Shopify banner size depends on your theme, because the theme decides the banner's shape. A safe default for a full-width banner or slideshow in Dawn and most free themes is 3000×1200 pixels (5:2) or 2880×1620 (16:9), kept under Shopify's 20 MB and 20-megapixel upload limits, with the important part centered and a focal point set.
Shopify itself doesn't publish one banner size, and that's why so many store owners upload a banner that looks fine on a laptop and gets its headline or product cut off on a phone. This guide explains how Shopify themes crop banners, gives practical sizes for the common banner shapes, covers the mobile crop and focal points, and shows how to make a wide banner from a square product photo.
- Theme-dependent: the section's height setting decides the shape; the image is cropped to fit it.
- Width: upload 2400–3200 px wide for full-width banners. Dawn requests images up to 3840 px wide on very large screens.
- Limits: Shopify accepts images up to 20 MB and 20 megapixels (e.g. 3000×1200 is 3.6 MP, well inside).
- Mobile: wide banners lose their left and right sides on phones. Keep the product and any text in the center, and set a focal point.
- Text: add headings and buttons in the theme editor, not baked into the image.
What size should a Shopify banner be in 2026?
Match the image to the banner shape your theme section uses, and make it at least 2400 pixels wide. In Dawn and other Shopify free themes, the Image banner and Slideshow sections offer height options such as Adapt to first image, Small, Medium and Large. With Adapt to first image, the banner takes the shape of your image, so you control the crop. With a fixed height, the theme crops your image to fill that space.
| Banner use | Suggested upload | Shape | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-width hero (tall) | 2880×1620 px | 16:9 | Lifestyle scenes, a single product in context |
| Full-width hero (wide) | 3000×1200 px | 5:2 | Most homepages; a good all-round default |
| Slim promo strip | 3000×1000 px | 3:1 | Sale announcements, collection headers |
| Slideshow slides | Same size for every slide | 16:9 or 5:2 | Pick one shape and stick to it |
| Collection banner | 2400×800 px or wider | 3:1 | Behind a collection title |
| Split image with text | 1600×1600 or 1600×2000 px | 1:1 or 4:5 | Half-width image sections |
Shopify's image upload limits and Dawn's banner settings were checked in October 2026. Marketplaces change their rules, so confirm the current requirements in your seller dashboard before you upload a large batch.
These are safe starting points, not official Shopify numbers. Shopify's help center describes banner sizing in terms of shape (the section crops images that don't match) rather than pixels, and third-party themes have their own recommendations. If you use a paid theme, check its documentation; many list an exact banner size and some accept a separate mobile image.
What are Shopify's image size and file limits?
Shopify accepts theme images up to 20 MB and 20 megapixels. Megapixels are width times height divided by one million, so a 5000×5000 image (25 MP) will be rejected even if the file is small. For banners, there's no benefit in going near the limit: Shopify automatically resizes images and serves WebP or AVIF to browsers that support them.
| Spec | Limit / recommendation |
|---|---|
| Max file size | 20 MB |
| Max resolution | 20 megapixels |
| Formats | JPEG, PNG, WebP, HEIC, GIF; SVG with limits |
| Best for banners | JPEG for photos; PNG only for flat graphics or transparency |
| Practical banner file | Under about 1 MB for fast loading |
Shopify says you don't need to compress before uploading, but a 15 MB banner still has to be processed, and lighter source files keep your theme editor responsive. Our free image compressor shrinks a JPG in your browser, with a quality slider so you can check the result. For format choices, see JPG vs PNG vs WebP.
Why is my Shopify banner cropped on mobile?
Because the banner section keeps its height on a narrow phone screen and trims the sides of a wide image to fill it. A 5:2 banner shown on a phone may display only the middle third or so of the image. Shopify's help center notes that wide images are cropped left and right on tall screens, and tall images top and bottom on wide screens.
- Center the subject. Put the product in the middle of the image, with background on both sides.
- Set a focal point. In the theme editor, open the image, click the area that must stay visible (or drag the dot), and save. Dawn supports focal points from version 7.0.0, as do Horizon themes and most current free themes.
- Use Adapt to first image where the section offers it, so the image isn't forced into a different shape on desktop.
