YouTube · Updated October 5, 2026

YouTube banner size (2026): 2560 × 1440 px

A YouTube channel banner should be 2560 × 1440 pixels, a 16:9 ratio, as a file of 6 MB or smaller. The minimum is 2048 × 1152, and only a thin strip in the middle shows on every device, so keep text and logos inside about 1546 × 423 px at the center.

Last verified October 5, 2026 against YouTube Help: manage your channel branding. All sources.

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2560 × 1440 px · JPG · add an image

Channel banner (recommended)
2560 × 1440px
Ratio 16:9
Source: YouTube Help: manage your channel branding
Minimum upload size
2048 × 1152px
Ratio 16:9
Source: YouTube Help: manage your channel branding
Safe area at 2560 × 1440
1546 × 423px
Ratio about 3.65:1
Source: Async: YouTube banner size
Safe area at 2048 × 1152
1235 × 338px
Ratio about 3.65:1
Source: YouTube Help: manage your channel branding

YouTube banner size: every format and limit

YouTube banner size specs by format. Each number was checked against the linked source on October 5, 2026.
FormatSize (px)RatioMinimum / maximumFile types and limitSource
Channel banner (recommended)YouTube's recommended dimension, which it says matters especially for TV. Its banner guidelines list no file types; third-party guides report JPG, PNG, BMP or non-animated GIF.2560 × 144016:9Min: 2048 × 1152 pxMax: 6 MBNot statedLimit: 6 MBYouTube Help: manage your channel brandingPlatform's own page
Minimum upload sizeYouTube calls this the minimum dimension for upload. At this size its official text and logo safe area is 1235 × 338 px.2048 × 115216:9Not statedNot statedLimit: 6 MBYouTube Help: manage your channel brandingPlatform's own page
Safe area at 2560 × 1440The area reported as visible on every device, centered on the banner. YouTube's 1235 × 338 safe area scaled by 1.25 is 1544 × 423; third-party guides publish 1546 × 423, 2 px wider.1546 × 423about 3.65:1Not statedNot statedAsync: YouTube banner sizeSecondary source
Safe area at 2048 × 1152The only safe-area size printed on YouTube's help page, for a banner at the minimum size.1235 × 338about 3.65:1Not statedNot statedYouTube Help: manage your channel brandingPlatform's own page
Desktop strip (reported)Third-party guides report that desktop browsers show this full-width strip. Tablets are reported at 1855 × 423.2560 × 423about 6.05:1Not statedNot statedAsync: YouTube banner sizeSecondary source

Safe zones and crops

Drawn to scale from the numbers above. Dashed boxes mark what stays visible; hatched areas are cut or covered.

What each device shows of a 2560 × 1440 banner

What each device shows of a 2560 × 1440 bannerFrame 2560 by 1440 pixels. Covered area: TV only, 2560 by 508 pixels at x 0, y 0. Covered area: TV only, 2560 by 509 pixels at x 0, y 931. Safe area: Tablet (reported): 1855 wide, 1855 by 423 pixels at x 353, y 508. Safe area: Mobile: 1546 × 423, put text here, 1546 by 423 pixels at x 507, y 508.2560 px1440 pxTV onlyTV onlyTablet (reported): 1855 wide
  • TV only
  • Tablet (reported): 1855 wide
  • Mobile: 1546 × 423, put text here
Desktop shows the full-width strip (about 2560 × 423), tablets a narrower one, and phones the narrowest. Only the center strip is shown everywhere. These per-device widths come from third-party guides, not YouTube.

How YouTube shows your image

  • One file is shown on every device and cropped differently on each. YouTube's help page says the same banner image is used on computer, mobile and TV displays but shows differently depending on the device.
  • YouTube says the image should fill the entire screen on larger devices and will be cropped on certain views and devices. Third-party guides report that TVs show the whole 2560 × 1440 image, computers a wide, short strip in the middle, and phones a narrower one.
  • The official safe area is 1235 × 338 px at the 2048 × 1152 minimum. Scaled to 2560 × 1440, that is about 1544 × 423 px; guides give 1546 × 423.
  • YouTube's banner guidelines say not to add file embellishments such as shadows, borders and frames.
  • YouTube says the banner shows as a background at the top of your channel page.

How to resize and upload

  1. 01Select Banner 2560 × 1440 in the resizer above. It is YouTube's recommended size, especially for TV.
  2. 02Drop in artwork that is at least 2048 × 1152, YouTube's minimum dimension for upload. The resizer warns you if it has to enlarge a smaller file, and enlarging adds no detail.
  3. 03Use Crop to fill, then drag the image so your logo and any text fall in the middle strip. If you made a wide strip only, switch to Fit inside and pick a solid or blurred background.
  4. 04Turn on Show safe zone. Every word and logo must sit inside the dashed 1546 × 423 box.
  5. 05Download JPG for a photographic background or PNG for flat artwork with lettering.
  6. 06Check that the file is 6 MB or smaller. If it is not, download the JPG.
  7. 07In YouTube Studio, select Customization, then Profile. For the banner image, click Change, adjust the crop in the preview, click Done, then Publish.

