YouTube Channel Art — Correct 2560×1440 Size
Channel art displays huge on TV but crops differently on every device. The official spec is 2560×1440 with the essential content inside the 1546×423 safe area — the Resize tool sets the exact canvas, in your browser.
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Open YouTube Channel Art Size 2026The YouTube banner spec, explained
YouTube recommends 2560×1440 (aspect 16:9) with a minimum safe area of 1546×423. Everything important — your logo, name, tagline — must live inside that central strip, because mobile and TV crop the top and bottom.
Build your banner correctly
- Create or grab a design at 2560×1440 (or larger, like 2560×1440 and crop the rest).
- Open the Resize Image tool and crop/resize to exactly 2560×1440.
- Keep your text within the central 1546×423 band.
- Export as JPG 80% under 6MB — YouTube's upload cap.
Why proportions beat pixels
Different screens show different slices of the same banner. If your job is centered, every device keeps your message safe — that is the entire trick of channel art.
Channel art: one file, three simultaneous crops
YouTube channel art is the hardest placement on the platform because the 2560x1440 upload gets displayed three ways at once: TV (full frame), desktop (2560x423 centered strip) and mobile (1546x423 tighter crop). Text placed outside the 1546x423 safe area is visible on a TV and invisible on a phone - which means it is invisible to most of your audience.
Design rule: treat the 1546x423 central region as the only guaranteed-visible zone and put the channel name and tagline there. The rest is atmospheric art that may or may not show. YouTube allows up to 6MB for the upload; a clean JPEG at 2560x1440 lands well under that. Check the result in YouTube Studio's preview before publishing - it renders the three crops side by side, and that preview is the only honest answer about whether your layout works.
About this guide
- Written by
- The ImageTools Pro team
- Last reviewed
- October 2026
- How we test
- Steps run in a real browser on real PNG, JPEG and WebP files
We revise this page whenever browser APIs, format support or recommended settings change. Corrections are welcome — tell us from the contact page.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the exact YouTube channel art size?
2560×1440 pixels, 16:9, maximum 6MB. The safe area for important content is 1546×423 centered.
What happens if I upload a smaller banner?
YouTube upscales it, which can soften text. Always design at full 2560×1440 for sharpness.
Why does my banner look cropped on phones?
Phones show a narrow vertical slice. Keep critical content inside the central safe area to survive the crop.