YouTube Banner Size Checker
Check your channel banner's size, ratio and file size, see the safe area, and preview how it crops on TV, desktop and mobile.
Your banner
Upload checks
How it looks on each device
Desktop and mobile show the centre strip. TV shows everything.
What size is a YouTube banner?
YouTube recommends 2560 × 1440 pixels for a channel banner, especially for TV. The minimum is 2048 × 1152 pixels at a 16:9 ratio, and the file must be 6 MB or smaller. Keep text and logos inside the centre 1546 × 423 pixels, the safe area that shows on every device.
Your banner is the first thing people see on your channel page, on every screen. Get the size right once and it stays sharp from a phone to a living-room TV.
| Rule | YouTube's guidance | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Recommended size | 2560 × 1440 px | Stays sharp on TVs and large monitors. |
| Minimum size | 2048 × 1152 px, 16:9 | Smaller images can't be uploaded as a banner. |
| Safe area | 1235 × 338 px at minimum size (about 1546 × 423 at 2560 × 1440) | The only part every device shows. |
| File size | 6 MB or smaller | Larger files are rejected. |
| Extras | No added shadows, borders or frames | YouTube asks for the artwork without embellishments. |
Source: YouTube Help, “Manage your channel branding”. Checked October 2026.
Where is the safe area on a YouTube banner?
The safe area is a strip in the exact centre of the banner: 1546 × 423 pixels on a 2560 × 1440 canvas, which leaves about 507 pixels on the left and right and 509 pixels above and below. Put your channel name, logo and tagline inside it. Everything outside is background that some devices crop away.
Use the template to design with the safe area in view. It's a transparent PNG at full size, so you can lay it over your artwork in Canva, Photoshop or Figma and hide it before export.
How much of a YouTube banner shows on TV, desktop and mobile?
TVs show the whole 2560 × 1440 image. Desktop shows a full-width strip of about 2560 × 423 pixels, tablets about 1855 × 423, and phones about 1546 × 423 from the centre. That's why only the middle of your banner is guaranteed to be seen.
| Device | Visible area |
|---|---|
| TV | 2560 × 1440 (everything) |
| Desktop | 2560 × 423 |
| Tablet | 1855 × 423 |
| Mobile | 1546 × 423 |
Device areas are the widely used design guide for a 2560 × 1440 banner. Confirm the final crop in YouTube Studio's preview.
How do you change your YouTube banner?
In YouTube Studio, open Customization, click Change next to Banner image, choose your file, check the crop for each device and click Done, then Publish. It can take a little while to appear everywhere.
- Open YouTube StudioSign in at studio.youtube.com and choose Customization in the left menu.
- Change the banner imageFind Banner image, click Change and select your 16:9 image.
- Check the cropSelect a device preview, adjust the crop if needed, then click Done.
- PublishClick Publish to update your channel.
Banner image
This image will appear across the top of your channel.
Why is my YouTube banner blurry, cut off or rejected?
Most banner problems come from one of four things: the image is too small, the file is over 6 MB, important text sits outside the centre strip, or the artwork was made for a different shape.
Blurry on TV or a big screen
The image was made too small and stretched. Rebuild it at 2560 × 1440 instead of enlarging a smaller file.
Text cut off on a phone
It's outside the 1546 × 423 safe area. Move the name and logo towards the centre and check the Mobile preview above.
“File is too large”
Banners must be 6 MB or less. Save photos as JPG, or use “Download fixed banner” above to compress it.
It was designed as a long strip
A 2560 × 423 design isn't 16:9, so YouTube can't use it. Place it in the middle of a 2560 × 1440 canvas and fill the rest with background.
YouTube banner FAQ
Is 1024 × 576 big enough for a YouTube banner?
What file format should a YouTube banner be?
Why does my banner look different on my phone?
Is there a free YouTube banner template?
Is my banner uploaded?
Polish the rest of your channel
Banner sorted. Need design ideas?
Browse hand-picked banners, thumbnails and posts from brands that do it well.
Browse the design libraryIllustrations and sample banners from Magnific, by Magnific and pikisuperstar.