Recommended
Recommended512×512 1:1
Strong upload size for the circular Discord avatar on most clients.
Use in toolDiscord · Image size
Discord Avatar Size
Discord shows your avatar as a circle in servers, DMs, and your profile. Export a sharp 512×512 square, center the face, then download in your browser.
Browser tool · nothing leaves your device
Crop your Discord avatar
Output 512 × 512
- 1Upload or try the sample
- 2Drag so the subject stays in the mobile guide
- 3Download 1640×624 (or your selected size)
Click to upload
Upload a face or logo photo—or try the sample—then keep the subject inside the circle before you download.
Drop an image onto the canvas, click inside it, or try the sample
Size specs
Always square. Discord masks a circle—keep eyes and logos inside the guide. 512×512 is the practical default most people need.
Publish
Export this for Discord upload.
Extra sharp
1024×1024 1:1
Use when the source is very sharp and you want headroom after Discord scales down.
Use in tool| Asset | Pixels | Ratio | Notes | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recommended Recommended | 512×512 | 1:1 | Strong upload size for the circular Discord avatar on most clients. | Use in tool |
| Extra sharp | 1024×1024 | 1:1 | Use when the source is very sharp and you want headroom after Discord scales down. | Use in tool |
Discord avatars are tiny in the sidebar—and circular everywhere
You upload a square, but Discord almost never shows the full square. Server member lists, message rows, voice channels, and your user profile all draw a circle. Anything in the four corners disappears the moment the mask applies.
512×512 is a practical recommended size: sharp enough after Discord’s compression, light enough for mobile clients. Larger files can help if the source is excellent, but a soft 200×200 upscale will not look better at 1024.
Animated GIFs and Nitro perks can change what you are allowed to upload, but the framing rule stays the same: design for the circle first. A crop that only works when the avatar is large will fail in a crowded server sidebar.
Your profile banner is a separate 960×540 surface. Do not stretch the banner into the avatar slot—or the avatar into the banner. Export two files with two safe zones.
Good vs weak crop
Same circle mask—corners disappear; design for the tiny comment-size icon.
Reads as a circle
- Face fills most of the circle
- Simple background
- Sharp 512×512 upload
- Clear at tiny sidebar size
Broken by the mask
- Important detail only in the corners
- Full-body shot too small in chat
- Banner crop stretched into a square
- Busy pattern fighting the circle edge
Before you upload
Tick these off against your crop preview—nothing is saved.
Related surfaces compared
Similar-looking slots often use different ratios—do not reuse one export for all of them.
User avatar
512 × 512
This page. Circle in servers, DMs, and profile.
Profile banner
960 × 540
Wide strip on your user profile—separate export.
Server icon
Square → circle / rounded
Server list mark—same circle thinking, different file.
Emoji / stickers
Smaller assets
Not a substitute for your avatar crop.
| Surface | Typical size | Note |
|---|---|---|
| User avatar | 512 × 512 | This page. Circle in servers, DMs, and profile. |
| Profile banner | 960 × 540 | Wide strip on your user profile—separate export. |
| Server icon | Square → circle / rounded | Server list mark—same circle thinking, different file. |
| Emoji / stickers | Smaller assets | Not a substitute for your avatar crop. |
Design for the circle, not the square
Viewers see a circle in almost every Discord surface. Place the face or logo in the center and leave a little padding so the mask does not clip ears, hair, or wordmark edges.
Sidebar and mobile message lists shrink the same file to a tiny disc. If someone cannot recognize you at that size, tighten the crop—do not add more detail to the corners.
- Center eyes slightly above the geometric middle if the crop feels heavy.
- Avoid micro text along the rim—it vanishes in chat.
- Check the avatar next to your live profile banner, not only alone.
File requirements
Prefer JPG for headshots. PNG suits flat logos. Animated avatars may require Nitro and GIF/APNG rules—confirm in Discord for your account. Keep sRGB for stills.
- Recommended upload
- 512 × 512 px
- Extra sharp option
- 1024 × 1024 px
- Shape
- Square upload → circle display
- Formats
- JPG, PNG, or GIF when allowed (sRGB for stills)
- Not a substitute
- 960×540 profile banner
Pairing with the profile banner
Nitro (or eligible) profile banners sit behind or beside your avatar on the user profile. Export them as two files: circle for the face, 16:9-ish strip for the banner. Matching mood is good; one stretched crop for both is not.
- Do not crop the banner to fake an avatar.
- Match color mood, not identical framing.
- See the Discord banner guide for the 960×540 safe zone.
Common mistakes
- Busy corners that the circle cuts into odd shapes.
- Using the profile banner as an avatar.
- Very small soft files that look muddy on retina phones.
- Group photos where your face is tiny in the circle.
- Heavy filters that posterize after Discord compresses the upload.
How to use the crop tool
Upload a face or logo photo, choose Recommended (512×512), center the subject in the circle guide, then download. Processing stays on your device.
- Zoom until the face fills most of the guide.
- Prefer a simple background for sidebar size.
- Re-export if you also need Twitch or other platform avatars.
After you download
From this download to a live upload in a few minutes.
- 1
Download the square JPG, PNG, or GIF (if you use animation and your account allows it) from the tool.
- 2
On Discord, open User Settings → Profiles → change Avatar (wording may vary by client).
- 3
Upload the file and confirm the circle framing in Discord’s preview.
- 4
Save, then check a busy server sidebar and a DM thread on your phone.
- 5
If the face looks off-center or too small, re-crop tighter and upload again.
Frequently asked questions
What size should a Discord avatar be in 2026?
512×512 pixels is a strong recommended square. Discord displays it as a circle. Larger sharp sources can use 1024×1024; soft tiny files will not improve by upscaling.
Does Discord crop avatars to a circle?
Yes. Keep the face or logo inside a circular safe zone so corners are not cut into odd shapes.
Do I need Nitro for a static avatar?
Static image avatars are available on standard accounts. Animated avatars and some profile banner features may require Nitro—check Discord’s current perks for your account.
Can I use a rectangle photo?
Discord will force square/circle framing. Control the crop here first so the wrong edge does not win.
JPG, PNG, or GIF?
JPG for photos, PNG for flat logos, GIF when you use an animated avatar and your account allows it. Prefer sRGB for stills.
Is Discord avatar the same as a server icon?
Same idea—square into a round(ish) mark—but different files and contexts. Crop the server icon separately if the mark is not identical to your user avatar.
Should the avatar match my banner?
Coordinate colors if you like, but export the avatar as its own 512×512 circle crop. The banner is a separate 960×540 strip.