- Check the mobile preview. The theme editor has a mobile view toggle; check every slide there.
- Consider a separate mobile banner. Some themes let you add a different image for mobile. In Dawn you can approximate this by using a less wide image (16:9) so less is lost.
Text baked into a banner image is cropped on phones, blurs when resized and can't be read by search engines. Use the section's heading, text and button fields instead; they reflow neatly on mobile.
How to make a Shopify banner step by step
- Check your section's shape. In the theme editor, open the Image banner or Slideshow section and note the height setting. Choose Adapt to first image if available.
- Pick a wide image. A lifestyle shot with the product in the middle and space around it. Avoid tight close-ups; they leave nothing to crop.
- Size it. Export at 3000×1200 (or 2880×1620), JPG, under about 1 MB.
- Upload and set the focal point on the product.
- Add text in the editor: a short heading, one line of copy and a button.
- Check contrast. If text sits over the image, use the overlay opacity setting so it stays readable.
- Preview desktop and mobile, then save.
How do I make a square product photo into a Shopify banner?
Extend the background around the product instead of cropping or stretching it. Most product photos are square (Shopify product images are often 2048×2048), and cropping one to 5:2 cuts the product in half.
- AI extension: the AI image extender has a website banner size (1920×1080, 16:9). It continues the scene to the left and right of your product without touching the product itself (8 credits). If you need 5:2 or 3:1, crop that result with a custom size in the free resizer, keeping the product in the middle.
- Make the scene first: if your photo is on a plain or messy background, AiArter's product photos tool keeps your product as photographed and generates a background such as a marble counter, wooden table or living room (8 credits). Then extend it.
- Plain color (free): for a minimal look, the free marketplace image resizer pads a photo to any custom size with a solid color. Put the product off-center so heading text can sit beside it.
- Too small? Enlarge first with the AI image upscaler (3 credits) so the banner stays sharp at 2400 px or more.
See how an AI image extender works for examples.
Turn a square product shot into a wide homepage banner, with the product left exactly as you photographed it.
Make a banner7 days free · 50 credits · No credit cardShopify banner checklist
- Image shape matches the section, or the section uses Adapt to first image.
- 2400–3200 px wide, under 20 MP, ideally under about 1 MB.
- Product and key detail in the middle; focal point set.
- No headline baked into the image; text added in the theme editor.
- Every slideshow slide is the same size.
- Checked in the mobile preview and on a real phone.
- Alt text added describing the image.
For product images (not banners), see our Shopify product image size guide. If you sell on Etsy too, the Etsy banner size guide covers that shop header.
Frequently asked questions
What size should a Shopify banner be?
It depends on your theme section's shape. A safe default for a full-width banner in Dawn and most free themes is 3000×1200 pixels (5:2) or 2880×1620 (16:9). Keep it under 20 MB and 20 megapixels, and center the subject.
What is the Dawn theme banner size?
Dawn doesn't fix one size: its Image banner and Slideshow sections use a height setting, and Adapt to first image follows your image's shape. Upload at least 2400 px wide; Dawn requests images up to 3840 px wide on very large screens.
Why is my Shopify banner cut off on mobile?
Phone screens are narrow, so the banner section trims the left and right of a wide image. Keep the product centered, set a focal point in the theme editor, and use a less wide image if too much is lost.
What is the Shopify slideshow image size?
Use the same size for every slide, such as 3000×1200 or 2880×1620 pixels. Slides with different shapes are cropped differently, so the slideshow jumps or cuts off content.
What is the maximum image size for Shopify?
Shopify accepts theme images up to 20 MB and 20 megapixels. An image of 5000×5000 (25 MP) is rejected even if the file is small; 4000×4000 (16 MP) is fine.
Should I put text on my Shopify banner image?
Generally no. Add headings and buttons in the theme editor so they stay sharp, reflow on mobile and can be read by search engines. Text baked into the image often gets cropped on phones.
Put your product in a clean scene, extend it to a banner shape and keep the product exactly as you shot it.
Start free trialSee pricing7 days free · 50 credits · No credit card. Trial images carry a small “Made with aiarter” mark; paid plans export clean files you can use commercially.
