YouTube banner size, in short: upload a 2560×1440 pixel image (16:9), which YouTube recommends especially for TV. The minimum is 2048×1152, and the file must be 6 MB or smaller. Keep your logo, text and product inside the central safe area, 1235×338 px at the minimum size (about 1546×423 px on a 2560×1440 file), because desktop and mobile crop everything else.
More on this topic: Social media image sizes, every guide in one place.
A channel banner, also called channel art, is the wide image across the top of your YouTube channel. For a seller it's the shop sign: the place to show what you make, your best product and where to buy. It's also one of the easiest images to get wrong, because the same file is shown as a full 16:9 picture on a TV and as a thin strip on a phone. This guide gives YouTube's official numbers, shows which part of the image each device keeps, and explains how to turn a product photo into a banner that survives every crop.
- Recommended size: 2560×1440 px (16:9), especially for TV.
- Minimum size: 2048×1152 px. Smaller uploads are refused.
- File size: 6 MB or smaller.
- Safe area: 1235×338 px at the minimum size; about 1546×423 px, centered, on a 2560×1440 file. Text and logos go only here.
- One file for every screen: TV shows it all, desktop and mobile show a cropped middle strip.
What size is a YouTube banner?
A YouTube banner should be 2560×1440 pixels, a 16:9 aspect ratio. YouTube's help center calls this the recommended dimension, especially for TV, and sets the minimum upload at 2048×1152 pixels, also 16:9. The file must be 6 MB or smaller.
| Spec | YouTube's number | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Recommended size | 2560×1440 px | Fills a TV screen; the full image is only seen there |
| Minimum size | 2048×1152 px | Uploads below this are refused |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9 | Same as a widescreen video frame |
| Safe area for text and logos | 1235×338 px | Measured at the minimum size, centered |
| Maximum file size | 6 MB | Compress a large PNG or JPG before uploading |
| File formats | Not listed on the banner guidelines | JPG and PNG are the common, safe choices |
| Borders, shadows, frames | Not allowed | YouTube asks for no added file embellishments |
YouTube's banner, profile picture and watermark guidelines on the “Manage your channel branding” help page (support.google.com/youtube/answer/10456525) were checked in October 2026. Marketplaces change their rules, so confirm the current requirements in your seller dashboard before you upload a large batch.
YouTube's guidelines don't name the accepted file types for banners; the only format list on that page belongs to profile pictures (JPG, GIF, BMP or PNG, no animated GIFs). In practice a JPG keeps a photo banner well under 6 MB, while PNG suits flat graphics with sharp text. If your export is too heavy, the free image compressor shrinks it in your browser.
What is the YouTube banner safe area?
The safe area is the centered rectangle that shows on every device. YouTube gives it as 1235×338 pixels on a 2048×1152 image. Scale that up to a 2560×1440 file and it becomes roughly 1546×423 pixels, still centered both ways. Anything outside it may be cut off on a laptop or phone.
YouTube's current help page gives only the safe area. The other display areas below come from YouTube's older channel art template, which designers still use because the crops match what you see today. Treat them as widely documented practice rather than a current official spec.
| Device | Visible area on a 2560×1440 file | What it means for your design |
|---|---|---|
| TV | 2560×1440 (the whole image) | Background and edges are seen only here |
| Desktop, widest view | About 2560×423 | A thin full-width strip through the middle |
| Tablet | About 1855×423 | The strip, trimmed at both sides |
| Mobile and the safe area | About 1546×423 | Logo, channel name, product and text go here |
The vertical crop is the one that surprises people: on desktop and mobile only about 423 of the 1440 pixels of height are shown. So a tall product photo dropped into the middle of a banner usually loses its top and bottom. Lay out your banner as a wide strip first, then add background above and below it for TV viewers.
Make a 2560×1440 canvas and draw a centered 1546×423 box on a separate layer. Keep every word, your logo and the product inside it, and let only background, texture or scenery run outside. Hide the guide layer before you export.
How do I upload or change a YouTube banner?
You change the banner in YouTube Studio under the channel's branding settings. YouTube's steps, summarised:
- Sign in to YouTube Studio and choose Customization, then Branding (in some versions it's under your profile settings).
- Next to Banner image, click Change (or Upload) and select your file.
- Adjust the crop in the preview. YouTube shows how the image sits on TV, desktop and mobile, so check that the safe area holds everything important.
- Click Done, then Publish.
The preview is the quickest test you have. If your channel name is clipped on the mobile preview, move it toward the center rather than shrinking the whole image. Official Artist Channels are an exception: their banner only shows on computer and mobile, and the TV banner is set separately.
How do I make a product photo fit a YouTube banner?
Most product photos are square or 4:5, so they need to become a much wider image without stretching the product. There are three honest ways to do it:
- Crop a wide photo. If you shot a landscape photo with room around the product, crop it to 16:9 with the free image cropper and check the product sits inside the middle strip.
