> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.letmepost.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# instagram.media.aspect_ratio

> Instagram rejects media that's outside its supported aspect-ratio range. Caught at container-finalize time.

## What it checks

The IG container reports an aspect-ratio rejection when the media's width/height ratio is outside `0.8..1.91` for feed posts, or not `9:16` for Reels. Detection happens at the container status-poll step — preflight surfaces the rule when Meta reports it.

## Why we don't check it statically

Verifying the aspect ratio requires reading image dimensions or ffprobe-style video introspection. We don't do that in the API hot path; instead we let Meta run its own check and translate the response into this rule.

## Failure response

```json theme={"system"}
{
  "error": {
    "code": "preflight_failed",
    "rule": "instagram.media.aspect_ratio",
    "platform": "instagram",
    "message": "Instagram rejected the container — media aspect ratio is outside the accepted range.",
    "remediation": "Crop or pad to a 4:5..1.91:1 ratio for feed posts, or 9:16 for Reels."
  }
}
```

## Remediation

For a feed image, the safest target is **1:1** (1080×1080). Reels: **9:16** (1080×1920).

```sh theme={"system"}
# Pad a wide image to 1:1
magick input.jpg -gravity center -background white -extent 1080x1080 output.jpg

# Crop a 16:9 video to 9:16
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "crop=ih*9/16:ih,scale=1080:1920" -c:a copy output.mp4
```

## Related

* [`instagram.media.mime_allowed`](/preflight/instagram-media-mime_allowed)
* [`instagram.media.reachable`](/preflight/instagram-media-reachable) — the 2207052 sibling.