Common mistakes to check before you post

  • Making a wide strip such as 2560 × 423. YouTube's minimum dimension for upload is 2048 × 1152 at 16:9, and a strip falls far below it.
  • Spreading text across the full width. Phones are reported to show about 60% of it (1546 of 2560 px).
  • Adding a drop shadow, border or frame to the file. YouTube's banner guidelines say not to.
  • Filling the top and bottom of the canvas with important content. Third-party guides report that only TVs show those rows.
  • Exporting a 12 MB PNG. The limit is 6 MB, and a PNG of a photo can pass it easily.
  • Uploading an animated GIF. YouTube rules out animated GIFs for profile pictures, and guides report the same for banners.

How to design for a banner that each device crops differently

A YouTube banner is a tall canvas where only a thin strip survives on most screens. The recommended 2560 × 1440 is 1440 px tall, but a desktop browser is reported to show only about 423 px of that, centered. Treat the canvas as three layers: a background that fills all of it, a middle band for anything that must be seen, and a margin that, by those reports, only TV viewers see.

Put the background on all 1440 rows, so a TV gets a full image. Put your channel name, tagline and logo in the center strip. Extend the background art above and below that strip so a TV never shows empty space.

A worked example: finding the safe area at 2560 × 1440

YouTube's help page gives a safe area of 1235 × 338 for a banner at the minimum 2048 × 1152 (YouTube Help). To translate it to 2560 × 1440, multiply by 2560 ÷ 2048 = 1.25: 1235 × 1.25 = 1543.75, and 338 × 1.25 = 422.5. Third-party guides publish 1546 × 423, about 2 px wider than the exact scaling, which makes no practical difference.

To center a 1546 × 423 box on 2560 × 1440, the left margin is (2560 − 1546) ÷ 2 = 507, and the top margin is (1440 − 423) ÷ 2 = 508.5, so about 508. The box runs from x = 507 to 2053 and y = 508 to 931. That is exactly the dashed rectangle the resizer draws.

In that box, a phone shows 1546 of 2560 px of width, or about 60%. On a desktop the visible strip is reported at the full 2560 px width and the same 423 px of height, which means your text will have to fit on a phone, and desktop will have extra room on each side.

What YouTube confirms and what comes from guides

YouTube's own page confirms four numbers: the 2048 × 1152 minimum, the 2560 × 1440 recommendation, the 1235 × 338 safe area at the minimum, and the 6 MB limit. The region sizes for each device (2560 × 423 for desktop, 1855 × 423 for tablet, 1546 × 423 for mobile) and the accepted file types come from third-party guides.

The reported numbers are consistent with the official safe area: 1546 × 423 is within 2 px of the official 1235 × 338 times 1.25, which is why we use it as the practical limit (Async's guide). Still, YouTube can change its layouts at any time, so check your banner in the YouTube Studio crop preview.

Keep your thumbnails and banner on the same look

A banner sets the first impression for a channel page, and the thumbnails below it are what people click. Reuse the same typeface and one or two colors from your YouTube thumbnail size guide so the page looks like one channel. For an equivalent wide header on another network, see the LinkedIn banner size and Facebook cover photo size guides, which have different safe zones.

What we could not confirm

  • YouTube's banner guidelines list no accepted file types. The JPG, PNG, BMP and non-animated GIF list comes from third-party guides and matches YouTube's profile-picture rules.
  • The 1546 × 423, 2560 × 423 and 1855 × 423 sizes are not on the current YouTube page. They come from third-party guides and are within 2 px of the official safe area scaled by 1.25.
  • That TVs show the full 2560 × 1440 image is reported by third-party guides. YouTube says only that the image should fill the screen on larger devices and is cropped on certain views and devices.
  • We did not test the banner on every phone, tablet and TV, and YouTube changes its layout from time to time. The Studio crop preview is the final check.
  • The Studio menu path (Customization, then Profile) is from YouTube's help page as of 2026-10-05 and may change.

YouTube banner size FAQ

What is the best YouTube banner size?

2560 × 1440 pixels at 16:9, with a file of 6 MB or smaller. It is the dimension YouTube recommends, especially for TV.

What is the minimum YouTube banner size?

2048 × 1152 pixels at a 16:9 ratio. YouTube lists it as the minimum dimension for upload.

What is the YouTube banner safe area?

YouTube's page states 1235 × 338 px for a banner at the 2048 × 1152 minimum. At 2560 × 1440 that scales to about 1544 × 423 px; guides give 1546 × 423, centered. Keep text and logos inside it.

Why is my YouTube banner cut off on mobile?

YouTube says the banner is cropped on certain views and devices, and phones are reported to show the narrowest center strip. Text outside the central 1546 × 423 px area at 2560 × 1440 can be cut off on mobile. Move it inward.

What file types can I use for a YouTube banner?

YouTube's banner guidelines do not list file types. Third-party guides report JPG, PNG, BMP or a non-animated GIF, the same formats YouTube lists for profile pictures. The file must be 6 MB or smaller.

Does the banner size include the profile picture?

No. The profile picture is a separate upload with its own rules: YouTube says it renders at 98 × 98 px and can be up to 15 MB. Do not build it into the banner file.

What happens if my banner is smaller than 2048 × 1152?

It is below the size YouTube lists as the minimum dimension for upload. Enlarging it to fit adds no detail, so rebuild the artwork at 2560 × 1440, or at least 2048 × 1152, with the text inside the center strip.

Sources and dates

Published October 5, 2026 · Updated October 5, 2026 · Specs last verified October 5, 2026 by the AdFlint team. Platforms change sizes without notice; if a number here no longer matches the linked source, the source wins.

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