YouTube Image Sizes 2026: Banner, Profile, Thumbnail
Every image YouTube asks you for has its own size, and two of them changed in 2026: thumbnails can now be 4K and up to 50 MB, and Shorts got their own vertical thumbnail size. Here they all are in one table, checked against YouTube's own help pages in November 2026, with what each one looks like on a TV, a computer and a phone.
Quick answer
Banner: 2560 × 1440, under 6 MB, with text inside the middle 1546 × 423. Profile picture: 800 × 800, shown as a 98 × 98 circle. Thumbnail: 3840 × 2160 (16:9), up to 50 MB from a computer or 2 MB from the phone app. Shorts thumbnail: 2160 × 3840 (9:16).
Every YouTube Image Size at a Glance
| Image | Upload size (px) | Shape | Max file size | Formats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Channel banner | 2560 × 1440 (at least 2048 × 1152) | 16:9 | 6 MB | JPG, PNG |
| Profile picture | 800 × 800 (shows at 98 × 98) | 1:1, shown round | 15 MB | JPG, PNG, BMP, still GIF |
| Video thumbnail | 3840 × 2160 (at least 640 wide) | 16:9 | 50 MB from a computer, 2 MB from the app | JPG, PNG |
| Shorts thumbnail | 2160 × 3840 (at least 640 tall) | 9:16 | 50 MB from a computer | JPG, PNG |
| Podcast / playlist cover | 1280 × 1280 | 1:1 | 50 MB from a computer, 10 MB from the app | JPG, PNG |
| Video watermark | At least 150 × 150 | 1:1 | Under 1 MB | Image file |
| Post image | 1080 × 1080 suggested | 1:1 suggested | 16 MB | JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP |
| Video | 3840 × 2160 (4K) or 1920 × 1080 | 16:9 (9:16 for Shorts) | 256 GB or 12 hours | MP4 and most video files |
Each name links to the YouTube help page it comes from. To resize any image to these sizes, or shrink it under a file size limit, drop it into the free image converter. It runs in your browser, so nothing is uploaded.
YouTube Banner Size (2560 × 1440)
YouTube's help page asks for a banner of at least 2048 × 1152 pixels and recommends 2560 × 1440, "especially for TV", at 6 MB or smaller. The same image is used on every device, but each one shows a different part of it.
The Banner Safe Area, Explained
The safe area is the part every screen shows, so it's where your name, text and logo belong. YouTube's help page gives it as 1235 × 338 pixels, but that's measured on the 2048 × 1152 minimum. On a 2560 × 1440 banner the same box is 1546 × 423 pixels, centred. That's why guides disagree: both numbers are right, for different image sizes.
| Screen | What it shows of a 2560 × 1440 banner |
|---|---|
| TV | The whole image, 2560 × 1440 |
| Computer | A wide strip across the middle, up to 2560 × 423 |
| Phone and tablet | About the middle 1546 × 423 (the safe area) |
Fix a Cropped or Blurry Banner
- Text cut off on phones: move it inside the centre 1546 × 423 and leave the rest as background.
- Blurry: the image was smaller than 2560 × 1440 and YouTube stretched it. Export it at full size.
- Won't upload: it's over 6 MB, usually a big PNG. Save it as a JPG at 85–90% quality in the image converter; type 2560 × 1440 as the size.
- Wrong shape: anything that isn't 16:9 gets cropped. Start from a 2560 × 1440 canvas.
YouTube Profile Picture Size
Upload a square image, under 15 MB, as a JPG, PNG, BMP or GIF (animated GIFs aren't allowed). YouTube no longer gives a recommended size, only that it "renders at 98 x 98 px", but 800 × 800 is a good choice: it's the largest copy YouTube keeps and stays sharp on big screens. It's shown as a circle, so keep faces and logos in the middle and leave out small text, which turns to mush at 98 pixels.
YouTube Thumbnail Size: the 2026 Update
For years the rule was 1280 × 720 and 2 MB. In early 2026 YouTube's thumbnail guidelines changed to:
- 3840 × 2160 for videos (16:9), at least 640 pixels wide.
- 2160 × 3840 for Shorts (9:16), at least 640 pixels tall.
- Up to 50 MB uploaded from a computer, but still 2 MB from the phone app.
- JPG or PNG. GIF is no longer on the list.
Two catches. First, your channel has to be verified to use custom thumbnails at all. Second, the 4K file is for big screens: when anyone saves a thumbnail, the largest copy YouTube hands out is still 1280 × 720. You can check every size YouTube makes for any video, and see how your own design looks in the feed, with the YouTube thumbnail downloader.
