How to pull off the 9-square Instagram grid
The "Giant Square" look is a classic. It turns your profile into a massive canvas, but the posting order is where most people mess up. Here's a quick rundown of how to do it right.
Wait, what is a 3x3 grid?
It's taking one panorama and splitting it into 9 squares. When someone visits your profile, those squares line up to form one giant image. It's a great way to make a big announcement or show off a high-res landscape.
The Specs
Ideal Size
- • Total size: 3240 × 3240 px
- • Single square: 1080 × 1080 px
- • Minimum: 1200 px wide per square
The Ratio
- • Total posts: 9
- • 3 rows by 3 columns
- • Each part is a perfect square
How to do it
Pick your panorama
Landscapes or cityscapes are the obvious choice, but wide illustrations work great too. Just make sure the photo has enough detail to still look good when it's zoomed in 9 times.
Split it with SplitX
Drop your image onto our homepage and pick 3x3. We'll show you exactly where the grid lines fall. Check if you're cutting through someone's eyes or an important word.
Download the parts
You'll get 9 files. I recommend dragging them into a new folder on your phone or desktop so you don't lose track of which is which.
The Reverse Post Trick
This is where people get stuck. Instagram fills your profile from the bottom-right corner.
Crucial Step: Start with #9
Post #9 first, then #8, then #7... and finish with #1. If you don't do this, your top-left corner will end up at the bottom.
Posting Order:
A few things to keep in mind
Commit to the 9
Try to post all 9 images in one go. If you wait a day between posts, your grid will look broken for anyone who visits your profile in the meantime.
Center the action
Place the "hero" of your photo in the middle square (#5). That way the main focus is surrounded by the rest of the panorama.
📚 Related Guides
Ready to try it?
It's free, private, and works right in your browser.
Open the Splitter