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Pick the right mode before you start typing numbers
| Mode | What happens | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Stretch | The image is forced into the exact width and height. If the aspect ratio changes, the image visibly distorts. | You deliberately want a wide or tall effect, or the source ratio already matches. |
| Crop to fill | Scales up until the image covers the whole box, then trims the overflow from the centre. | You need an exact size without distortion. This is the right choice most of the time. |
| Fit inside | Scales down so the entire image fits inside the box, leaving empty space. | You need the whole image visible, such as a logo inside a fixed frame. |
Nine times out of ten, Crop to fill is what people actually mean when they say they want to resize an image. Stretch is the one that produces the squashed faces everyone regrets.
Common sizes you may need
| Where it is used | Pixels |
|---|---|
| Open Graph / Facebook link preview | 1200 × 630 |
| Instagram square post | 1080 × 1080 |
| Instagram Story / TikTok / Reels | 1080 × 1920 |
| YouTube thumbnail | 1280 × 720 |
| X / Twitter post image | 1600 × 900 |
| Pinterest pin | 1000 × 1500 |
| Email header | 600 × 200 |
About quality when enlarging
Reducing an image is essentially lossless in appearance. Enlarging is not: no algorithm can add detail that was never captured. This tool uses high-quality interpolation, which produces far cleaner results than the blocky nearest-neighbour scaling you get from naive tools, but a 500px photo enlarged to 2000px will still look soft. If you need to go larger, run the result through unpixelate image to recover perceived sharpness.
Two-step tip for the cleanest enlargement: resize to your target here first, then apply
detail recovery. Doing it in that order avoids double-softening the
image.
FAQ
How do I stretch an image to an exact size for free?
Upload the image, type the exact width and height in pixels, choose Stretch for a true
distortion or Crop to fill for an undistorted result, then download.
What is the difference between stretch, crop to fill and fit inside?
Stretch forces the image into the exact dimensions and distorts it. Crop to fill
scales until it covers the target box and trims the overflow, keeping the subject undistorted.
Fit inside scales the image to fit within the box and pads the remainder.
Will resizing make my image blurry?
Enlarging always reduces apparent sharpness, because no new detail exists. The tool uses high-quality
smoothing which gives a much cleaner result than nearest-neighbour, but a 500px photo cannot become a
crisp 2000px one.
Can I keep a specific aspect ratio?
Yes, in practice: choose Crop to fill and enter any width and height you like — the
subject stays undistorted whatever ratio you pick.
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