600 pixels.

Does File Format and File Size Affect Your Pin Performance?

Yes. File format and file size both affect image quality and load time. Load time has a direct effect on mobile engagement. A pin that takes three or more seconds to display on a slow connection loses users before they have a chance to engage with the content. This translates directly into lower saves and reduced distribution.

Pinterest supports JPG, PNG, and WebP. JPG is the best choice for photographs. It compresses efficiently without visible quality loss at reasonable export settings. PNG is better for graphics, infographics, and images with text overlays because it preserves sharp edges. WebP offers smaller file sizes than either JPG or PNG at the same visual quality, which helps pins load faster on mobile. The absolute maximum file size for standard pins is 20 megabytes. In practice, anything over 5MB loads slowly on mobile data connections. Target 500 kilobytes to 1 megabyte for best performance. Export at 80 to 85% quality in most tools to reach this range without visible degradation at pin thumbnail sizes. Minimum pin width is 1000 pixels, and Pinterest gives reduced distribution to pins under 600 pixels wide.

How Do You Crop Images to the Right Pinterest Dimensions?

Crop your images to 1000 x 1500 pixels before uploading to Pinterest. Do not rely on Pinterest's built-in editor. Its crop tool is limited and does not give you precise control over which part of the image to preserve. Doing the crop yourself before upload takes about 30 seconds per image and guarantees the framing you want.

The most common challenge is landscape-oriented originals, the default output from most smartphones held horizontally. A landscape photo is wider than it is tall, and Pinterest is the opposite. You need to select a vertical slice of the image that works in portrait format. If you post the same image to multiple platforms, you need separate crops for each: 1000 x 1500 for Pinterest, 1080 x 1350 for Instagram feed posts (covered in our Instagram image sizes guide), and 1080 x 1920 for TikTok and Instagram Stories. That is three separate outputs from the same original file. Batch cropping handles this in one session. Cropix (cropix.app) runs entirely in your browser with built-in presets for Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Upload up to 10 images, select your platforms, and download a ZIP with every crop inside. Your photos are never uploaded to a server, and GPS and EXIF metadata are stripped automatically on every export.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Pinterest pin size in 2026? The best Pinterest pin size in 2026 is 1000 x 1500 pixels (2:3 aspect ratio). This is the format Pinterest's algorithm prioritizes for distribution. Vertical 2:3 pins receive about 60 to 67% more saves than square pins on mobile, where 81% of Pinterest users browse. If you standardize one thing about your Pinterest content, make it the 2:3 ratio. Every other dimension choice matters less than this one.

Why are my Pinterest pins getting cut off? Pinterest clips pins that exceed approximately a 1:2.1 aspect ratio, meaning any image taller than about 1000 x 2100 pixels appears cropped in the feed. Users must tap to see the full image, which reduces saves. Pinterest's algorithm interprets lower saves as a quality signal and reduces distribution. The result is a pin that quietly performs well below its potential. Crop to 1000 x 1500 before uploading to avoid this entirely.

Can I use the same image crop for Pinterest and Instagram? No. Pinterest standard pins use a 2:3 ratio (1000 x 1500 pixels), while Instagram feed posts use a 4:5 ratio (1080 x 1350 pixels). The same crop does not work for both, and forcing one format into the other will result in clipping on at least one platform. Tools like Cropix (cropix.app) let you batch crop one original image into multiple platform sizes in a single session, which removes the extra trips back and forth between editing tools. Visit cropix.app to see current plans.

What aspect ratio performs best on Pinterest in 2026? The 2:3 aspect ratio (1000 x 1500 pixels) is the highest-performing format on Pinterest. It receives algorithmic priority, fills the most screen space on mobile without being clipped, and saves at a significantly higher rate than square or landscape formats. Pins at more extreme vertical ratios such as 1:3 get clipped in the feed, which hurts engagement and distribution. Stick to 2:3 for every standard pin you create.

What file type should I use for Pinterest pins? Pinterest supports JPG, PNG, and WebP. Use JPG for photographs because it compresses efficiently and keeps file sizes manageable. Use PNG for graphics, infographics, and images with text overlays because it preserves sharp edges that JPG compression tends to blur. WebP offers the smallest file size for the same visual quality and is the best choice if your workflow supports it. Keep your final file under 1 megabyte when possible for fast loading on mobile connections.