A group photo fits the square upload box, but everyone looks unusually tall. The file has the requested dimensions; the picture has lost its proportions. Changing width and height independently can cause this even when the export succeeds.
Aspect ratio describes the relationship between width and height. Adobe’s resizing guidance includes a control that keeps this relationship fixed. Look for a similar linked-dimensions or preserve-proportions option in your editor.
Choose what the square should contain
Here is a worked example, with dimensions in pixels. A 4000 × 3000 photo has a 4:3 ratio. To produce a 1200 × 1200 square, you have two useful choices:
- Crop a 3000 × 3000 square from the original, then reduce it to 1200 × 1200. You lose some of the scene at the sides; position the crop deliberately.
- Reduce the whole picture to 1200 × 900 and place it on a 1200 × 1200 canvas. Centring it leaves 150 pixels above and below.
Forcing the original directly to 1200 × 1200 changes its shape. More pixels in the output box do not compensate for distorted faces or products.
Check the destination, not just the editor
Work on a copy. Inspect every edge for hands, captions and objects that explain the picture. If those details matter, margins may be preferable to a tighter crop.
Open the exported file, then inspect the upload preview: a website may crop it again. Compare familiar shapes with the original. Keep the larger source so the next banner or portrait layout does not have to start from this square.