Why does the collage maker refuse to download and say the size is over the limit?
Because the computed size of your collage is above 40 megapixels, the output cap. Lower the “Output width (px)”, add columns, or choose a wider cell shape. The error message shows the dimensions and the megapixel count, so you know how far you need to come down before trying again.
How you got to that number
In the Image collage maker maker you type only the width; the tool works out the height from the column width, the cell shape and the number of rows. The catch is that both grow together: raising the width raises the height by the same ratio, so the pixel count grows with the square of the increase. With tall cells and many rows, the height ends up far larger than the width.
12 photos in 3 columns, a portrait 3:4 cell shape, gap 0 and an 8000 px width.
That is 4 rows and an output of 8000 × 14224, about 114 megapixels. It is nearly three times the cap, so the download button is disabled and the error appears.
The refusal is on purpose. An image that size can fail in the browser while drawing or come out incomplete, and it is better to know before downloading than to receive a broken file. The largest output we tested is 8000 × 4500 px, 36 megapixels, from 12 photos.
Three settings that bring you back under
- Lower the “Output width (px)”: with the same settings, a 4000 width gives 4000 × 7116, about 28 megapixels. A 4800 width is still just over (4800 × 8532), while 4700 gives 4700 × 8356, under the cap.
- Add “Columns”: 12 photos in 6 columns at 8000 wide become just two rows, 8000 × 3558, about 28 megapixels, without giving up any width.
- Pick a wider cell shape: 12 photos in 4 columns with a 4:3 cell at 8000 wide give 8000 × 4500, exactly 36 megapixels.
Do you need that size at all?
For most uses, no. An Instagram post or a picture you send on WhatsApp is viewed on a phone screen, where anything beyond roughly 2000 px wide makes no visible difference and only makes the file heavier and slower to send. Very large sizes make sense for big prints, such as a poster for a shop, and even then a width well below 8000 is usually enough.
If you are under the cap but the file is still heavy to upload, shrink it after downloading with the Image compressor. Compression cuts the file size in megabytes without changing the dimensions.
Do not confuse this with the input limits
- The 40 megapixel cap applies to the finished collage only.
- Each photo you add has its own limit: 40 MB and 50 megapixels. A photo above that is rejected when you add it, not when you download.
- The message “The width is too small for this gap and margin” is the opposite problem: the width is too narrow for the spacing you set.
Common questions
Are megapixels counted from the displayed dimensions?
Yes, width times height divided by a million. 8000 × 4500 is 36 megapixels.
Will a lower width cost me quality?
It lowers the pixel count of the file, but every photo is drawn from its original at the size its cell needs, so the result stays sharp at the new size.
Can my phone produce 36 megapixels?
That figure was tested on a computer. Phones with little memory can struggle with large outputs, so use a smaller width on mobile.