Banner YouTube

What is a YouTube banner?

A YouTube banner is the wide image that runs across the top of a channel page — the visual header of the channel. YouTube uses one banner file everywhere: on computers, phones, tablets and TVs, and each device shows its own crop of that image.

Together with the profile picture and the handle, the banner forms the public face of a channel. Unlike a thumbnail, which sells a single video, the banner presents the channel as a whole: its topic, style and upload schedule.

Official banner size and requirements

YouTube lists these requirements for the banner to display properly:

• Minimum upload size: 2048 x 1152 px with a 16:9 aspect ratio.

• Safe area for text and logos: 1235 x 338 px at the minimum size. Anything outside this central zone can get cropped on certain devices and views.

• Recommended size: 2560 x 1440 px, especially for TV screens.

• File size: 6 MB or smaller.

• No extra embellishments in the file: shadows, borders and frames are not recommended.

The list comes from YouTube's official channel branding guide.

How to change the banner in YouTube Studio

1. Sign in to YouTube Studio.

2. In the left menu, select Customization, then Profile.

3. Next to the banner image, click Change and select a file.

4. Adjust the crop in the preview and click Done.

5. Click Publish.

Official Artist Channels update the banner for TV and YouTube Music separately, through the Profile section of Studio. Like every branding element, the banner must follow YouTube's Community Guidelines.

Why the banner matters

The channel page is where a viewer decides whether to subscribe, and the banner is the largest element on it. A clear banner tells a new visitor in seconds what the channel is about and helps turn casual viewers into subscribers.

YouTube recommends keeping the banner consistent with your branding outside the platform, and if you publish on a schedule — putting that schedule right in the banner so fans know when to come back. The banner usually works in tandem with a channel trailer; see our guide to YouTube channel trailers.