How to resize a YouTube banner
- Add your banner design or photo.
- Keep the whole picture in the safe area, or fill the frame.
- Select YouTube Banner Resizer and download it.
Examples
A 1546 × 423 design with your channel name has the same shape as the safe area, so it fills the marked box, and the space above and below takes a blur of the design.
A 4000 × 3000 landscape photo with Fill the frame: the middle 4000 × 2250 becomes the 2560 × 1440 banner, and only the strip across its middle shows on every device.
A 1280 × 720 picture is below YouTube's 2048 × 1152 minimum. It's enlarged to 2560 × 1440, so the upload is accepted, but it looks softer than a larger original would.
About this tool
YouTube uses one banner on TVs, computers and phones, and crops it on some of them. Only a strip across the middle shows everywhere. Here your picture is placed at 2560 × 1440 with the important part inside that strip, and the preview marks it so you can check before you upload.
Common questions
What size is a YouTube banner?
YouTube asks for at least 2048 × 1152 pixels at 16:9, and recommends 2560 × 1440, especially for TV. The file must be 6 MB or smaller.
What is the safe area?
It's the middle of the banner that shows on every device. YouTube gives it as 1235 × 338 pixels on a 2048 × 1152 banner, which is about 1544 × 423 on a 2560 × 1440 one.
My design is a wide strip. Will it fit?
Yes. With the safe area turned on, a strip such as 1546 × 423 fills the marked middle, and a blur of it fills the rest. Choose Fill the frame only for a photo you're happy to see cropped.
Why does my banner look cut off on my phone?
Some screens show less of the banner than others. Anything outside the safe area may be hidden, so keep names, faces and logos inside the marked box.
Is it free to use?
Yes. You can use it without an account a few times a day, and a free account raises the daily limit. Nothing is added to your file unless you ask for it.
What happens to my files?
Your files are only used to run the tool you chose, and they're deleted automatically after about 24 hours.
Do I need to install anything?
No. It all works in your browser, on any computer or phone.