X (Twitter) · Image size

X Profile Picture Size

X shows your avatar as a circle in the timeline and on your profile. Export a sharp square, center the face, then download in your browser.

Crop to this size View all specs

Last verified 2026-08-10

Based on X (Twitter) UI as of 2026-08-10. Exact crops and pixels can shift—preview before you publish.

Browser tool · nothing leaves your device

Crop your X profile picture

Output 800 × 800

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 photo—or try the sample—then keep eyes inside the circle before you download.

Drop an image onto the canvas, click inside it, or try the sample

Size specs

Always square. Corners disappear under the circle mask—keep the face inside the guide, then check how it sits on your banner.

Publish

Export this for X (Twitter) upload.

Sharp upload (2×)

Recommended

800×800 1:1

Crisper on retina screens; still masked as a circle after upload.

Use in tool

Asset	Pixels	Ratio	Notes	Action
Recommended	400×400	1:1	Common display size for the circular avatar.	Use in tool
Sharp upload (2×) Recommended	800×800	1:1	Crisper on retina screens; still masked as a circle after upload.	Use in tool

Your avatar is a circle—and it covers the banner

X draws your profile photo as a circle in replies, the timeline, and on the profile page where it overlaps the header. A rectangular group shot or a banner crop will lose corners and often the wrong person.

Upload a true square. 800×800 usually looks sharper after X scales the image down for retina phones. 400×400 still works when the source is already soft—just do not expect magic from a tiny file.

Because the avatar sits on the banner, contrast matters. A dark hoodie on a dark lower-left header makes the circle hard to see. Coordinate colors lightly, but export the avatar as its own centered face crop.

Logos can work for brands, yet most personal accounts perform better with a clear face. Fill most of the circle with the head and shoulders; leave busy backgrounds out so the silhouette stays readable at small sizes.

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 800×800 upload
Works on light and dark banners

Broken by the mask

Important detail only in the corners
Full-body shot too small to recognize
Banner strip stretched into a square
Busy pattern fighting the circle edge

Before you upload

Tick these off against your crop preview—nothing is saved.

Face (or logo mark) sits inside the circular guide—not in the cut-off corners.
Eyes are near the horizontal center; chin and hair are not clipped oddly.
Export a square sRGB file (prefer 800×800).
No critical detail only in the corners that the circle removes.
Looks clear next to your banner colors on desktop and mobile.
Background is simple enough to read at timeline thumbnail size.
You did not stretch a wide banner or a post graphic into a fake square.

Related surfaces compared

Similar-looking slots often use different ratios—do not reuse one export for all of them.

Profile photo

400 × 400 (try 800×800)

This page. Circle in the feed and on the profile.

Header banner

1500 × 500

Wide strip behind the avatar—keep lower-left quiet.

Post image

1600 × 900

Timeline photos—separate 16:9 export.

App / notification icon contexts

Very small circle

Same file, tiny display—bold faces beat fine detail.

Surface	Typical size	Note
Profile photo	400 × 400 (try 800×800)	This page. Circle in the feed and on the profile.
Header banner	1500 × 500	Wide strip behind the avatar—keep lower-left quiet.
Post image	1600 × 900	Timeline photos—separate 16:9 export.
App / notification icon contexts	Very small circle	Same file, tiny display—bold faces beat fine detail.

Design for the circle, not the square

You upload a square, but viewers almost never see the corners. Anything important in those corners is gone. Place the face in the center and leave a little padding so the circle does not clip ears or hair awkwardly.

On the profile page the same circle covers the lower-left of your 1500×500 banner. A great avatar cannot fix a banner that puts the only logo under that pocket—crop both surfaces on purpose.

Center eyes slightly above the geometric middle if the crop feels heavy.
Avoid text along the rim—it disappears at small sizes.
Check the avatar beside the live banner, not only in isolation.

File requirements

Prefer JPG for headshots. PNG suits flat logos or hard-edged brand marks. Keep sRGB and avoid huge files that add nothing once the circle is tiny in the feed.

Sharp upload: 800 × 800 px
Common display: 400 × 400 px
Shape: Square upload → circle display
Formats: JPG or PNG (sRGB)
Not a substitute: 1500×500 banner or 16:9 post crops

Common mistakes

Busy corners that the circle cuts into odd shapes.
Using the banner crop 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 compression.

How to use the crop tool

Upload a face photo, choose Sharp upload (800×800), center the face 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 small timeline sizes.
Re-export if you later need a different platform’s avatar size.

After you download

From this download to a live upload in a few minutes.

1
Download the square JPG (or PNG for a flat logo) from the tool.
2
On X, open your profile → Edit profile → change the profile photo.
3
Upload the file and confirm the circle framing in X’s preview.
4
Save, then view the profile with the banner visible on your phone.
5
If the face looks off-center or too small, re-crop tighter and upload again.

Frequently asked questions

What size is an X profile picture in 2026?

Use a square. 400×400 is a common display size; 800×800 is a sharper upload. X shows the image as a circle everywhere that matters.

Does X crop profile pictures to a circle?

Yes. Keep the face centered inside a circular safe zone so ears and hair are not clipped oddly.

Should I match my banner?

Coordinate colors if you like, but export the avatar as its own square. The banner still needs a quiet lower-left where this circle sits.

Can I use a rectangle photo?

X will force a square/circle framing. Control the crop here first so the wrong person or edge detail does not win.

JPG or PNG for an X avatar?

JPG for photographs, PNG for flat logos. Prefer sRGB either way.

Why upload 800×800 instead of 400×400?

Same circle, more detail on high-density screens. If the source is already soft, 400×400 is fine—just avoid upscaling noise.

Is a logo better than a face?

Brand accounts often use a mark. Personal profiles usually read clearer with a face that fills the circle—especially in crowded reply threads.