The aesthetic beauty of a photograph, captured in the blink of an eye, is a treasure to behold. You spend hours capturing photos that should please the viewers and give them the feeling that they are literally there. But where does the beauty go when we upload it to Instagram? All the magic fades, the colors dull, the image is compressed, and you are left with nothing but a photo with ruined quality. Why does Instagram ruin photo quality? In this blog post, we will try to find out why Instagram ruins photo quality. Also, we will try to find out some solutions to fix the issue.
5 Reasons Why Instagram Ruin Photo-Quality
Without wasting any time, let’s directly discuss the five reasons why Instagram ruins photo quality.
1. Compression Algorithms
The first reason behind the ruined photo quality on Instagram is the use of compression algorithms. Instagram uses a variety of compression algorithms to reduce the size of images uploaded to the platform. It is done to optimize the performance of the app. However, it affects the quality of the image when uploaded on Instagram.
2. Resolution Effect
Secondly, when we upload an image on Instagram with a higher resolution than the supported ratio, it reduces the resolution of our photos. As a result, the image quality is compressed and compromised. The highest resolution of photos that Instagram supports is 1080 pixels wide by 1350 pixels tall. Any image that has a higher resolution than this will appear blurry on Instagram.
3. Aspect Ratio
Instagram uses a fixed aspect ratio for images. Any image that does not fit that standard will be cropped. The different aspect ratios that Instagram uses are 1.91:1 and 4:5. When we upload images on Instagram, images greater than the aforementioned aspect ratio will be cropped and compressed automatically. As a result, the quality of our photos is ruined on Instagram.
4. Image Format Conversion
Fourthly, the quality of our images on Instagram is ruined because of the image format conversion. Instagram, by default, compresses pictures to JPEG format, which is a compressed format. This compression leads to poor-quality images.
5. Internet Connection
You might not have noticed, but the poor quality of the Internet connection also sometimes ruins the quality of images when we upload them on Instagram. When we upload images while using a slow internet connection, Instagram compresses the image quality to upload it faster and use less data. This compression results in the poor quality of images on Instagram.
How To Fix The Ruined Image Quality On Instagram
The good news is that we can fix the ruined image quality. Below, we have shared some methods you can use to fix the problem of blurry images on Instagram.
1. Fix Instagram Data Settings
The first thing we can do to fix the ruined quality of images on Instagram is to adjust the data settings on Instagram. Here is how you can do it.
- First, open your Instagram, and then tap on your profile icon.
- In the second step, tap on three horizontal lines and then tap on Settings and Privacy.
- In the next step, scroll down and tap on Data Usage and Media Quality.
- Here, you will see “Upload at High-quality.”
- Tap on the toggle bar to the right.
Now, when you upload images on Instagram, they will be uploaded in high quality without any compression.
2. Upload Your Photos Using A Laptop Or Computer
Upload your photos to Instagram using your laptop or computer instead of your mobile phone. Uploading images on Instagram while using DeskTop does not compress the images as much as uploading them on mobile phones. Give it a try, and let us know in the comments section if it works for you.
3. Don’t Over-Edit Your Images
Sometimes, we over-edit our images before uploading them to Instagram, and as a result, the quality of the images is ruined. It looks blurry and dull. Whenever you upload an image on Instagram, make sure that you have not over-edited it. Otherwise, it will be compressed and not look appealing.
4. Use Third-Party Apps For Good Quality
Last but not least, use third-party apps for compressing the image without sacrificing quality. By using third-party apps, you can resize the image, adjust the aspect ratio, and correct the resolution without affecting the quality of the image. Some third-party apps you can use are Lightroom, VSCO, and Snapspeed.
FAQS:
Yes, Instagram can reduce the quality of every photo. It does this to reduce data usage and improve performance. You can minimize the quality loss by uploading high-resolution photos using the JPEG format.
The best aspect ratio for uploading photos on Instagram is 4:5. If someone uploads a photo with an aspect ratio different than that, it may be cropped, affecting the quality.
The JPEG format is the best format for uploading photos on Instagram. After compression by Instagram, it does not lose its quality as compared to other formats like PNG or TIFF.
Yes, we have a number of other options to share our high-quality photos online. Some of the popular options are Flicker, SmugMug, and 500px.
Sum Up
Today, Instagram is one of the leading social media platforms for sharing photos and videos. It attracts thousands of social media users each day. This is the reason that Instagram currently has 2.35 billion monthly active users. But when it comes to uploading photos on Instagram, many users have complained about the poor photo quality when they upload images. The main reasons behind this are Instagram compression algorithms, aspect ratios, and the resolution Instagram uses for its photos. However, it can be fixed by applying the aforementioned methods.
