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Create beautiful, cohesive highlight covers for your Instagram profile. Free ideas, size guide, and step-by-step instructions.
Cover Specifications
Size
1080 × 1920 px
Aspect Ratio
9:16
Visible Area
Circle (center)
Format
PNG or JPEG
Travel
Food
Fitness
Tips
Music
Work
Home
Favorites
Tip: Pick a consistent style—all emoji, all minimal icons, or all photo-based covers
Use Canva, Adobe Express, or any design tool. Size should be 1080 x 1920 pixels (9:16 ratio). Add an icon or text in the center.
Upload the cover image as an Instagram Story. It doesn't need to be public—you can set it to Close Friends only.
Go to your profile, tap the highlight you want to edit (or create new), select 'Edit Highlight', then 'Edit Cover'.
Choose the cover image from your story archive. Adjust the position so the icon is centered in the circle.
Keep icons centered
Only the center circle is visible on your profile
Use consistent colors
Match your brand or feed aesthetic
Simple is better
Detailed images get lost in the small circle
Test before finalizing
Preview how it looks on your actual profile
Curating your profile?
Beautiful highlights attract followers—but who's engaging with your content? See who unfollowed you and who your real audience is.
Check your followersInstagram highlight covers should be 1080 x 1920 pixels with a 9:16 aspect ratio (same as Stories). However, only a circular portion in the center will be visible on your profile, so place your icon or design element in the middle of the image.
You need to post the cover as a Story first, but you can immediately delete it after adding it to your highlight. Alternatively, post it to Close Friends only so it's not visible to your followers. The image will remain in your story archive for you to use.
Yes! Go to the highlight, tap 'More' (three dots), select 'Edit Highlight', then 'Edit Cover'. You can choose any image from your existing stories in that highlight or from your camera roll (on some accounts).
Canva is the most popular free option with thousands of templates. Other good options include Adobe Express, Unfold, and Over. For simple icon-based covers, even the Instagram story editor itself works well with stickers and backgrounds.
Choose a consistent style: same background color, same icon style (outline, filled, or emoji), and same positioning. Create all covers at once in the same design session to ensure consistency. Many Canva templates come as matching sets.
This usually happens when the image is too small or too compressed. Always use 1080 x 1920 pixels and export as high-quality PNG or JPEG. Avoid screenshots of covers—always use the original file.