- Place it on a designed background. Put the product (with its background removed) on a brand-colored 2560×1440 canvas, with your name and a short line beside it. AiArter's design templates include banner layouts to start from.
- Extend the scene. An AI extender generates more of the background left and right, so a square lifestyle shot becomes a wide banner with no visible seam.
If the photo is too small to reach 2048 pixels wide without going soft, upscale it first with AI upscaling. Simply enlarging a small file in an editor makes the edges blurry, and that blur is very visible on a TV.
Turn a square product photo into a wide 16:9 scene, with AI filling in the background around your product instead of stretching it.
Extend to 16:97 days free · 50 credits · No credit cardWhat should a seller put on a YouTube banner?
Keep it to one message that still reads on a phone strip: who you are, what you sell and where to buy. A good banner has three things inside the safe area and nothing else that matters:
| Element | Why it's there | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Shop or channel name | Recognition in a split second | Large, high-contrast type |
| One hero product | Shows what you actually sell | Background removed or in a clean scene |
| Short line | “Handmade ceramics, shipped worldwide” | Six words or fewer |
| Upload schedule (optional) | Tells viewers when to come back | “New videos every Friday” |
| Shop address (optional) | Where to buy | Your domain, not a long URL |
Avoid putting your social handles in the bottom corners, where older templates told people to put them; on a phone they're the first thing cropped. YouTube also lets you add links to your channel, which are clickable, unlike text in an image. For your video thumbnails, see the YouTube thumbnail size guide, and for other headers on your site, website image sizes.
What are the other YouTube channel image sizes?
Your channel has two other branding images, with their own rules on the same YouTube help page:
| Image | YouTube's requirement | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| Profile picture | JPG, GIF, BMP or PNG (no animated GIFs); up to 15 MB; renders at 98×98 px | Upload a larger square (800×800 is common) and keep the logo centered; it shows as a circle |
| Video watermark | Square image, minimum 150×150 px, under 1 MB | A transparent PNG of your logo works best |
| Banner | 2560×1440 recommended, 2048×1152 minimum, 6 MB max | Safe area 1235×338 at the minimum size |
The 800×800 profile picture figure is common practice, not something YouTube publishes; YouTube only says the image renders at 98×98. A square crop of your logo with a little padding around it keeps the edges from being cut by the circle. The transparent logo guide helps with the watermark.
YouTube banner checklist
- Canvas is 2560×1440 px (16:9); never smaller than 2048×1152.
- Every word, logo and product sits in the centered 1546×423 safe area.
- Background extends to the edges for TV, with nothing important there.
- No borders, drop shadows or frames around the image.
- Exported as JPG or PNG, 6 MB or smaller.
- Checked on the TV, desktop and mobile previews before publishing.
- Profile picture and banner don't repeat the same logo side by side on mobile.
Making a YouTube banner with AiArter
- Wide versions of product photos (8 credits per size). Extend a square product shot into a 16:9 scene; your product stays exactly as photographed.
- Background removal so the product can sit on a brand-colored banner.
- Upscaling for photos that aren't big enough for 2560 pixels.
- Free browser tools: the image resizer, cropper and compressor need no sign-up.
AiArter doesn't upload to YouTube for you; download the file and add it in YouTube Studio.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a YouTube banner in 2026?
2560×1440 pixels (16:9) is YouTube's recommended size, especially for TV. The minimum is 2048×1152 pixels and the file must be 6 MB or smaller.
What is the safe area for a YouTube banner?
YouTube gives the safe area for text and logos as 1235×338 pixels at the minimum 2048×1152 size. On a 2560×1440 banner that's about 1546×423 pixels, centered.
Why is my YouTube banner cut off on mobile?
Because phones and laptops show only a thin strip from the middle of the image. Move anything important into the centered safe area and use the mobile preview in YouTube Studio to check.
What is the maximum file size for a YouTube banner?
6 MB. A photo exported as a high-quality JPG at 2560×1440 is usually well under that; a detailed PNG may need compressing.
Can I use a 1920×1080 image as a YouTube banner?
No. It's 16:9, but smaller than the 2048×1152 minimum, so YouTube won't accept it. Upscale or rebuild it at 2560×1440.
What format should a YouTube banner be?
YouTube's banner guidelines don't list formats. JPG is the usual choice for photo banners and PNG for flat graphics with text; keep either under 6 MB and avoid animated files.
Is channel art the same as a YouTube banner?
Yes. Channel art is the older name for the banner image at the top of your channel page. The sizes are the same.
What size is a YouTube profile picture?
YouTube says it renders at 98×98 pixels and accepts JPG, GIF, BMP or PNG files up to 15 MB, with no animated GIFs. Upload a larger square so it stays sharp.
Extend a product shot into a wide 16:9 scene, remove backgrounds and upscale small photos, with your product kept exactly as it is.
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.
