YouTube Thumbnail & Channel Image Sizes
YouTube thumbnails are 1280×720. Below are that and every other image slot on your channel, with the safe zones that matter for the banner.
| Placement | Pixels | Ratio | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video thumbnail Minimum 640px wide; under 2MB |
1280×720 | 16:9 | |
| Channel banner Safe area for text/logo: 1546×423 centred |
2560×1440 | 16:9 | |
| Profile picture Shown as a circle at 98×98 |
800×800 | 1:1 | |
| Video upload / player 1080p standard |
1920×1080 | 16:9 | |
| Shorts | 1080×1920 | 9:16 |
Thumbnails: 1280×720, always 16:9
Upload thumbnails at 1280×720 pixels (16:9). YouTube accepts JPG, PNG, GIF or BMP up to 2MB, and requires the image to be at least 640px wide. Because thumbnails are shown as small as ~120px wide on phones, use large text and high contrast — fine detail disappears at that scale.
The banner safe area is the whole game
The channel banner is uploaded at 2560×1440, but YouTube crops it differently on TV, desktop and mobile. Only the centre 1546×423 region is guaranteed to be visible on every device. Put your channel name, logo and schedule inside that safe area; treat everything outside it as decorative background that some viewers will never see.
FAQ
What is the correct YouTube thumbnail size?
1280×720 pixels at a 16:9 aspect ratio, saved as JPG or PNG under 2MB.
What is the YouTube banner safe area?
1546×423 pixels, centred within the 2560×1440 upload. Keep text and logos inside it so they show on TV, desktop and mobile.