Channel banner (TV)
Recommended2560×1440 16:9
Full upload canvas. Outer areas may be cropped on desktop and mobile—protect the center safe zone.
Use in toolYouTube · Image size
YouTube Banner Size
Channel art is one wide 2560×1440 upload. Keep logos and headlines inside the center ~1546×423 safe zone so TV, desktop, and phones all show the message—then download in your browser.
Browser tool · nothing leaves your device
Crop your YouTube channel banner
Output 2560 × 1440
- 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 wide photo—or try the sample—then keep logos and headlines inside the center safe band before you download.
Drop an image onto the canvas, click inside it, or try the sample
Size specs
Upload 2560×1440 once. Desktop and mobile crop differently; TVs show more of the frame. Design the message for the center safe band, then bleed atmosphere into the outer canvas.
Publish
Export this for YouTube upload.
| Asset | Pixels | Ratio | Notes | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Channel banner (TV) Recommended | 2560×1440 | 16:9 | Full upload canvas. Outer areas may be cropped on desktop and mobile—protect the center safe zone. | Use in tool |
What YouTube shows
Reference sizes and crops—not always separate upload files.
Center safe zone (guide)
1546×423 ~3.66:1
Not a separate upload. Everything critical should fit inside this centered band on the 2560×1440 canvas.
Not available in the crop tool
| Asset | Pixels | Ratio | Notes | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Center safe zone (guide) | 1546×423 | ~3.66:1 | Not a separate upload. Everything critical should fit inside this centered band on the 2560×1440 canvas. | — |
Why one banner still needs a center safe zone
YouTube keeps a single channel art file at 2560×1440, then shows different windows of it. TV layouts keep more of the wide frame; desktop and especially mobile tighten toward a shorter horizontal band through the middle. Edges that look balanced in Photoshop can vanish on a phone.
Correct pixels keep the image sharp on retina screens. The center safe zone—about 1546×423—keeps wordmarks, faces, and campaign lines readable wherever YouTube crops. Treat the outer canvas as atmosphere: sky, blur, soft brand color—not the only logo.
Creators often paste a Facebook cover or X header into this slot. Those ratios are not the same job. Stretching them warps people and pushes type into unsafe edges. Re-crop from a wider master instead of forcing another network’s export.
Channel art also sits behind your circular profile photo and subscribe controls on some layouts. Keep the lower band of the safe zone calmer so UI chrome and the avatar do not fight dense type. Banner ≠ thumbnail ≠ Shorts cover—export each surface on purpose.
Good vs weak crop
Same header strip—keep the avatar pocket clear and the subject in the open band.
Survives every crop
- Wordmark inside the center safe band
- Quiet outer edges for device crops
- Short headline, not a paragraph
Lost on mobile / TV
- Only branding on the far left or right
- Facebook or X cover stretched to 16:9
- Tiny type across the full canvas width
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.
Channel banner
2560 × 1440 upload
This page. Center safe ~1546×423 for text and logos.
Video thumbnail
1280 × 720
16:9 video cards—different file from channel art.
Shorts frame
1080 × 1920
Vertical 9:16; not a banner substitute.
Channel profile photo
800 × 800
Circular avatar that appears with the banner on the channel page.
| Surface | Typical size | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Channel banner | 2560 × 1440 upload | This page. Center safe ~1546×423 for text and logos. |
| Video thumbnail | 1280 × 720 | 16:9 video cards—different file from channel art. |
| Shorts frame | 1080 × 1920 | Vertical 9:16; not a banner substitute. |
| Channel profile photo | 800 × 800 | Circular avatar that appears with the banner on the channel page. |
TV, desktop, and mobile crops
Think of 2560×1440 as the full canvas and ~1546×423 as the “always visible” poster band through the middle. TV may show more height and width; phones keep a tighter horizontal strip. Exact pixels can shift—design with margin inside the guide.
Bleed backgrounds to the outer edges so crops look intentional. Only the message needs to stay centered. Soft gradients and environmental detail belong outside the safe zone; faces and wordmarks belong inside.
- Center logos and headlines in the safe band.
- Leave outer left/right for atmosphere YouTube can crop.
- Avoid stacking a second slogan only on an edge.
- Preview on a phone after you publish in Studio.
File requirements
Photos usually look best as JPG; hard-edged logos or flat type can stay PNG. Prefer sRGB. Keep the file light enough that Studio accepts it quickly on mobile networks.
- Recommended upload
- 2560 × 1440 px
- Center safe zone
- ~1546 × 423 px (centered)
- Aspect ratio
- 16:9 full canvas
- Formats
- JPG or PNG (sRGB)
- File weight
- Keep it practical for Studio uploads
- Not a substitute
- Video thumbnail 1280×720 or other networks’ covers
Do not reuse other networks’ covers
Facebook covers, X headers (1500×500), and LinkedIn banners use different safe zones and ratios. Dropping them into YouTube without a fresh crop stretches people and pushes type into unsafe edges.
- Reuse the photo, not the finished Facebook or X export.
- Design from a wide master, then crop per platform.
- Coordinate colors with the channel avatar—but export separate files.
Common mistakes
- Putting the only logo on the far left or right edge.
- Uploading a soft upscale instead of a true 2560×1440 export.
- Treating the full 16:9 canvas as if every pixel is always visible.
- Using a video thumbnail (1280×720) stretched as channel art.
- Packing dense captions under where UI and the avatar compete.
How to use the crop tool on this page
Upload a wide image, lock the Channel banner preset at 2560×1440, then drag until logos and headlines sit inside the center safe guide. Download when only background fills the outer crop risk.
- This page does not use Facebook-style desktop/mobile dual preview—YouTube’s safe band is the guide.
- Nothing leaves your device while cropping.
- After publishing, check the live channel on a phone.
- When the banner is done, crop the profile photo as its own square.
After you download
From this download to a live upload in a few minutes.
- 1
Download the 2560×1440 JPG (or PNG for hard-edged graphics) from the tool.
- 2
In YouTube Studio, open Customization → Branding → Banner image → Upload.
- 3
Confirm the Studio preview still shows your logo inside the safe area.
- 4
Open the public channel page on a phone and on a large monitor if you can.
- 5
If anything important sits outside the center band, re-crop here and upload again.
Frequently asked questions
What is the YouTube banner size in 2026?
Upload 2560×1440 pixels. Keep critical logos and text inside a centered safe zone of about 1546×423 so desktop and mobile crops still show your message.
What is the YouTube channel art safe zone?
Roughly 1546×423 pixels centered on the 2560×1440 canvas. Put faces, wordmarks, and headlines there; treat outer edges as optional atmosphere.
Is YouTube banner size the same as a thumbnail?
No. Banners are channel art at 2560×1440. Video thumbnails are 1280×720. Crop each surface separately.
Why does my banner look cropped on mobile?
YouTube shows a tighter horizontal window on phones. If your logo lived on an edge, it can disappear. Redesign into the center safe zone.
Can I use a Facebook cover as my YouTube banner?
Not without re-cropping. Facebook covers use a different ratio and safe zones. Stretching them into 2560×1440 usually breaks faces and type.
JPG or PNG for channel art?
JPG for photographs, PNG for hard-edged logos or flat type. Export sRGB and keep the file reasonably light.
Should the banner match my profile picture?
Coordinate colors if you like, but export them as separate files. The avatar is an 800×800 circle crop; the banner is a wide 16:9 canvas with its own safe zone.