YouTube banner size and how to change it

These are YouTube's own banner guidelines. Design at the recommended size, and keep everything that matters inside the safe area, since that's the part every device shows:

• Profile picture: JPG, GIF, BMP or PNG (no animated GIFs), up to 15 MB, shown at 98 x 98 pixels.
• Video watermark: a square image of at least 150 x 150 pixels, under 1 MB.

Source: YouTube Help: Manage your channel branding (computer), checked 15 October 2026

The banner sits as the background at the top of your channel page. The same image is used on computers, phones and TVs, but each shows it differently.

1. Sign in to YouTube Studio.
2. In the left menu, select Customisation, then Profile.
3. Next to the banner image, click Change and select your image.
4. Select a preview to adjust the crop, then click Done.
5. Click Publish.

Source: YouTube Help: Manage your channel branding (computer), checked 15 October 2026

You can also change it in the YouTube app. These are the steps YouTube gives for Android:

1. Tap your profile picture.
2. Tap View channel.
3. Tap Edit, then tap your banner image.
4. Take a photo or choose one to upload.
5. Tap Save.

Source: YouTube Help: Manage your channel branding (Android), checked 15 October 2026

YouTube says banners should fill the screen on larger devices but will be cropped on some views and devices. Plan for the crop from the start:

1. Design on a 16:9 canvas. At the minimum size of 2048 x 1152, the safe area for text and logos is 1235 x 338 pixels; scale it up in proportion if you work at 2560 x 1440.
2. Put your business name, logo and any short message inside the safe area only.
3. Fill the rest with background that can be cut off without losing meaning, such as colour, texture or a wide photo.
4. Leave off shadows, borders and frames; YouTube asks for no extra embellishments.
5. Export under 6 MB. YouTube suggests your computer's image editor, such as Preview on a Mac or Microsoft Photos on Windows, to resize.
6. Check the result on a phone, a computer and, if you can, a TV.

Source: YouTube Help: Manage your channel branding (computer), checked 15 October 2026

Most banner problems trace back to size or safe area:

• The upload is refused: the image is smaller than 2048 x 1152 pixels or larger than 6 MB.
• Text is cut off on phones: it sits outside the 1235 x 338 safe area.
• It looks soft on a TV: upload at the recommended 2560 x 1440.
• Edges look odd: remove shadows, borders or frames from the design.
• No banner yet: add one even if it's simple. YouTube's verified badge requires a complete profile, including a banner image.

Sources: YouTube Help: Manage your channel branding (computer), checked 15 October 2026; YouTube Help: Verification badges on channels, checked 15 October 2026

A banner is set once; the videos under it are what keep the channel active. Zolyp, which publishes this guide, publishes to YouTube as one of 9 platforms (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Business, X, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Threads). It creates video uploads and Shorts with titles and descriptions written for search, can set a custom thumbnail on a standard video, and schedules them with the posts on your other networks. You approve the week before anything goes live.