Formats
JPG, PNG
YouTube channel banner size
As of July 27, 2026, the YouTube channel banner is 2560 by 1440 pixels (16:9). Below is the full spec, then a resizer already set to that size so you can export a perfectly fitted image.
YouTubeChannel bannerDocumented by YouTubeLast verified July 27, 2026
Recommended size2560x1440 px
Aspect ratio16:9
Safe zone: Keep your logo and text inside the central safe area: YouTube documents it as 1235 by 338 at the 2048 by 1152 minimum, which is the same proportion as 1546 by 423 on a 2560 by 1440 upload. That is all that shows on phones.
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About the YouTube channel banner size
YouTube channel art is uploaded at 2560 by 1440 pixels, and YouTube's documented minimum is 2048 by 1152 at 16:9, so anything smaller is rejected. Almost none of the image is visible at once: YouTube crops the banner differently on TV, desktop and mobile from the same file. The only region guaranteed to show everywhere is the centre safe area, documented as 1235 by 338 at the minimum size, which works out to the familiar 1546 by 423 on a 2560 by 1440 upload. Your channel name, logo and tagline must live inside it. Everything outside is decoration that TVs and wide monitors reveal but phones cut off. Keep the file under 6 MB.
File size and format limits: YouTube channel banner
| Limit | Value |
|---|---|
| Minimum size | 2048 by 1152 px, 16:9 |
| Recommended size | 2560 by 1440 px |
| Documented safe area | 1235 by 338 px (at the 2048 by 1152 minimum) |
| Safe area on a 2560-wide upload | About 1546 by 423 px, the same proportion |
| Max file size | 6 MB |
Quick tips
- 01Upload 2560 by 1440. YouTube's documented minimum is 2048 by 1152 at 16:9.
- 02Design the essentials into the centre safe area: 1546 by 423 on a 2560-wide file, which is YouTube's documented 1235 by 338 scaled up.
- 03Phones only show that centre strip; wide desktops and TVs reveal more.
- 04Keep it under 6 MB; use a simple graphic, not a busy photo, so it survives the crops.
Frequently asked questions
What is the YouTube banner safe area?
YouTube documents 1235 by 338 pixels at the 2048 by 1152 minimum banner size. Scaled to the recommended 2560 by 1440 upload that is about 1546 by 423 pixels in the centre. That region shows on every device; the rest is cropped on smaller screens.
What is the minimum YouTube banner size?
2048 by 1152 pixels with a 16:9 aspect ratio, per YouTube's own channel branding documentation. The recommended size is 2560 by 1440 and the file must be 6 MB or smaller.
What size is a YouTube channel banner?
Upload at 2560 by 1440 pixels (16:9) and keep it under 6 MB. Design the important content into the centre safe area, about 1546 by 423 at that upload size.
What aspect ratio is the YouTube channel banner?
The YouTube channel banner uses a 16:9 aspect ratio at 2560 by 1440 pixels.
Looking up the number rather than the platform? What 2560x1440 is, and everything else that uses it.
16:9 is a shape, not just this size. See every image size that uses the 16:9 aspect ratio, where it comes from, and how to crop into it.
Related sizes
How this spec was checked
Platform sizes change without notice, so this entry records what it was verified against rather than stating a number and hoping it holds. Last checked July 27, 2026.
DocumentedYouTube publishes this size itself, and the page it was read from is linked below.
YouTube's Help article documents the minimum (2048 by 1152, 16:9), the recommended size (2560 by 1440), the safe area (1235 by 338) and the 6 MB file limit. The 1546 by 423 safe area quoted by most guides is that same documented safe area scaled up to the 2560-wide recommended upload.
What changed on this spec
- : YouTube profile picture: renders at 98 by 98 px, not 88, with a 15 MB file limit. YouTube channel banner: added the documented 2048 by 1152 minimum and the documented 1235 by 338 safe area alongside the familiar 1546 by 423.
Every spec on this site carries one of those two labels. See the cheat sheet for the full split, and the changelog for every correction with the date it happened.
See all YouTube sizes, the full cheat sheet, or grab this spec from the JSON API.