The twitter header size to use is 1,500 × 500 px, which is a 3:1 aspect ratio. Accepted file types are JPG, PNG, GIF. Keep important content inside the 1,500 × 380 px safe area so nothing gets cut off when the banner is cropped.
The table above lists every value in one place. This page explains how to apply them, so your header looks right the first time you upload it.
Which twitter header size to use
Unlike Instagram, where you pick between portrait, square and landscape, the X (Twitter) header has one recommended format. X Help recommends 1,500 × 500 px, and that is the size to design for. Whether you search for the size for twitter header, header twitter size, twitter header photo size or twitter header banner size, the answer is the same.
Why one size is enough
The banner is a wide strip at 3:1. If you start from a canvas with that ratio, the platform has very little reason to rescale or crop your image in unexpected ways. Start at 1,500 × 500 px and you are working at the recommended size from the first step.
What about other sizes?
You can upload other dimensions, but the platform does not publish an official minimum header size. An image with a different ratio will need to be cropped, and you may lose parts you cared about. Staying with 3:1 avoids that guesswork.
How the header is cropped and displayed
The official guidance mentions cropping at the top and bottom of the banner. That is why the safe area is shorter than the full canvas: 1,500 × 380 px inside the 1,500 × 500 px image. In practice, you should keep 60 px free at the top and 60 px free at the bottom.
The official text does not describe how the sides are handled, and it does not specify where your profile photo overlaps the banner. Because of that, we do not give a fixed left or right margin. As a careful habit, keep key elements away from the very edges, and check the result in the app and on desktop after uploading.
How exactly the header appears can differ between mobile and desktop and between app versions. Always preview before you save.
Safe zone and where to keep text
The safe area is 1,500 × 380 px. Treat everything outside it as background that may be trimmed.
- Put your name, tagline or logo inside the safe area.
- Use the top 60 px and bottom 60 px for color, texture or soft imagery only.
- Do not place small text near the edges of the canvas.
- Since the profile photo overlap is not specified officially, avoid placing critical details where a round avatar might sit, usually toward the lower left on many layouts. Check it in a preview.
If you also keep banners on other networks, the safe-area idea is the same, but the sizes differ. See YouTube Banner Size, LinkedIn Banner Size and Facebook Cover Photo Size for each platform’s values.
How to resize an image to the twitter header size
Use the free resizer on this page. It runs in your browser, so you can try it without any setup. Menu labels can differ slightly between versions of the tool and of the X app.
- Open the resizer on this page and add your image.
- Choose the X (Twitter) header preset, which uses 1,500 × 500 px.
- Check that the ratio is 3:1. If your source is a different shape, decide which part of the picture to keep.
- Move and zoom the image so the main subject and any text sit inside the 1,500 × 380 px safe area.
- Export as one of the accepted types: JPG, PNG, GIF. A JPG or PNG is the safe choice for a static banner.
- Upload the file in your X profile editing screen, then preview the header on mobile and desktop before saving.
If you want to resize for several networks at once, try the Social Media Image Resizer.
Common mistakes
Putting text too close to the top or bottom
The top 60 px and bottom 60 px can be cropped. Text placed there may be cut or hidden.
Using an animated GIF
The status for animated GIFs is clear: Not supported for profile or header/banner images. A GIF file may be accepted as a type, but do not expect it to move.
Starting with the wrong ratio
A square or portrait photo forced into a 3:1 banner loses a lot. Crop deliberately instead of letting the platform decide.
Trusting file size claims
X Help states a 2 MB maximum for profile photos only. No header file-size limit is stated officially, and numbers you see elsewhere are third-party claims. If an upload fails, compress the image a bit and try again.
Skipping the preview
The avatar overlap is not specified, so the only reliable check is looking at your profile on both phone and computer.
What is next
If you make content for several platforms, our other size pages cover the details, such as YouTube Thumbnail Size and Instagram Post Size.