I am a photographer, what is the best resolution and export settings for photoshop?

[Yannis21]

I cannot find the best specifications in order to avoid the pixelation and compression that the platform is doing to the photos. On facebook the max. dimension of the long side of the photo is 2048 pixels. What is the specs for Airbnb? I cannot find any information online.

[Joan2709]

Hi @Yannis21 

Not alot of information out there regarding requirements for Airbnb photos. I do know the minimum pixel size is 1024x683 and landscape mode is preferred. Airbnb will crop photos to fit their format. Many some other Hosts out there can provide more info.

[Rebecca]

Hey @Yannis21 - What a great question! 

Thanks @Joan2709 for popping the minimum pixel size down too. 

I'll do some digging and see what I can find out! 🤔 

[Yannis21]

Thank you both for replying. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any official specifications about the ideal photo resolution for Airbnb either. It’s quite disappointing since I recently completed a photoshoot for a new host I referred, and I noticed that the photos look pixelized on a PC, though they appear fine on a phone. This inconsistency is troubling as it affects the overall quality of the listing.

Based on my experience and research, here are a few suggestions that might help improve the photo quality on Airbnb:

1. Resolution: While the minimum resolution is 1024x683 pixels, it's advisable to upload photos with a higher resolution to ensure better quality after Airbnb’s compression. A common recommendation is to use a resolution of at least 2048 pixels on the long side, similar to Facebook’s guidelines.

2. Aspect Ratio: Stick to a 3:2 aspect ratio (landscape mode) as Airbnb prefers landscape images. This can help avoid unwanted cropping.

3. File Format: Use JPEG format for uploading as it is widely supported and ensures a good balance between quality and file size.

4. Compression: Be mindful of the file size. Larger files may get compressed more aggressively by Airbnb. Aim for a balance between file size and quality, keeping the file size under 2MB if possible.

5. Export Settings in Photoshop: When exporting from Photoshop, use the "Save for Web" option and set the quality to 80-90%. This should help maintain a good balance between quality and file size.

6. Color Profile: Use sRGB color profile for consistency across different devices and browsers.

I'll continue to look for more detailed specifications and best practices. If anyone has further insights or tips, please share them here!

Thanks again for the help, and I hope we can collectively improve the visual appeal of our listings.

[Joan2709]

Thank you so much @Yannis21 !

That is great info! Wish Airbnb provided more information on this topic as well, as they always mention quality photos are key to a listing's success.

[Yannis21]

So weird today I got a "TASK" for my listing to refresh my photos. 🤡 - Can Airbnb share with us hosts the magic numbers behind the resolution and settings to avoid compression while exporting from Lightroom or Photoshop for the listing photos? Sorry Airbnb. I AM a photographer.

[Joan2709]

@Yannis21 

I Luv  your photos!  They are excellent quality and don't see the need to "refresh" them. The only thing I noticed is you don't have many photos on either listing? Perhaps the AI is looking for a minimum number of photos? Generally 25-35 photos is the average. Just guessing here. Maybe add a few more photos to each listing?

I did notice your bed count was not including the sofa bed? (I only looked at the one listing):

It says you have 1 bed, but you actually have 2 beds including the sofa bed. Go to the photo of the sofa bed and add "sleeping arrangements - sofa bed" to the photo to update the bed count on the sub-title and add the photo of the sofa bed to the "Where You'll Sleep" section on the iisting.

BTW...thank you so much for the previous post about photos! It was excellent!