Header @2x (practical)
Recommended1200×400 3:1
Practical @2x master for ~600×200 email header slots. Sharp on retina without huge file weight.
Use in toolEmail · Image size
Email Header Size
Newsletter and transactional headers look crisp at 1200×400 (@2x for ~600×200 layouts). Keep marks in the center band, then download.
Browser crop · stays on your device
Crop your email header
1200 × 400
Add a photo to crop
Upload a wide brand graphic—or try the sample—then keep the logo inside the center band before you download.
Size specs
This is the horizontal mail header strip—not a square logo and not a 1200×630 social OG card.
Publish
Export this for Email upload.
| Asset | Pixels | Ratio | Notes | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Header @2x (practical) Recommended | 1200×400 | 3:1 | Practical @2x master for ~600×200 email header slots. Sharp on retina without huge file weight. | Use in tool |
What Email shows
Reference sizes and crops—not always separate upload files.
Display ~600×200
600×200 3:1
Optional 1× display size when a template hard-codes ~600×200. Prefer the 1200×400 master when you can.
Use in tool| Asset | Pixels | Ratio | Notes | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display ~600×200 | 600×200 | 3:1 | Optional 1× display size when a template hard-codes ~600×200. Prefer the 1200×400 master when you can. | Use in tool |
Email headers are short strips, not posters
Most newsletter templates render a header around 600×200 CSS pixels. Shipping a 1200×400 (@2x) master keeps the strip sharp on retina phones without the weight of a full-bleed 1920-wide marketing hero. Optional 600×200 exists when a builder hard-codes 1× assets.
Outlook, Gmail, Apple Mail, and Yahoo clip or scale differently. Edge-hugging wordmarks and thin rules disappear when a client pads or rounds the module. Keep the logo and one short line inside the center band.
Social OG cards (~1200×630) and Substack email banners (~1100×220) are cousins, not twins. Reuse the photo if you want—then re-crop to 3:1 for this header slot.
Dark-mode clients may invert or wash images. High-contrast marks with quiet backgrounds survive better than delicate gray type on busy photos.
Good vs weak crop
Same landscape card—edges and tiny type fail after compression or multi-image crop.
Clear header strip
- True 1200×400 @2x
- Logo in the center band
- Quiet edges for client pad
- Lean file for inbox speed
OG stretch or micro type
- 1200×630 squashed to 3:1
- Paragraph of tiny legal copy
- Busy photo with no brand focus
- Huge uncompressed TIFF upload
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.
Email header @2x
1200 × 400
This page. Practical retina master.
Display 1×
600 × 200
Optional when templates lock 1×.
Social OG card
~1200 × 630
Share preview—different ratio.
Substack email banner
~1100 × 220
Platform-specific strip—re-crop.
| Surface | Typical size | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Email header @2x | 1200 × 400 | This page. Practical retina master. |
| Display 1× | 600 × 200 | Optional when templates lock 1×. |
| Social OG card | ~1200 × 630 | Share preview—different ratio. |
| Substack email banner | ~1100 × 220 | Platform-specific strip—re-crop. |
Design for inbox clients, not Figma full-bleed
Email clients add padding, dark themes, and unpredictable image blocking. A header that only works as a full-bleed website hero will fail in the inbox. One clear mark beats a mini landing page.
- Assume some subscribers block images until they click “download.”
- Put offers in HTML text; keep the image as brand identity.
- Avoid relying on tiny URLs printed on the graphic.
Do not reuse the social OG card unchanged
OG cards are ~1.91:1 sales pitches for link unfurls. Email headers are shorter 3:1 strips. Stretching one into the other crops faces and slogans.
- Beehiiv social preview — 1200 × 630 share card
- Substack email banner — ~1100 × 220 platform strip
File requirements
Prefer 1200×400 as the master. Use 600×200 only when a builder rejects @2x. JPG for photos; PNG for logos. Keep weight low for mobile inboxes.
- Primary size
- 1200 × 400 px (@2x)
- Optional 1×
- 600 × 200 px
- Aspect
- 3:1
- Formats
- PNG logos; JPG photos
- Best for
- Newsletter & transactional headers
Common mistakes
- Baking the entire email offer into the header image.
- Using a square logo stretched into a wide strip.
- Skipping test sends across Gmail and Outlook.
- Shipping a 5 MB hero that stalls on cellular.
How to use the crop tool
Upload a wide graphic, keep Header @2x (1200×400) selected, drag until the logo sits in the center band, then download. Cropping stays in the browser.
- Prefer the @2x master unless the ESP forces 600×200.
- Leave quiet margins for client padding.
- Upload in your ESP yourself and send a test.
After you download
From this download to a live upload in a few minutes.
- 1
Download the 1200×400 JPG or PNG (prefer PNG for hard logos).
- 2
Upload into your ESP or template header module at ~600×200 display width.
- 3
Send a test email to Gmail and Outlook on phone and desktop.
- 4
If the logo clips, enlarge it inside the center band and replace.
Frequently asked questions
What size should an email header be in 2026?
A practical master is 1200×400 (3:1) for ~600×200 display (@2x). Use 600×200 when a template hard-codes 1×.
Is email header size the same as OG image size?
No. OG cards are often ~1200×630. Email headers are shorter strips—re-crop.
Should I always upload @2x?
When the ESP accepts it, yes—sharper on retina. Some builders only accept 600×200; use the optional preset then.
PNG or JPG for email headers?
PNG for logos and flat art; JPG for photographs. Keep file weight low for inbox speed.
Can I crop email headers in the browser?
Yes. Files stay on your device until you download and upload to your ESP.