A magnetoresistive sensor having a pinned layer that extends beyond the free layer in the stripe height direction for improved shape enhanced pinning. The sensor includes hard bias layers and leads that extend in the stripe height direction beyond the stripe height of the free layer, providing increased conductive material for improved conduction of sense current to the sensor. The hard bias layers contact the sensor stack in the region between the ABS and the stripe height of the free layer, but are electrically insulated from the pinned layer in regions beyond the stripe height of the free layer by a layer of conformally deposited non-magnetic, electrically insulating material such as alumina.