YouTube Image Size Guide
Every YouTube image dimension you need, in one place — updated for 2026.
| Asset | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Channel banner (art) | 2560 × 1440 px | Safe area 1546 × 423 px (shows on all devices). Max 6 MB. |
| Profile picture | 800 × 800 px | Displayed as a circle. PNG or GIF (no animation). |
| Video thumbnail | 1280 × 720 px | 16:9, min width 640 px. Under 2 MB. JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP. |
| Video resolution | 1920 × 1080 px (1080p) | 16:9. 4K is 3840 × 2160. |
| End screen element | Within 1280 × 720 frame | Appears in the last 5–20 seconds. |
| Watermark / branding | 150 × 150 px | Transparent PNG works best. |
| Shorts | 1080 × 1920 px | 9:16 vertical, up to 3 minutes. |
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best YouTube banner size?
2560 × 1440 px, but keep important elements inside the 1546 × 423 px safe area so nothing important is cropped on phones and TVs.
What size should a YouTube thumbnail be?
1280 × 720 px (16:9), under 2 MB. This is the resolution YouTube recommends for crisp thumbnails everywhere.