What the safe area means for your design
Anything outside the safe area may be cropped on some devices. Use that space for a background colour, texture or photo that still looks right when its edges are cut off.
Channel names, taglines and upload schedules belong inside the safe area. If they are hard to read in that strip, make the text larger rather than spreading it wider.
Designing at the minimum or the recommended size
2048 × 1152 is the smallest banner YouTube accepts, and it is the size the safe area figure refers to. 2560 × 1440 has the same 16:9 shape with more detail for large screens.
Since both are 16:9, a design made at one size scales to the other without any cropping.
Tips
- Start with a 2560 × 1440 canvas and draw a guide box for the safe area before adding any text.
- Keep the banner under 6 MB. A JPG with moderate compression is usually well under it.
- Pick a background that can lose any of its edges without looking broken, such as a gradient or a wide landscape.
- After uploading, look at the banner on a phone as well as a computer.
Common mistakes
- Putting a logo or handle near the edges, where a TV shows it but a phone may not.
- Uploading a thumbnail sized image such as 1280 × 720, which is below the 2048 × 1152 minimum.
- Uploading an image cut to the safe area shape, which leaves nothing to fill the rest of the 16:9 frame.
- Spreading text across the full width because it looks right on a computer.
More size guides and tools
Frequently asked questions
What size is a YouTube banner?
YouTube recommends 2560 × 1440 pixels. The minimum is 2048 × 1152, and the file must be 6 MB or smaller.
What is the YouTube banner safe area?
It is the part of the banner meant for text and logos. YouTube's help page gives it as 1235 × 338 pixels at the 2048 × 1152 minimum size.
Why does my banner look cropped on my phone?
YouTube shows a different part of the same banner on each kind of device. Content outside the safe area can be cut off on smaller screens.
Can I use my thumbnail as a banner?
Not directly. Both are 16:9, but a 1280 × 720 thumbnail is below the banner minimum, and the banner needs its text inside the safe area.
Which format should my banner be?
YouTube's help page does not list banner formats, so check the upload screen. JPG and PNG are the usual choices.