If you are a Youtuber and/or a Youtube Streamer, this guide can help you! Here you will find all the dimensions and ratios for all elements you can apply on your stream and channel!
Every information in here is based on the latest Youtube update, and can be used by both streamers and designers! Everything has been tested by our team and we’ll continue to follow new updates over time.
This post includes information about:
So let’s start!
Youtube Channel Icon Size
Let’s start from the beginning!
Your YouTube channel profile image, also known as icon, is the most likely to be a new viewer’s first impression of your channel, since it is the primary image associated with your YouTube channel.
The image is uploaded to a square format but it will show up as a circle throughout the site. So keep this in mind! Choose a profile picture that still communicates your logo, brand or image even after being cropped.
The ideal size for your channel profile image is 800px x 800px (a 1:1 aspect ratio), but YouTube will automatically resize your profile image to be displayed at 98px x 98px
The files accepted are JPEG, GIF, BMP or PNG! And the maximum file size is 2 MB.
Our recommendations and reminders:
YouTube Banner Size
Your channel’s environment can be greatly improved!
Your YouTube Banner, also known as your Channel Art, is basically a header or cover image to highlight or represent your brand. Your YouTube channel banner needs to grab the visitor’s attention and communicate what your channel is all about and even its vibe.
Something you always need to keep in mind is that your viewers can watch your channel, videos and/or streams from a variety of devices, so your banner will look different depending on the device that you are on. It’s important that you pay close attention to dimension sizes, that way your banner and art will be clear on every device!
This is how your banner will show up on each device:
That being said and highlighted, the ideal and safest size for a YouTube Banner is 2560 x 1440 pixels. That way will be clear and not pixelated at all, in any device. Remember that the safe area is the central area of 1546 x 423 pixels, so make sure to keep any logos, texts or image focal points in this area.
The accepted file types are JPEG, GIF, BMP and PNG, and the file size can’t be larger than 6MB.
Our recommendations and reminders:
YouTube Video Thumbnail Size
Give viewers a quick glimpse of what your video is about!
A YouTube video thumbnail is almost the same as a movie poster. It’s what will capture the viewer's attention and also convince them to click and watch your video.
After you’ve uploaded a video to your channel, you will have the option to choose from 3 automatically generated thumbnails or to upload your own custom one. If you choose uploading a custom thumbnail, it should be as large as possible, so the recommended size is 1280 x 720 pixels.
The maximum file size is 2MB, and formats accepted are JPEG, GIF, or PNG, but we recommend using JPEG or PNG.
Our recommendations and reminders:
YouTube Live Stream Alerts Size
Viewers want to get noticed by you!
Having alerts is really important to any live broadcast on YouTube. They can also be customized to match your stream, channel and personality. Unique and fun alerts can help you stand out and also encourage your viewers to interact with your live stream!
But remember: Live Stream Alerts are generally managed via a third party streamer software, such as Streamlabs, and then connected to your OBS Studio, for example.
The recommended files size should be 750 x 250 pixels. But you can also go with a width of between 700-750 pixels and a height of between 200-250 pixels.
The recommended format for static alerts would be transparent PNG files. But in case of animated alerts, you are able to use GIF or WEBM files, but we recommend avoiding GIF files, as they have terrible compression!
The maximum file size here is 10MB (for Streamlabs) and 30MB (on StreamElements). Trying to keep your alerts sizes below 2-3MB is the way to go. A low file size ensures best performance.
Our recommendations and reminders:
YouTube Webcam Overlay
Showing your face to your public!
Showing your face to your viewers is a choice and sometimes a difficult one, so if you chose to do so, congratulations! This is very brave of you and an important step.
16:9 or 4:3 aspect ratios are the two webcam options to consider! You can base that choice on your stream camera’s resolution. The most common one tends to be 16:9, but most streamers seem to prefer 4:3 webcam frames.
When it comes to webcams, pinning down precise sizes or proportions is difficult since the final frame will be modified by each streamer to match their needs. So in the end, it all comes down to personal choice.
But if you want a suggestion when it comes about a specific webcam resolution, we suggest making it as large as possible. It’s better to start with 1920 x 1080 pixels (16:9), so that when scaling down you will preserve the design quality no matter what. But you can always go with a 1440 x 1080 pixels one (4:3), if you prefer.
If your webcam is static, use a transparent PNG file. But for animated frames, we recommend you to use WEBM files, but you also go with GIFs.
Our recommendations and reminders:
CONCLUSION
So here are all the most important sizing dimensions for all the essential YouTube graphics. Now believe in yourself and start working on your YouTube channel! Give it your own personal touch and your own vibe, being always true to yourself! That will make your viewers feel part of something and together, you guys can build an amazing community.
Keep in mind that StreamSpell is always here for you! With renowned artists and designers from all over the world, we can help you build your stream’s visual identity. Remember that we offer a vast collection of premade overlays that work perfectly for YouTube, and also custom designs made exactly as you want!
Keep believing in yourself, Streamer! Keep fighting!
With lots of love and wishing you all the luck,
StreamSpell Team 💙
P.S.: All the information here are recommendations and tips. You have all freedom to create, edit and/or use contents that are better for you and your stream.
Learn everything about OBS Studio, Streamlabs Desktop, which streaming platforms are best, sizing guides for Twitch, YouTube and more!
© 2023 │ StreamSpell is a premium graphic, video and animation design agency for streamers and gamers. We offer free and premium stream overlays, templates, packages, alerts and more assets for Twitch, Kick, Youtube and Facebook Gaming.
