Clearer upload
Recommended1000×1000 1:1
Clearer on phones and modern screens; still shown as a circle after upload.
Use in toolBluesky · Image size
Bluesky Profile Picture Size
Bluesky shows your avatar as a circle in the feed and on your profile. Export a clear square, center the face, then download in your browser.
Browser crop · stays on your device
Crop your Bluesky profile picture
1000 × 1000
Add a photo to crop
Upload a face photo—or try the sample—then keep eyes inside the circle before you download.
Size specs
Always square. Corners disappear under the circle mask—keep the face inside the guide, then check how it sits on your banner.
Publish
Export this for Bluesky upload.
| Asset | Pixels | Ratio | Notes | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer upload Recommended | 1000×1000 | 1:1 | Clearer on phones and modern screens; still shown as a circle after upload. | Use in tool |
What Bluesky shows
Reference sizes and crops—not always separate upload files.
Common display
400×400 1:1
Typical small feed size. Fine for a quick check; prefer 1000×1000 so it stays clear.
Use in tool| Asset | Pixels | Ratio | Notes | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common display | 400×400 | 1:1 | Typical small feed size. Fine for a quick check; prefer 1000×1000 so it stays clear. | Use in tool |
Your avatar is a circle—and it covers the banner
Bluesky draws your profile photo as a circle in replies, the feed, and on the profile page where it overlaps the banner. A rectangular group shot or a banner crop will lose corners and often the wrong person.
Upload a true square. 1000×1000 usually looks clearer after Bluesky scales the image down for phones. 400×400 still works when the source is already soft—just do not expect magic from a tiny file.
Because the avatar sits on the banner, contrast matters. A dark hoodie on a dark lower-left header makes the circle hard to see. Coordinate colors lightly, but export the avatar as its own centered face crop.
Logos can work for brands, yet most personal accounts perform better with a clear face. Fill most of the circle with the head and shoulders; leave busy backgrounds out so the silhouette stays readable at small sizes.
Good vs weak crop
Same circle mask—corners disappear; design for the tiny comment-size icon.
Reads as a circle
- Face fills most of the circle
- Simple background
- Clear 1000×1000 upload
- Works on light and dark banners
Broken by the mask
- Important detail only in the corners
- Full-body shot too small to recognize
- Banner strip stretched into a square
- Busy pattern fighting the circle edge
Before you upload
Tick these off against your crop preview—nothing is saved.
Related surfaces compared
Similar-looking slots often use different ratios—do not reuse one export for all of them.
Profile photo
400 × 400 (try 1000×1000)
This page. Circle in the feed and on the profile.
Header banner
3000 × 1000
Wide strip behind the avatar—keep lower-left quiet.
Post image
1200 × 675
Feed photos—separate ~16:9 export.
App / notification icon contexts
Very small circle
Same file, tiny display—bold faces beat fine detail.
| Surface | Typical size | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Profile photo | 400 × 400 (try 1000×1000) | This page. Circle in the feed and on the profile. |
| Header banner | 3000 × 1000 | Wide strip behind the avatar—keep lower-left quiet. |
| Post image | 1200 × 675 | Feed photos—separate ~16:9 export. |
| App / notification icon contexts | Very small circle | Same file, tiny display—bold faces beat fine detail. |
Design for the circle, not the square
You upload a square, but viewers almost never see the corners. Anything important in those corners is gone. Place the face in the center and leave a little padding so the circle does not clip ears or hair awkwardly.
On the profile page the same circle covers the lower-left of your banner. A great avatar cannot fix a banner that puts the only logo under that pocket—crop both surfaces on purpose.
- Center eyes slightly above the geometric middle if the crop feels heavy.
- Avoid text along the rim—it disappears at small sizes.
- Check the avatar beside the live banner, not only in isolation.
File requirements
JPG for photographs; PNG for flat logos. Prefer sRGB. A clean 1000×1000 JPG often looks clearer than a noisy multi-megapixel upload that gets crushed.
- Clearer upload
- 1000 × 1000 px
- Common display
- 400 × 400 px
- Shape
- Circle mask (corners cropped)
- Formats
- JPG or PNG (sRGB)
- Color
- sRGB
- Avoid
- Tiny soft files that look blurry on phones
Common mistakes
- Uploading a wide banner and hoping the face is found.
- Placing the face near a corner so the circle cuts an eye.
- Using a group photo where your head is a small detail.
- Adding text badges in corners that disappear on mobile.
- Stretching a post image into a square until the face warps.
How to use the crop tool
Upload a face photo, choose Clearer upload (1000×1000), center the face in the circle guide, then download. Processing stays on your device.
- Zoom until the face fills most of the guide.
- Prefer a simple background for small feed sizes.
- Re-export if you later need a different platform’s avatar size.
After you download
From this download to a live upload in a few minutes.
- 1
Download the square JPG (or PNG for a flat logo) from the tool.
- 2
On Bluesky, open your profile → Edit profile → change the profile photo.
- 3
Upload the file and confirm the circle framing in the preview.
- 4
Save, then view the profile with the banner visible on your phone.
- 5
If the face looks off-center or too small, re-crop tighter and upload again.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a Bluesky profile picture in 2026?
Use a square. 400×400 is a common display size; 1000×1000 is a clearer upload. Bluesky shows the image as a circle everywhere that matters.
Does Bluesky crop profile pictures to a circle?
Yes. Keep the face centered inside a circular safe zone so ears and hair are not clipped oddly.
Should I match my banner?
Coordinate colors if you like, but export the avatar as its own square. The banner still needs a quiet lower-left where this circle sits.
Can I use a rectangle photo?
Bluesky will force a square/circle framing. Control the crop here first so the wrong person or edge detail does not win.
JPG or PNG for a Bluesky avatar?
JPG for photographs, PNG for flat logos. Prefer sRGB either way.
Why upload 1000×1000 instead of 400×400?
Same circle, more detail on phones and modern screens. If the source is already soft, 400×400 is fine—just avoid stretching a tiny file up.
Is a logo better than a face?
Brand accounts often use a mark. Personal profiles usually read clearer with a face that fills the circle—especially in crowded reply threads.