Instagram has expanded the aspect ratios available for posting photos on its platform to include 3:4, so that photos taken on most phones will no longer be cropped when uploaded.
In addition to 3:4, photos can also be uploaded in square (1:1) or rectangular (4:5) formats, and all three ratios can be used in carousels, where users can upload multiple photos that then appear in a swipeable format.
The change reflects a move away from the square format that Instagram historically favoured and which it used for its profile grids, to more frequent use of vertical images, as reflected in the previous change to the profile grid display.
It is likely that this latest change, with more flexible options for uploading photos, will be welcomed by regular users and brands that use Instagram for marketing purposes.