YouTube Thumbnail Size and Banner Size

By Tayyab, Founder

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

A YouTube thumbnail should be 3840 × 2160 pixels (16:9), at least 640 pixels wide, as a JPG or PNG under 50 MB from a computer or 2 MB from a phone. A channel banner must be at least 2048 × 1152 pixels (16:9), is recommended at 2560 × 1440, stays under 6 MB, and keeps its text inside the 1235 × 338 safe area. We checked every number against YouTube's own Help pages on October 15, 2026.

Thumbnail: 3840 × 2160; 16:9, recommended
Minimum thumbnail width: 640 px; JPG or PNG
Channel banner: 2560 × 1440; at least 2048 × 1152
Banner safe area: 1235 × 338; at the 2048 × 1152 minimum
Shorts thumbnail: 2160 × 3840; 9:16

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All YouTube image sizes

YouTube image sizes by format
Format	Size to design at	Ratio	Limits	Safe zone and notes
Video thumbnailSource 1	3840 × 2160Thumbnail, 16:9	16:9	At least 640 px wide Up to 50 MB JPEG or PNG YouTube allows 2 MB when you upload from a phone and 50 MB from a computer.	Safe zone not published by the network. YouTube recommends 3840 × 2160 at 16:9, at least 640 px wide, as large as possible. Some guides still quote 1280 × 720; that size is valid because it clears the 640 px minimum. The file limit depends on the device: 50 MB from a computer and 2 MB from a phone.
Shorts thumbnailSource 1	2160 × 3840Shorts thumbnail, 9:16	9:16	At least 640 px tall Up to 50 MB JPEG or PNG YouTube allows 2 MB when you upload from a phone and 50 MB from a computer.	Safe zone not published by the network. A custom Shorts thumbnail can only be added in YouTube Studio on a computer, and the account must be verified.
Channel bannerSource 2	2560 × 1440Banner, 16:9	16:9	At least 2048 × 1152 px Up to 6 MB Formats not published	Keep text and logos inside the central 1235 × 338 area of a 2048 × 1152 image. Stated by the network. YouTube asks for at least 2048 × 1152 (16:9) and recommends 2560 × 1440, especially for TV. The 1235 × 338 safe area is stated for the 2048 × 1152 minimum, so it scales with a larger file. Do not add shadows, borders or frames.
Profile pictureSource 2	Not published by the network	1:1	Up to 15 MB JPEG, GIF, BMP or PNG	YouTube renders the picture at 98 × 98 px and publishes no recommended upload size. Studio asks you to position a square crop, and animated GIFs are not accepted.
Video watermarkSource 2	150 × 150Watermark, square	1:1	At least 150 × 150 px Up to 1 MB Formats not published	A square image of at least 150 × 150 px and under 1 MB. It shows in landscape view on computers and mobile devices.
Video (16:9)VideoSource 3	1920 × 10801080p 2560 × 14401440p 3840 × 21602160p (4K) 1280 × 720720p	16:9	Video length and file limits are on the social media limits page	The standard shape on a computer is 16:9. A vertical or square video is not refused: the player adapts to it, and YouTube asks you not to add bars to the file yourself.
Shorts videoVideoSource 4	1080 × 1920Vertical, 9:16 The network publishes no size. This is the size Content Drifter publishes at.	9:16	Video length and file limits are on the social media limits page	Safe zone not published by the network. YouTube says a Short is a vertical video of up to 3 minutes and that uploads are accepted up to 1080p. It publishes no preferred pixel size or safe zone; 1080 × 1920 is the size Content Drifter publishes Shorts at.

Checked on October 15, 2026 against these pages:

YouTube Help: Add custom thumbnails on YouTube (opens in a new tab)
YouTube Help: Manage your channel branding (opens in a new tab)
YouTube Help: Video resolution & aspect ratios (opens in a new tab)
YouTube Help: Get started creating YouTube Shorts (opens in a new tab)

YouTube 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 YouTube states, drawn on the real shape.

Channel banner, 2560 × 1440

Keep text and logos inside the central 1235 × 338 area of a 2048 × 1152 image.

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

Thumbnail size, and why some guides say 1280 × 720

YouTube's Help page recommends a custom thumbnail of 3840 × 2160 pixels for videos and 2160 × 3840 for Shorts, as large as possible because it is also the preview image in the embedded player. The minimum is 640 pixels wide for a video and 640 pixels tall for a Short.

