Board cover (typical)
Recommended800×450 ~16:9
Practical wide thumbnail for board grids. Center the subject for small cards.
Use in toolPinterest · Image size
Pinterest Board Cover Size
Board covers are wide thumbnails—about 800×450—not tall Pins. Crop a clear hero for the board grid, keep text readable at small size, then download in your browser.
Browser tool · nothing leaves your device
Crop your Pinterest board cover
Output 800 × 450
- 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 photo—or try the sample—then keep the board’s theme clear in the center before you download.
Drop an image onto the canvas, click inside it, or try the sample
Size specs
Board covers are landscape. Do not reuse a 2:3 Pin export—re-crop so the hero fills the wide frame without letterboxing.
Publish
Export this for Pinterest upload.
Sharper upload (2×)
1600×900 ~16:9
Same ratio with more pixels for retina. Pinterest may still display closer to 800×450.
Use in tool| Asset | Pixels | Ratio | Notes | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Board cover (typical) Recommended | 800×450 | ~16:9 | Practical wide thumbnail for board grids. Center the subject for small cards. | Use in tool |
| Sharper upload (2×) | 1600×900 | ~16:9 | Same ratio with more pixels for retina. Pinterest may still display closer to 800×450. | Use in tool |
A board cover is a wide label, not a Pin
Pinterest boards show a landscape cover in profile grids and board lists. The typical practical size is about 800×450 (~16:9). Tall 2:3 Pins look wrong when stretched or letterboxed into that slot.
People scan board covers quickly to decide which collection to open. One clear subject—or a simple collage with a single focal point—beats a busy moodboard that turns to noise at thumbnail size.
Pinterest may auto-generate covers from Pins inside the board. When you set a custom cover, treat it as packaging: high contrast, short or no on-image text, and a subject that still reads when the card is small.
Profile pictures and Pins remain separate files. Coordinate colors if you want a brand system, but always export the board cover as its own wide crop.
Good vs weak crop
Same landscape card—edges and tiny type fail after compression or multi-image crop.
Clear board label
- One obvious subject in the center
- High contrast for small cards
- Quiet edges inside the safe margin
Muddy thumbnail
- Tall Pin stretched into a wide slot
- Busy collage with no focal point
- Tiny type that vanishes on the grid
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.
Board cover
800 × 450 typical
This page. Wide thumbnail for board lists and profile grids.
Standard Pin
1000 × 1500
Tall feed Pin—different ratio than board covers.
Profile picture
600 × 600 upload
Circular avatar—not a board cover.
| Surface | Typical size | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Board cover | 800 × 450 typical | This page. Wide thumbnail for board lists and profile grids. |
| Standard Pin | 1000 × 1500 | Tall feed Pin—different ratio than board covers. |
| Profile picture | 600 × 600 upload | Circular avatar—not a board cover. |
Single image vs collage covers
A single strong photo usually reads better than a dense collage. If you collage, give one cell clear dominance and keep others as texture—equal tiles become noise when the card shrinks.
Match the cover to the board’s promise. A “Weeknight dinners” board should show food, not a random lifestyle crop that could belong to any board.
- One hero > five equal mini-Pins.
- Keep faces and products away from the extreme edges.
- Avoid watermarks that only sit in a corner the UI may soft-crop.
- Prefer natural light and simple backgrounds for food or product boards.
Composition for a wide board card
Place the subject in the horizontal center with a little breathing room. Landscape frames punish edge-only branding—phones trim more than you expect.
Skip paragraphs of type on the cover. If you need a label, use a short word in large, bold letters.
- Center the theme of the board.
- High contrast beats subtle pastel-on-pastel at thumbnail size.
- Bleed backgrounds full-bleed; protect only the message.
- Re-crop from a sharp source—do not upscale a tiny Pin thumbnail.
File requirements
Export about 800×450 in sRGB, or 1600×900 if you want a sharper master at the same ratio. JPG for photos; PNG for flat graphics.
- Typical size
- 800 × 450 px (~16:9)
- Sharper option
- 1600 × 900 px (same ratio)
- Formats
- JPG or PNG (sRGB)
- Color
- sRGB preferred
- Safe content
- Keep the hero inside the margin guide
- Avoid
- Stretched 2:3 Pins and soft screenshots
Common mistakes
- Using a tall Pin export without a fresh landscape crop.
- Packing five products with equal weight so none read at small size.
- Putting the only title on the far left or right edge.
- Relying on Pinterest auto-covers that pick a weak Pin from the board.
- Uploading a dark, low-contrast image that disappears on light UI.
- Designing only on a large desktop preview and never checking the phone grid.
How to use the crop tool on this page
Upload a photo, lock the Board cover preset (~800×450), then drag until the board’s theme sits in the center safe margin. Switch to 1600×900 if your source is sharp enough. Download when the wide preview still reads as a clear label.
- Nothing leaves your device while cropping.
- Prefer a dedicated landscape source over stretching a Pin.
- After small drags, re-check edges—board cards are small.
- Open the Pin size guide next if you are also publishing new Pins to this board.
After you download
From this download to a live upload in a few minutes.
- 1
Download the wide JPG from the tool (800×450 or 1600×900).
- 2
On Pinterest, open the board → edit cover / choose cover image.
- 3
Upload the file and confirm the crop still shows the theme.
- 4
If Pinterest offers a position step, keep the hero centered.
- 5
Check the board grid on your phone—covers look much smaller there.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Pinterest board cover size in 2026?
About 800×450 pixels (~16:9) is the practical target. You can export 1600×900 at the same ratio for a sharper master.
Is a board cover the same as a Pin?
No. Pins are usually tall 2:3 (1000×1500). Board covers are wide thumbnails—re-crop instead of stretching.
Can Pinterest auto-pick my board cover?
Yes, from Pins inside the board. A custom cover is clearer when you want a specific theme or brand look.
Should I put text on the board cover?
Only if it is large and short. Most boards read better with a strong photo and no micro type.
JPG or PNG for board covers?
JPG for photos; PNG for flat graphics. Export sRGB and keep the file reasonably light.
Can I use an Instagram landscape post?
As a starting photo, yes—then re-crop to ~800×450 so the board-grid framing stays intentional.
Why does my cover look soft?
Soft Pin thumbnails or stretched tall images lose detail. Re-export from a sharp landscape source at 800×450 or 1600×900.