Social media image sizes
YouTube thumbnail and image sizes
YouTube recommends 3840 × 2160 px (16:9) thumbnails, at least 640 px wide. Channel banners should be 2560 × 1440 px, with text kept inside the central safe area.
Checked 24 September 2026
Every YouTube size
| Format | Size | Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Video thumbnailYouTube's recommended resolution, with a 640 px minimum width. JPG or PNG. Mobile uploads are limited to 2 MB, so upload large files from a computer (up to 50 MB).Source: YouTube Help | 3840 × 2160 px | 16:9 |
| Shorts thumbnailYouTube's recommended Shorts thumbnail, with a 640 px minimum height.Source: YouTube Help | 2160 × 3840 px | 9:16 |
| Channel bannerRecommended for TV. Minimum 2048 × 1152 px, 6 MB or smaller. At the minimum size, keep text and logos inside the central 1235 × 338 px.Source: YouTube Help | 2560 × 1440 px | 16:9 |
| Profile pictureYouTube displays it at 98 × 98 px and doesn't publish an upload size. We export 800 × 800 so it stays sharp on high-density screens. Up to 15 MB; no animated GIFs.Calculated from YouTube Help | 800 × 800 px | 1:1 |
| Video (1080p)VideoYouTube's standard aspect ratio on computers. 4K is 3840 × 2160 and 720p is 1280 × 720.Source: YouTube Help | 1920 × 1080 px | 16:9 |
- Shorts can be up to 3 minutes long, with a square or vertical aspect ratio.
4 sources, checked 24 September 2026
- Add video thumbnails on YouTube (YouTube Help)
- Manage your channel branding (YouTube Help)
- Video resolution and aspect ratios (YouTube Help)
- Upload YouTube Shorts (YouTube Help)
Resize an image for YouTube
Choose an image and the sizes you need. Crop around a focal point or fit the whole image, then download each file. It all happens in your browser.
Your image stays on this device. Resizing happens in your browser and nothing is uploaded.
How to fill each size
File type
2 sizes selected
How these sizes are checked
Each size comes from the platform’s own help centre, ads guide or developer documentation, and links to that page. All sources were checked on 24 September 2026.
Where a platform publishes a ratio, maximum width or display size instead of exact pixels, the size is marked “Calculated from” and the note explains how. Rows marked Video are listed for reference; the resizer creates images.
Platforms change their specifications without notice. If a size matters for a campaign, open the source before you post.
Questions about image sizes
YouTube recommends 3840 × 2160 px with a 16:9 aspect ratio and a minimum width of 640 px, as a JPG or PNG. Thumbnails uploaded on mobile are limited to 2 MB; on a computer the limit is 50 MB. The familiar 1280 × 720 px size is still 16:9 and above the minimum.
Upload at least 2048 × 1152 px (16:9), 6 MB or smaller. YouTube recommends 2560 × 1440 px for TV. At the minimum size, keep text and logos inside the central 1235 × 338 px.
YouTube recommends 2160 × 3840 px (9:16) for Shorts thumbnails, with a minimum height of 640 px.
Resized and ready? Put it in the calendar.
Wahlu schedules posts to Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn personal profiles from one calendar. Studio designs at 1:1, 4:5, 9:16 and 16:9, the ratios behind 5 of the sizes in this guide.