Twitter (X) Header Size and Image Sizes

By Tayyab, Founder

Updated October 15, 2026. Part of the social media image sizes guide.

The X (Twitter) header photo is 1500 × 500 pixels (3:1) and the profile photo 400 × 400, with the profile photo under 2 MB. Photos in posts can be up to 5 MB as JPEG, PNG or GIF, and a single photo shows in full when its ratio is anywhere from 2:1 to 3:4. We checked every number against X's own Help Center and developer docs on October 15, 2026.

Header photo: 1500 × 500; 3:1
Profile photo: 400 × 400; under 2 MB
Ratio shown in full: 2:1 to 3:4; one photo in a post
Photo file size: up to 5 MB; GIF 5 MB on mobile, 15 MB on web
Photos per post: 4; or one GIF or one video

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All X (Twitter) image sizes

X (Twitter) image sizes by format
Format	Size to design at	Ratio	Limits	Safe zone and notes
Header photoSource 1	1500 × 500Header, 3:1	3:1	File size limit not published JPEG, GIF or PNG	Up to 60 px can be cropped from the top and from the bottom of a 1500 × 500 image. Stated by the network. X recommends 1500 × 500 and says 60 px at the top and at the bottom can still be cropped on some monitors and browsers. An animated GIF is not supported as a header.
Profile photoSource 1	400 × 400Profile photo	1:1	Up to 2 MB JPEG, GIF or PNG	X recommends 400 × 400 and a file under 2 MB.
Post imageSources 2, 3	1200 × 600Widest shown in full, 2:1 1200 × 675Landscape 16:9 1200 × 1200Square 1:1 1200 × 1600Tallest shown in full, 3:4 The network publishes a range, not a size. These are common sizes inside it.	2:1 to 3:4 X does not show an image outside this range in full in the timeline.	Up to 5 MB JPEG, PNG, GIF or WebP	X publishes the ratio range its timeline shows in full for a single photo, and no pixel size, so the sizes here are common widths inside that range. A post takes up to 4 photos, or one GIF. X Help lists GIF, JPEG and PNG, and its developer docs add WebP.
VideoVideoSource 3	1280 × 720Landscape 16:9 720 × 1280Portrait 9:16 720 × 720Square 1:1	3:1 to 1:3	At least 32 × 32 px Video length and file limits are on the social media limits page	X's developer docs recommend these three sizes, accept 32 × 32 up to 1280 × 1024, and allow any ratio from 1:3 to 3:1.

Checked on October 15, 2026 against these pages:

X Help Center: Help with uploading a profile photo (opens in a new tab)
X Help Center: How to post photos or GIFs on X (opens in a new tab)
X Developer Platform: Media upload best practices (opens in a new tab)

X (Twitter) safe zones

Text and logos near an edge can be covered by the network's own buttons or cropped on some screens. These are the margins X (Twitter) states, drawn on the real shape.

Header photo, 1500 × 500

Up to 60 px can be cropped from the top and from the bottom of a 1500 × 500 image.

Stated by the network. The shaded margins are where text and logos can be covered or cropped.

The header: 1500 × 500 and the 60 pixels X says can be cropped

X's Help Center recommends 1500 × 500 for the header and 400 × 400 for the profile photo. It also says that on some monitors and browsers 60 pixels at the top and at the bottom of a header can still be cropped, which leaves 380 pixels of height you can rely on. Put the text and the face in that middle band.

The header accepts JPEG, GIF or PNG, and an animated GIF is not supported as a header. X publishes no file-size limit for it. The profile photo is limited to 2 MB.

Post images: X publishes a ratio range, not a pixel size

When you post a single photo, X shows it in full if its ratio is anywhere from 2:1 to 3:4; what you see in the composer is what you get. X names no pixel size, so the sizes in the table are common widths inside that range: 1200 × 600 at the widest, 1200 × 675 for 16:9, 1200 × 1200 for a square and 1200 × 1600 at the tallest.

A photo can be up to 5 MB. X Help lists GIF, JPEG and PNG, and its developer docs add WebP. BMP and TIFF are not accepted. A post takes up to 4 photos, or one animated GIF, or one video, and photos do not count against the character limit.

Video sizes

X's developer docs recommend 1280 × 720 for landscape, 720 × 1280 for portrait and 720 × 720 for square video, accept anything from 32 × 32 up to 1280 × 1024, and allow ratios from 1:3 to 3:1. Video lengths and file sizes are in our limits page.

X (Twitter) mistakes to avoid

Putting text in the top or bottom 60 pixels of the header: X says those 60 pixels can be cropped depending on the monitor and browser. Keep text inside the middle 380 pixels.
A profile photo over 2 MB: X's maximum for a profile photo is 2 MB. A 400 × 400 JPEG is far below it, so export one instead of uploading the original.
A fifth photo: A post takes 4 photos. Content Drifter stops a fifth image with "X (Twitter) accepts at most 4 images per post" before it reaches X.
Uploading a BMP or TIFF: X does not accept them. Export JPEG or PNG.
A tall phone screenshot as a post image: Outside 2:1 to 3:4 X does not show the photo in full in the timeline, so a 9:19.5 screenshot loses its top and bottom. Crop it to 3:4 first.
Mixing a GIF with photos: An animated GIF cannot be in a post with multiple images. A post takes up to four photos or one GIF.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What size is a Twitter (X) header?

1500 × 500 pixels, a 3:1 image. X recommends it for the header (banner) photo and says 60 pixels at the top and bottom can still be cropped on some screens.

What size is an X profile picture?

400 × 400 pixels, as JPEG, GIF or PNG. X's Help Center gives that as the recommended size and 2 MB as the maximum file size for a profile photo.

What size should an image be for a post on X?

X names no pixel size. A single photo shows in full when its ratio is anywhere from 2:1 to 3:4, so 16:9 at 1200 × 675 or a square at 1200 × 1200 both work. The photo can be up to 5 MB.

How many images can I add to a post on X?

Up to 4 photos, or one animated GIF, or one video. Content Drifter enforces the same limit.

What image formats does X accept?

GIF, JPEG and PNG according to X's Help Center, plus WebP according to its developer docs. BMP and TIFF are not accepted. Animated GIFs can be 5 MB on mobile and 15 MB on web.

Why does X crop my image?

X shows a single photo in full only when its ratio is anywhere from 2:1 to 3:4. A taller or wider image is cut in the timeline, so crop to that range first.

What size is a video on X?

X recommends 1280 × 720 for landscape, 720 × 1280 for portrait and 720 × 720 for square video. It accepts 32 × 32 up to 1280 × 1024 and ratios from 1:3 to 3:1.

Post to X at a shape it shows in full

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