Formats
JPG, GIF, BMP, PNG
YouTube profile picture size
As of July 27, 2026, the YouTube profile picture is 800 by 800 pixels (1:1). Below is the full spec, then a resizer already set to that size so you can export a perfectly fitted image.
YouTubeProfile pictureDocumented by YouTubeLast verified July 27, 2026
Recommended size800x800 px
Aspect ratio1:1
Renders at (YouTube docs)98 x 98
Resize to 800x800 now
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About the YouTube profile picture size
YouTube documents its channel profile picture as an image that renders at 98 by 98 pixels, in JPG, GIF, BMP or PNG, up to 15 MB. That render size is tiny, so nobody should export at it. Upload an 800 by 800 square instead and let YouTube downscale: the avatar is masked to a circle and shown at many sizes, from your channel header to a small circle beside every comment, and a clean high-resolution source survives all of them. Animated GIFs are explicitly not allowed. PNG keeps a logo crisp; JPG is fine for a photo.
File size and format limits: YouTube profile picture
| Limit | Value |
|---|---|
| Documented render size | 98 by 98 px |
| Recommended upload | 800 by 800 px square (not a YouTube figure, just a clean source) |
| Max file size | 15 MB |
| Formats | JPG, GIF, BMP or PNG. No animated GIFs |
Quick tips
- 01YouTube documents the picture as rendering at 98 by 98 px. Upload an 800 by 800 square so it stays sharp everywhere it is scaled.
- 02The file limit is 15 MB, and the accepted formats are JPG, GIF, BMP and PNG. Animated GIFs are not accepted.
- 03Keep the subject centred; corners are cropped by the circle mask.
- 04The same image shrinks next to your comments, so keep it simple.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a YouTube profile picture?
YouTube documents an image that renders at 98 by 98 pixels, up to 15 MB, in JPG, GIF, BMP or PNG. Upload an 800 by 800 square so the avatar stays sharp at every size YouTube scales it to.
What aspect ratio is the YouTube profile picture?
The YouTube profile picture uses a 1:1 aspect ratio at 800 by 800 pixels.
1:1 is a shape, not just this size. See every image size that uses the 1:1 aspect ratio, where it comes from, and how to crop into it.
Related sizes
YouTube thumbnail3840x2160YouTube channel banner2560x1440YouTube short1080x1920Instagram profile picture640x640Facebook profile picture320x320LinkedIn profile picture400x400
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 documents the render size (98 by 98 px), the 15 MB file ceiling and the accepted formats (JPG, GIF, BMP or PNG, no animated GIFs). The 800 by 800 upload recommended here is not a YouTube number, it is simply a clean square that downscales well.
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.