Pinterest Pin Size: The Image, Video and Ad Dimensions to Use

All the numbers below come from Pinterest's own ad spec page. Most of them apply to ordinary Pins too, because Pinterest's standard image and video formats can be used for organic Pins as well as ads.

Pinterest image Pin size at a glance

Spec	Pinterest's guidance
Recommended size	1000 x 1500 pixels
Aspect ratio	2:3 (taller Pins might get cut off in feeds)
File type	PNG or JPEG
Max file size	20 MB on desktop, 32 MB in the app
Title	Up to 100 characters; the first 40 may show in feeds
Description	Up to 800 characters; not shown in the feed, but used for relevance

Pinterest video Pin size

Spec	Standard width video
File type	MP4, MOV or M4V
Encoding	H.264 or H.265
Max file size	Up to 2GB
Length	4 seconds to 15 minutes (6 to 15 seconds recommended for video ads)
Aspect ratio	Shorter than 1:2 and taller than 1.91:1; Pinterest recommends 1:1, 2:3, 4:5 or 9:16

Max width video ads, which stretch across the whole feed on mobile, are paid-only and can't be taller than a 1:1 square.

Do these specs apply to normal Pins or only ads?

Both, for the main formats. Pinterest's spec page says standard image ads, standard width video ads, carousel ads, collections ads and Idea ads can all be used in paid campaigns or to generate organic impressions. Max width video and Showcase ads are the paid-only exceptions. The ad formats need a business account and are built in Pinterest's PinBuilder for Ads, the bulk editor or Ads Manager, but the 2:3 image and video rules are the same ones you should follow for everyday Pins.

Why 2:3 beats a taller image

It's tempting to make a very long graphic so it takes up more of the screen. Pinterest's spec page says Pins with an aspect ratio greater than 2:3 might get cut off in people's feeds, so the bottom of a long infographic can simply disappear. Design at 1000 x 1500 and keep the important text and logo well inside the frame.

Colours and backgrounds: the hidden changes

Two details on Pinterest's spec page explain why a Pin can look slightly different once it's live:

• Format conversion: every uploaded image is converted to a standard 8-bit RGB JPEG. Pinterest recommends uploading PNG files in sRGB to avoid losing quality, and says custom colour profiles aren't supported.
• White and black backgrounds: Pinterest adds a faint colour layer to image Pins with white or black backgrounds in the home feed, so they stand out from the app background. A faint dark layer goes on white Pins in light mode, and a faint white layer on black Pins in dark mode. Videos aren't affected.

So if your brand colours matter, export in sRGB and avoid pure white or pure black backgrounds.

Pinterest ad sizes

If you run ads, each format has its own rules. Pinterest's page lists these:

Ad format	Size and limits
Standard image ad	2:3 recommended (1000 x 1500); PNG or JPEG; 20 MB desktop, 32 MB in app
Carousel ad	2 to 5 images, each 1:1 or 2:3, up to 20 MB per image
Collections ad	One hero image or video plus secondary images (3 or more recommended, up to 24); images 1:1 or 2:3, up to 10MB
Idea ad	9:16 recommended at 1080 x 1920 for full-screen; videos up to 5 minutes; title 100 characters, on-page text 250
Shopping ad	Same specs as standard image and video ads
Max width video ad	Paid only; no taller than 1:1

For Idea ads, Pinterest also gives safe zones: keep text and key elements away from the top 270 pixels, the left 65, the right 195 and the bottom 440, so people can see them easily on any device.

Character limits that affect how your Pin looks

• Titles: up to 100 characters, but depending on the device only the first 40 may show. For Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic and other double-byte languages, Pinterest says only the first 30 show.
• No title: if you leave it blank and there's no rich Pin title, nothing shows in its place in the feed.
• Descriptions: up to 800 characters. They don't appear in the home feed or search feed, but Pinterest uses them to decide who sees the Pin.

Every Pin needs a board to live on, and my list of boards worth starting helps you decide how to organise them.

Quick checklist before you upload

1. Canvas set to 1000 x 1500 pixels (2:3).
2. Exported as PNG in sRGB, under 20 MB.
3. Key text and logo inside the frame, not at the very bottom.
4. Background that isn't pure white or pure black, if colour accuracy matters.
5. Title with the main words in the first 40 characters.
6. A plain-English description filled in.

If you design in Canva, my guide to Canva sizes for every platform lists the presets. Then follow my steps on how to create a Pin on Pinterest to upload it. For board covers, my guide on changing a Pinterest board cover walks through it on desktop and mobile.

My verdict

Use 1000 x 1500 pixels for every image Pin and 2:3 or 9:16 for video, and you'll rarely go wrong. The two things most people miss are on Pinterest's own spec page: very tall Pins get cut off, and pure white or black backgrounds get a tint added. Design for the 2:3 frame, export in sRGB, and put your words in the first 40 characters of the title.

Size is only half of getting a Pin seen, and my guide to getting Pins found in Pinterest search covers the rest.

Frequently asked questions

What size should a Pinterest Pin be?

Pinterest recommends 1000 x 1500 pixels, a 2:3 aspect ratio. Pins taller than 2:3 might get cut off in people's feeds.

What is the best aspect ratio for Pinterest video?

Pinterest recommends square (1:1) or vertical (2:3, 4:5 or 9:16) videos. Standard videos must be shorter than 1:2 and taller than 1.91:1.

What is the maximum file size for a Pinterest image?

Pinterest's spec page lists 20 MB on desktop and 32 MB in the app for standard image Pins, in PNG or JPEG format.

How long can a Pinterest Pin title be?

Up to 100 characters, but only the first 40 or so may show in feeds depending on the device.