How to View an Instagram Profile Picture in Full Size
Instagram only shows profile photos as small circles. Here's how to view an Instagram profile picture in full size, save it, and why it may still look blurry.
By StoryLurk Editorial Team4 min read
The short answer
Yes, you can view an Instagram profile picture in full size if the account is public. Instagram shows the photo as a small circle, but it also stores a bigger copy. To see it, open the full-size profile picture in a profile viewer: type the username, and it loads the largest version Instagram makes available. Then tap Download to keep it.
Why Instagram shows profile photos as tiny circles
The same profile photo appears next to every comment, in search results and in the row of stories. To keep all of that loading fast, Instagram sends a small copy of the photo, even at the top of the profile.
The circle is just a frame. Underneath, the photo is square, and the bigger copy is still there. Instagram simply doesn't give you a button to open it.
Method 1: open the photo in a browser
This shows the photo on its own, but not any bigger.
On a computer: go to instagram.com/ plus the username, and close the sign-up box if one pops up. Right-click the profile photo and choose Open Image in New Tab.
On a phone: the Instagram app won't open a profile photo at a bigger size. Open instagram.com/username in Safari or Chrome instead, then press and hold the photo. If a menu appears, open the image in a new tab.
Either way, you get the same small copy, and zooming in only makes it blurry. Our guide to viewing Instagram stories without an account covers what else you can see on instagram.com without logging in.
Method 2: use a viewer to get the largest available version
A profile viewer looks up the account for you, including the bigger copy of the photo.
- Open the Instagram profile viewer.
- Type the username, or paste the profile link, and tap Search.
- The photo appears at the top, with the name, bio and follower counts.
You don't need an Instagram account, and there's nothing to sign up for. It only works for public accounts. If you also want to see what they posted today, the Instagram story viewer on our home page works the same way.
No result? Check the spelling. People change their usernames, so an old link may point to a name that no longer exists.
Here's what each way gets you:
| Screenshot | Open Image in New Tab | Profile viewer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you get | The small circle, corners cut off | The small square copy | The largest version Instagram makes available |
| Bigger than what Instagram shows? | No | No | Yes |
How to save the photo in HD
Tap Download HD photo under the photo. The file is named after the account, so it's easy to find later.
- iPhone: Safari saves it to the Files app, in Downloads. Open it there, tap the share button and choose Save Image to put it in Photos.
- Android: Chrome saves it to the Download folder, and your gallery app should show it.
- Computer: it goes to your usual downloads folder.
Why the photo sometimes still looks blurry
Even the biggest copy can look blurry. The usual reasons:
- The original was small. If the owner uploaded a small or low-quality picture, there's no extra detail to show.
- Instagram shrinks files. It saves photos at lower quality to keep them small, which costs some sharpness.
- It was cut from a bigger picture. A face cropped out of a group photo was never very sharp.
- You zoomed in too far. Any photo blurs once you stretch it past its real size.
What you can't get
- Private accounts. Anyone can see a private account's small profile photo on Instagram, but StoryLurk doesn't open private accounts, so you can't get the bigger copy here.
- Old profile photos. Once someone changes their photo, the old one is gone. StoryLurk keeps profile details for up to a day, so a brand-new photo can take a while to show up.
Be wary of any site that promises more, especially one that asks for your Instagram password.
FAQ
Will they know I looked at their profile picture?
No. Instagram doesn't tell people who views their profile, and StoryLurk never uses your Instagram account. Our privacy policy explains what we do keep.
How can I tell I've found the right account?
Check that the username matches exactly, since many accounts use similar names. Then look at the name, bio, follower count and whether there's a blue check.
Do I need to install anything?
No. It works in Safari, Chrome and other browsers, on phones and computers.
Can I use someone's profile picture?
You can save it to look at. It still belongs to the person who posted it, so ask before you use it anywhere else.
Try it yourself
Put this guide into practice with our free Instagram story viewer: no login, no account and nothing saved about your searches.