One more rule for vertical videos: if a vertical video has a 16:9 custom thumbnail, YouTube swaps in an automatic 4:5 thumbnail on the Home, Explore and Subscriptions pages.
YouTube Shorts Sizes
Shorts are vertical or square videos up to 3 minutes long. Film and export them at 1080 × 1920 (9:16), the highest resolution the app takes.
For the thumbnail, the YouTube app lets you pick a frame from your Short. Uploading your own 2160 × 3840 image is done in YouTube Studio on a computer, and since July 2026 it has been rolling out, starting with channels in the YouTube Partner Program. The image converter has a 1080 × 1920 preset for vertical images.
Podcast and Playlist Covers
YouTube recommends 1280 × 1280 pixels for a podcast's square thumbnail, up to 10 MB from the app or 50 MB from a computer. If you already have 3000 × 3000 album or podcast art, the album cover size checker crops it square and resizes it.
Watermark and Post Images
Video watermark: the small subscribe button in the corner of your videos. Use a square image of at least 150 × 150 pixels, under 1 MB; a PNG with a transparent background looks cleanest.
Post images: up to 16 MB each, as a JPG, PNG, GIF or WebP, and up to 10 per post. YouTube suggests square (1:1), such as 1080 × 1080, because that's how they show in the feed.
Video Resolution and File Size
Upload videos at 16:9 on a computer, from 1280 × 720 (720p) through 1920 × 1080 (1080p) to 3840 × 2160 (4K), as listed on YouTube's resolution page. One file can be up to 256 GB or 12 hours long, whichever comes first. YouTube's recommended bitrates decide how big the file gets; the video file size calculator works it out from the length and resolution.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a YouTube banner?
Upload it at 2560 × 1440 pixels (16:9), under 6 MB. The smallest YouTube accepts is 2048 × 1152. Keep text and logos in the middle 1546 × 423 pixels, the part every device shows.
What is the YouTube banner safe area: 1546 × 423 or 1235 × 338?
Both. They're the same centre box measured on two image sizes: 1546 × 423 on a 2560 × 1440 banner, and 1235 × 338 on the 2048 × 1152 minimum that YouTube's help page uses. Use the one that matches the size you design at.
Why does my YouTube banner look cropped on mobile?
Phones only show a strip across the middle of the banner, about the size of the safe area, while TVs show the whole image. Anything outside the centre 1546 × 423 pixels (on a 2560 × 1440 banner) gets cut off on some screens.
What size should a YouTube profile picture be?
Upload a square image of at least 800 × 800 pixels, under 15 MB, as a JPG, PNG, BMP or still GIF. YouTube shows it as a circle as small as 98 × 98 pixels, so keep the important part in the middle and skip small text.
What size is a YouTube thumbnail in 2026?
YouTube recommends 3840 × 2160 pixels (16:9), at least 640 pixels wide, as a JPG or PNG. It can be up to 50 MB uploaded from a computer, or 2 MB from the phone app. Before 2026 the advice was 1280 × 720 and 2 MB.
Can YouTube thumbnails be 4K?
Yes, you can upload a 3840 × 2160 thumbnail, and YouTube shows sharper versions on big screens. The largest copy anyone can download is still 1280 × 720.
What size is a YouTube Shorts thumbnail?
2160 × 3840 pixels (9:16), at least 640 pixels tall. In the YouTube app you choose a frame from the Short; uploading your own image is done in YouTube Studio on a computer and has been rolling out since July 2026, starting with Partner Program channels.
Why can't I upload a custom thumbnail?
Your channel has to be verified (a phone check in YouTube Studio) to use custom thumbnails. On a phone the image must also be 2 MB or smaller; from a computer you can upload up to 50 MB.
What size is a YouTube watermark?
A square image of at least 150 × 150 pixels, under 1 MB. It shows in the corner of your videos on computers and on phones in landscape.
What size are YouTube post images?
Square images work best, such as 1080 × 1080, because that's how posts show in the feed. Each image can be up to 16 MB, as a JPG, PNG, GIF or WebP, and one post can have up to 10.
Wrapping Up 👋
Make the banner 2560 × 1440 with the important bits in the middle, the profile picture 800 × 800, and thumbnails 3840 × 2160, kept under 2 MB if you upload from your phone. Then check how a thumbnail reads at feed size before you publish: it's the one image that decides whether people click.