Some guides still quote 1280 × 720. That size is valid, because it clears the 640 pixel minimum, but it is not what YouTube recommends today. What really limits you is the file: 50 MB when you upload from a computer and 2 MB from a phone, so a 4K PNG that works on your desktop may not upload from the app.

A custom thumbnail for a Short can only be added in YouTube Studio on a computer, and the account must be verified.

Channel banner and its safe area

YouTube asks for at least 2048 × 1152 pixels at 16:9 and recommends 2560 × 1440, especially for TV. At the minimum size, text and logos should stay inside a 1235 × 338 pixel area in the middle. Scaled to 2560 × 1440 that area is about 1544 × 423 pixels: that last figure is our arithmetic from YouTube's, not a number YouTube prints.

Keep the file under 6 MB and do not add shadows, borders or frames; YouTube says the image is cropped on some devices and views, which is what the safe area is for.

Profile picture and video watermark

The channel picture is shown at 98 × 98 pixels. YouTube publishes no recommended upload size; it takes JPG, GIF, BMP or PNG (no animated GIFs) up to 15 MB, and Studio asks you to position a square crop.

A video watermark must be a square image of at least 150 × 150 pixels and under 1 MB.

Video and Shorts sizes

The standard shape on a computer is 16:9, encoded at 1920 × 1080 (1080p), 2560 × 1440 (1440p) or 3840 × 2160 (2160p). A vertical or square video is not refused: the player adapts to it, and YouTube asks you not to add bars to the file yourself.

A Short is a vertical video of up to 3 minutes, and YouTube accepts uploads up to 1080p. It publishes no preferred pixel size or safe zone for Shorts; 1080 × 1920 is the size Content Drifter publishes them at. Content Drifter publishes YouTube videos and Shorts, and a thumbnail or banner is set in YouTube Studio.

YouTube mistakes to avoid

Uploading a thumbnail over 2 MB from your phone: The phone limit is 2 MB; a computer takes up to 50 MB. Export a JPG for the phone, or upload from a computer.
A thumbnail under 640 pixels wide: YouTube's minimum width is 640 pixels. Smaller than that, the upload is not accepted as a custom thumbnail.
Text outside the banner safe area: Anything outside the middle 1235 × 338 pixels (at the 2048 × 1152 minimum) can be cropped on some devices. Put the channel name and logo inside it.
Adding a border or shadow to the banner: YouTube says not to include shadows, borders or frames in the file.
Using the video thumbnail shape for a Short: A Short's thumbnail is 9:16, 2160 × 3840, with a 640 pixel minimum height, and it can only be set in Studio on a computer.
Sending an image as a YouTube post: YouTube takes video only through Content Drifter. A still image is stopped with "YouTube requires a video, not an image" before it reaches YouTube.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What size should a YouTube thumbnail be?

3840 × 2160 pixels at 16:9 is what YouTube's Help page recommends, with a minimum width of 640 pixels. 1280 × 720 is still valid because it is above the minimum.

What is the YouTube thumbnail file size limit?

50 MB when you upload from a computer and 2 MB from a phone, as a JPG or PNG. Podcast thumbnails are allowed 10 MB on mobile.

What size is a YouTube banner?

At least 2048 × 1152 pixels at 16:9, recommended at 2560 × 1440 (especially for TV), and 6 MB or smaller.

What is the YouTube banner safe area?

1235 × 338 pixels in the middle of a 2048 × 1152 banner. YouTube states it for that minimum size, so it scales up with a larger file: about 1544 × 423 at 2560 × 1440.

What size is a YouTube Shorts thumbnail?

2160 × 3840 pixels at 9:16, at least 640 pixels tall. A custom Shorts thumbnail can only be added in YouTube Studio on a computer.

What size is a YouTube profile picture?

YouTube shows it at 98 × 98 pixels and publishes no recommended upload size. It takes JPG, GIF, BMP or PNG (no animated GIFs) up to 15 MB.

What resolution should a YouTube video be?

The standard shape is 16:9: 1920 × 1080, 2560 × 1440 or 3840 × 2160. Vertical and square videos play too, and Shorts accept uploads up to 1080p.

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