YouTube Cover Photo Size

By Peter Assentorp

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If you're looking for the perfect YouTube cover photo size (also known as channel banner or channel art) that displays perfectly on your YouTube channel - you're in the right place. The YouTube cover photo is the large banner image at the top of your channel page and is a great way to showcase your brand, content style, and personality. It's one of the first things visitors see when they land on your channel. Here are the correct dimensions to use for the YouTube cover photo size.

Cover Photo

Image

2048 × 1152

6MB or less

Download Free Templates

What if a size changes?

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What should I know about the YouTube cover photo size?

The YouTube cover photo (channel banner) is displayed at 2048 pixels wide by 1152 pixels tall. However, this is just the uploaded size. The tricky part about YouTube channel art is that it displays differently on different devices - TV screens, desktop computers, tablets, and mobile phones all show different portions of your banner.

The safe area that's visible on all devices is 1546 x 423 pixels, centered in the image. This is where you should place all important content like logos, text, and key visuals. Anything outside this area might be cropped on smaller devices. The file size must be 6MB or less.

What is the best size for YouTube cover photo?

You should always upload at the full 2048 x 1152 pixel size as this ensures your banner looks great on large TV screens. However, when designing, focus on the safe area (1546 x 423 pixels) to ensure your most important content is visible on all devices. Keep critical elements like text, logos, and faces within this central safe zone.

A good way to check everything before you publish is to use YouTube's banner preview tool, which shows how your cover photo will appear on different devices. This helps you ensure nothing important gets cropped on mobile or tablet views.

How do I create a YouTube cover photo?

There are many different great tools out there that you can use to create your YouTube cover photo. Some of the most popular to use are:

• Canva - Has YouTube banner templates with safe zones marked
• Photoshop - Professional editing and design
• Figma - Great for creating reusable templates
• GIMP - Free Photoshop alternative
• Adobe Spark - Simple banner creation
• Snappa - Quick design tool

Some of this software can be quite expensive to use. If you are looking for a free alternative you can use our 100% Free Social Image Maker to create all assets for your social media channels. This image maker already has the YouTube cover photo size available out of the box, so you don't have to go look up the size to get started. It's easy to use and gets updates and improvements quite often.

Recommendations for the YouTube cover photo

Your YouTube cover photo is prime real estate for establishing your channel's brand identity. It's the first thing visitors see when they land on your channel, so it should clearly communicate what your channel is about. Here are some tips for creating an effective cover photo:

• Keep all important content within the safe area (1546 x 423 pixels)
• Use high-quality images that represent your content
• Include your channel name or logo
• Add a brief tagline explaining what your channel offers
• Use brand colors consistently
• Keep text large and easy to read
• Test how it looks on different devices before publishing

When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products and services we trust and would use ourselves.

Understanding YouTube banner safe zones

The most confusing aspect of YouTube channel art is understanding the safe zones. Your 2048 x 1152 pixel image will be cropped differently depending on the viewing device:

• TV: Full image is visible (2048 x 1152 pixels)
• Desktop: 1546 x 423 pixels visible (centered)
• Tablet: 1855 x 423 pixels visible
• Mobile: 1546 x 423 pixels visible (centered)

Most designers create their channel art with guides showing these different zones, ensuring important elements stay within the 1546 x 423 pixel safe area that's visible everywhere. You can use the outer areas for decorative elements or extended backgrounds that look good on TV but aren't critical to your branding.

How do I upload a YouTube cover photo?

To upload or change your YouTube channel banner:

1. Go to your YouTube channel page
2. Click "Customize channel" in the top right
3. Click "Branding" in the left sidebar
4. Under "Banner image," click "Upload" or "Change"
5. Select your 2048 x 1152 pixel image (6MB or less in JPG, PNG, or GIF format)
6. Preview how it looks on different devices using the preview tool
7. Click "Done" to save

What should I include in my YouTube cover photo?

Your YouTube cover photo should communicate three key things: who you are, what content you create, and when viewers can expect new videos. Many successful creators include their channel name or logo, a tagline describing their content (e.g., "Tech Reviews Every Tuesday"), and visual elements that reflect their content style.

Some channels also include social media handles or links to other platforms, though YouTube allows you to add clickable links separately. Keep your design clean and uncluttered - trying to include too much information can make your banner look messy and unprofessional.

Does the YouTube cover photo size matter?

Short answer, yes it does! Using the wrong size can result in important content being cropped on different devices, or a blurry, unprofessional-looking banner. The multi-device nature of YouTube makes this especially important - what looks perfect on your desktop computer might have critical elements cut off on mobile.

Using our premade templates ensures you start with the correct dimensions and have guides showing the safe areas. This makes it much easier to create a banner that looks great everywhere. Just download the template from the frontpage, add your content, and upload.

What if the size changes?

Want to be updated about changes to the YouTube cover photo size? Then subscribe to updates at the top of the page. Put in your email and click the "Get notified" button. Then you will know exactly when the size changes.

If the dimensions of the YouTube cover photo were to change, it would be important to ensure that your channel art is properly resized to fit the new dimensions. Having an up-to-date banner ensures your channel always looks professional and represents your brand effectively.

Learn more about YouTube Thumbnail Size on our other page.