YouTube image specs
YouTube thumbnails are recommended at 3,840 × 2,160 pixels and 16:9 in JPG or PNG; channel banners need at least 2,048 × 1,152 pixels and 6 MB or less.
All YouTube image requirements
Source: YouTube Help — Add custom thumbnails on YouTube; Manage your channel branding; Disclosing use of GenAI content; Manage products from your store on YouTube. Checked 12 October 2026. Read again · 12 October 2026
- Thumbnail size
- 3,840 × 2,160 pixels recommended for video thumbnails, with a minimum width of 640 pixels
- Aspect ratio
- 16:9 recommended for video thumbnails, 9:16 for Shorts and 1:1 for podcast playlists
- Shorts thumbnail
- 2,160 × 3,840 pixels recommended, with a minimum height of 640 pixels; custom Shorts thumbnails can currently only be added in YouTube Studio on a computer
- Formats
- Thumbnails in image formats such as JPG or PNG; profile pictures as a JPG, GIF, BMP or PNG file, with no animated GIFs
- File size
- Thumbnails up to 2 MB when uploaded on mobile (10 MB for podcasts) and up to 50 MB on desktop; channel banner 6 MB or smaller; profile picture no more than 15 MB
- Channel banner
- Minimum upload dimension of 2,048 × 1,152 pixels at 16:9; 2,560 × 1,440 pixels recommended, especially for TV
- Safe area
- At the minimum banner dimension, the safe area for text and logos is 1,235 × 338 pixels; the banner is cropped on certain views and devices
- Profile picture
- An image that renders at 98 × 98 pixels
- Video watermark
- A square image of at least 150 × 150 pixels and less than 1 MB
- Not allowed
- Thumbnails containing nudity or sexually provocative content, hate speech, violence, or harmful or dangerous content; banner files with added embellishments such as shadows, borders and frames
- AI images
- Creators must disclose realistic content that is generated or meaningfully altered with AI; using generative AI tools to create or improve a thumbnail does not need to be disclosed
- Shopping products
- Products are reviewed for compliance with Google Merchant Center policies and YouTube policies and are not displayed in YouTube Studio unless approved under both; changing an item's image triggers a new review
What YouTube asks for, covered.
Herofab's ad creative tool delivers a 16:9 banner at 2,048 × 1,152 pixels: the minimum upload size for a YouTube channel banner, and below the 3,840 × 2,160 pixels YouTube recommends for thumbnails. Its 9:16 story format, 1,152 × 2,048 pixels, has the ratio YouTube recommends for Shorts thumbnails. When a video shows realistic content generated or meaningfully altered with AI, the disclosure in YouTube Studio is made by the creator.
At the banner minimum
The 16:9 ad banner is 2,048 × 1,152 pixels, the minimum upload size for a channel banner.
Below the thumbnail recommendation
YouTube recommends 3,840 × 2,160 pixels for thumbnails; the 16:9 banner is smaller, and above the 640-pixel minimum width.
The Shorts ratio
The 9:16 story format, 1,152 × 2,048 pixels, has the ratio YouTube recommends for Shorts thumbnails.
YouTube, answered.
What image size is right for YouTube?
YouTube thumbnails are recommended at 3,840 × 2,160 pixels and 16:9 in JPG or PNG; channel banners need at least 2,048 × 1,152 pixels and 6 MB or less.
Which image formats can be used for YouTube?
Thumbnails in image formats such as JPG or PNG; profile pictures as a JPG, GIF, BMP or PNG file, with no animated GIFs. Source: YouTube Help — Add custom thumbnails on YouTube; Manage your channel branding; Disclosing use of GenAI content; Manage products from your store on YouTube, checked 12 October 2026.
How large can an image file be for YouTube?
Thumbnails up to 2 MB when uploaded on mobile (10 MB for podcasts) and up to 50 MB on desktop; channel banner 6 MB or smaller; profile picture no more than 15 MB. Source: YouTube Help — Add custom thumbnails on YouTube; Manage your channel branding; Disclosing use of GenAI content; Manage products from your store on YouTube, checked 12 October 2026.
What is not allowed in images for YouTube?
Thumbnails containing nudity or sexually provocative content, hate speech, violence, or harmful or dangerous content; banner files with added embellishments such as shadows, borders and frames. Source: YouTube Help — Add custom thumbnails on YouTube; Manage your channel branding; Disclosing use of GenAI content; Manage products from your store on YouTube, checked 12 October 2026.
What are the rules for AI-generated images in YouTube?
Creators must disclose realistic content that is generated or meaningfully altered with AI; using generative AI tools to create or improve a thumbnail does not need to be disclosed. Source: YouTube Help — Add custom thumbnails on YouTube; Manage your channel branding; Disclosing use of GenAI content; Manage products from your store on YouTube, checked 12 October 2026.
Can I check my images before uploading?
Yes. The free image size checker reads each file in your browser and tests it against these rules; the image is not uploaded.
Where do these figures come from?
From YouTube Help — Add custom thumbnails on YouTube; Manage your channel branding; Disclosing use of GenAI content; Manage products from your store on YouTube, read on 12 October 2026. Platforms update their specs; the official page is the final reference.
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20 credits at sign-up, no card required. Images made with free credits carry a watermark.