How to make a YouTube banner the right size
- Choose your banner image or design.
- Move and resize the box, keeping your name and logo inside the dashed safe area.
- Download it at 2560 x 1440.
- Upload it in YouTube Studio under Customisation, then Branding.
Why your banner looks different on each device
YouTube uses one banner image for TVs, computers, tablets and phones, and crops it differently for each. A TV shows the whole 2560 x 1440 image. A computer shows a wide strip across the middle. A phone shows only the centre of that strip.
- Safe area: the middle 1546 x 423 pixels. Everything important goes here.
- Computer view: roughly the full width, cut to a thin band.
- TV view: the whole image, so fill it with background rather than leaving it blank.
This tool marks the safe area with a dashed box inside the crop, so you can see what everyone will see before you download.
YouTube's banner rules
- Size: 2560 x 1440 pixels (16:9).
- Minimum: 2048 x 1152.
- File size: 6 MB or smaller.
- Profile picture: shown as a small circle over the page. Upload a square, 800 x 800 works well, and keep your face or logo in the middle.
Design your banner so the background runs to the edges and the words sit in the centre. Your image is cropped on your device and never uploaded here.
Building a banner from a photo
A landscape photo from your phone is the right general shape but rarely wide enough, so the tool will crop the top and bottom. Choose a photo with the subject in the middle and space around it. If the photo is smaller than 2560 pixels wide it will be enlarged, and the tool tells you when that may look soft. Scenery, textures and plain colour make better banners than busy photos.
Questions people ask
What size is a YouTube banner?
2560 x 1440 pixels, at least 2048 x 1152, and 6 MB or less.
What is the YouTube banner safe area?
The middle 1546 x 423 pixels of a 2560 x 1440 banner. It is the only part every device shows.
Why is my banner cut off on my phone?
Phones show only the centre strip. Move your text and logo inside the safe area and it will show everywhere.
What size is a YouTube profile picture?
Upload a square picture, 800 x 800 pixels is a good size. It is shown as a circle.