YouTube cover photo size, and Best Practices Guide in 2023

When attempting to increase the visibility of YouTube, the entire image asset must be optimized. You should get the most out of your website’s banner size, layout, and format. You’ve probably noticed that every YouTube channel has an image with a rectangular picture that looks like an Instagram picture. These banners are commonly referred to by YouTube as “channel art,” which determines how many followers your website is going to get.

YouTube Banner Size: Quick Summary

For the image on YouTube, it is recommended to use banner images. The ideal dimensions for the banner image are 2560 pixels wide by 14080 pixels high, which equates to an image size of 6 megapixels. The recommended aspect ratio for the banner image is 17:9, and the minimum size should be 2160 x 1152 pixels.

YouTube Banner Size Recommendations: Detailed Guide

YouTube provides three main places to add photos to your YouTube channel. The first picture of your profile can be seen on the Google property page. You may assign certain images to YouTube as thumbnail images. The third section on YouTube where photos can be added, and that’ll be my focus, is on channel art. However, it is also called “banners,” “headers,” or “banner designs.” It is exactly what other social networking companies like Facebook call “cover photos” or “header images.” On a normal website, one could call this a “hero picture.”

How to Add a YouTube Channel Banner

With a new YouTube channel, the art space on the new site will be empty. It will be helpful for us to start with some. The same procedure is used to update your banner image. It’s done either via web browsers or via YouTube mobile apps. I’ve been able to walk around both of them, though they are small.

YouTube channel art with text and graphics

Customizing the artwork on YouTube is free of any limitations. Creators create user-friendly texts and graphics in a variety of formats. When text is crucial to your channel banner, put it in a safe zone. YouTube banners haven’t been tagged by the creators yet, but here are some suggestions. Using the preview and cropping options, click on “Done.”

Uploading Your Banner Image From A Browser

The banner image can be uploaded from any computer by using the button “Customize Channel” on their website. If no artwork exists on your channel, you will have the option to upload the images from your PC. It is easy to see which parts are visible on the screen of a computer, a tablet, or a television. It is possible to crop the banner images by dragging. Resize with slits in the corners. When the image appears in your device’s view, click OK. Next “Publish” your channels changes in the top left hand column.

How to Change an Existing YouTube Banner

Alternatively, you can update existing YouTube videos and visit the home page. Press the cursor in the cover image. The small edit button is visible above the artwork in the upper right. You can then open a new window that includes the channel artwork.

Add Logos, Text, And Important Elements In The “Safe Area”

Google defines an appropriate “safe space” to put your branding elements on the artwork it shares. This is an important zone since nothing on this site gets copied to a phone or tablet. Keep the essential dimensions of the canvas art within 1546 x 423 pixels. At minimal dimensions, your logos and images are protected with an area of 1235×338 pixels. Dad and the girls have taken pictures of their family, and they look dapper on a PC. Some of the characters are taken from the corner on mobiles:

Adjusting the Crop of the YouTube Cover

A more active way to express this could be: “The screen will always be centered on the viewport. Also, panoramic crops display the entire length of the image through an area in the middle. It is also easy to adjust the crop for another area of an image. Click the “Adjust Crop” button below. The crop screen does something unusual by including two areas. The clearest part in the middle is the horizontal panorama area, which will serve desktop or mobile users. Its larger surface has the handle on a YouTube-connected TV. There’s no way of altering a large crop—short areas are proportional to it.

Leave Alone The Bottom Right Corner

When designing your channel artwork, ensure that your logo has a major branding element in the bottom-left corner. An active way to express this could be: “This is how a channel displays external links, such as those to Facebook or Twitter. Cathryn Manning has created a YouTube video about her own brand. So she places a photo collage with her signature on top of the canvas art. However, the images below are of red-colored forms that are not conveying a message. This ensures her web favicons and social network icons are located in a convenient corner.

Adding Banner Image From The YouTube Studio App

Note: This mobile video app is only capable of removing profile images from an Instagram profile. After I downloaded YouTube Studio, it was impossible for me to edit channel artwork on my PC. I’ll update this page as soon as YouTube allows uploading your banner picture on mobile.

Make It Work With Your Channel Icon And Your Brand

Your channel artwork communicates your brand identity when combined with your profile picture. Do not create artwork as an isolated object but rather complement it. In addition, Gary uses his Facebook profile picture as an image for his YouTube page. If your channel logo is yours, then that’s your logo. Dude Perfect gives good examples. They’re a profile image: they have their art on Channel 5: The people running the channels.

What are the best tools to find youtube banner templates (or design my own banner)?

There are several tools that you can use to find YouTube banner templates or design your own banner. Some popular options include:

1. Canva: Canva is a graphic design website that has a wide variety of YouTube banner templates that you can customize to fit your brand.
2. Adobe Spark: Adobe Spark is a free design tool that allows you to create custom YouTube banners, as well as other social media graphics.
3. YouTube’s own banner creator: YouTube has a built-in banner creator tool that you can use to design a banner for your channel.
4. Fotor: Fotor is an online design tool that offers a wide range of design elements, including YouTube banner templates.
5. Piktochart: Piktochart is an online design tool that allows you to create professional-looking YouTube banners and other graphics.

Ultimately, the best tool for you will depend on your design skills and the specific features you are looking for. A more active way to express this could be: “We recommend trying them out and determining which one best fits your needs and preferences.

Formatting tips to avoid blurry and awkwardly cropped YouTube Channel Art

The banner must be within 640 KB of its maximum size. Suitable formats are JPG, PNG, GIF, or BMP. Avoid pixelation or a minimum image size when using banners. Fortunately, free image converter software such as Convertio and image compression tools such as Img2Go can modify an existing document if it is in the wrong format or has large files.

Examples of Successful YouTube Banner Design

Here are examples of successfully running YouTube videos with banner images that complement or enhance their channel.

Use A Channel Art Maker

Placeit Fotor and Adobe Spark are fantastic web graphics development tools that require dragging and dropping to create the video banner images. It’s possible to hire a creative consultant on Fiverr. The next section of the website will give you an idea of how to create banners.

Add Your Social Media And Website Links To Your Channel Art

Viewers often find your channel page interesting, and sharing links can help them understand you better. Sharing links from other sites is a good idea. Veritasium, for example, shares links from its Patreon page to its social media pages and even adds a subscription link to gain more subscribers. Ahrefs also adds links on their channel page. YouTube stores icon images for certain videos.

Don’t Forget Your Social Buttons

Users can link their banner to a Facebook or Twitter page. When viewing YouTube banners, the gray background and overlay with the social link and channel icon are visible. It’s important to avoid critical content when creating channel artwork. By adding social network links to YouTube banners, users can easily connect with you across the website, increasing brand awareness and encouraging participation. Avoid putting links in the channel artwork, as a social link on a banner will make the link easily identifiable.