Header / banner
Recommended1500×500 3:1
Standard X/Twitter header. One file for every device; phones may trim edges slightly and always overlay the avatar.
Use in toolX (Twitter) · Image size
X Banner Size
X headers are a wide 1500×500 strip. Keep faces out of the lower-left avatar overlap, leave edges calm for mobile, then download in your browser.
Browser crop · stays on your device
Crop your X banner
1500 × 500
Add a photo to crop
Upload a wide photo—or try the sample—then keep faces out of the avatar overlap before you download.
Size specs
Publish at 1500×500. Leave the lower-left quieter—the circular profile photo sits on top of the banner on every device.
Publish
Export this for X (Twitter) upload.
| Asset | Pixels | Ratio | Notes | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Header / banner Recommended | 1500×500 | 3:1 | Standard X/Twitter header. One file for every device; phones may trim edges slightly and always overlay the avatar. | Use in tool |
Why a correct 3:1 strip still fails without a safe zone
Your X profile shows one header file. Desktop keeps most of the 1500×500 width; phones often tighten the frame and still drop your circular avatar onto the lower-left. A logo that looks perfect in a design file can vanish under the photo or off the short edge.
Correct pixels keep the image clear after compression. The safe zone—quiet lower-left, calm far edges, subject in the open mid/right band—keeps the message readable when someone opens your profile from a notification on a phone.
Creators and brands reuse Facebook covers or LinkedIn banners here all the time. Those ratios are not 3:1. Stretching them makes people look warped and pushes type into the avatar pocket. Re-crop once for X instead of forcing another network’s export.
Treat the header like a billboard behind your face: short headline, clear subject, no tiny captions at the rim. If the only branding sits under where the avatar lands, the profile reads as unfinished even when the upload size is correct.
Good vs weak crop
Same header strip—keep the avatar pocket clear and the subject in the open band.
Works with the avatar
- Subject mid or center-right
- Quiet lower-left under the circle
- Short headline in the clear horizontal band
- Edges soft enough for mobile trim
Hidden by the profile photo
- Only branding under the avatar
- Tiny type stretched across the full width
- Facebook or LinkedIn cover stretched to 3:1
- Soft upscale from a tiny source
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.
Header banner
1500 × 500
This page. Profile header; avatar overlaps the lower-left.
Post image
1600 × 900
In-timeline photos—16:9, not a banner substitute.
Profile photo
400 × 400 (try 800×800)
Circle that sits on top of this banner.
Link card / OG-style
~1200 × 628 typical
Shared URL previews only—do not upload as the header.
| Surface | Typical size | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Header banner | 1500 × 500 | This page. Profile header; avatar overlaps the lower-left. |
| Post image | 1600 × 900 | In-timeline photos—16:9, not a banner substitute. |
| Profile photo | 400 × 400 (try 800×800) | Circle that sits on top of this banner. |
| Link card / OG-style | ~1200 × 628 typical | Shared URL previews only—do not upload as the header. |
Avatar overlap and mobile crop
On the profile page, X draws your circular photo over the lower-left of the header. That pocket is not optional—every viewer sees it. Design as if a solid circle already owns that corner.
Mobile layouts can also trim a little from the left and right of a wide banner. Treat the outer 5–8% as atmospheric only: sky, blur, or soft brand color—not the only logo or a face. Desktop may show more width, but the avatar still lands in the same relative corner.
- Keep faces, wordmarks, and product shots out of the avatar pocket.
- Place the hero subject in the mid or center-right clear band.
- Leave lower-left quieter so the circle does not fight busy patterns.
- Check the live profile on a phone before you call the design done.
File requirements
Photos usually look best as JPG; hard-edged logos or flat type can stay PNG. Prefer sRGB so colors do not shift after upload. Keep the file light enough for mobile networks—headers load on every profile visit.
- Recommended upload
- 1500 × 500 px
- Aspect ratio
- 3:1
- Formats
- JPG or PNG (sRGB)
- File weight
- Keep it light for mobile networks
- Minimum (avoid)
- Very small soft files that look blurry on phones
- Not a substitute
- Link-preview (~1.91:1) or Facebook cover ratios
Do not reuse other networks’ covers
Facebook covers (~820×312 display / 1640×624 upload) and LinkedIn covers (1584×396) are different ratios. Dropping them into X without a fresh crop stretches faces and pushes type into the avatar zone.
- Re-crop every network to its own artboard.
- Reuse the photo, not the finished Facebook or LinkedIn export.
- If you need one campaign look, design from a wider master and crop per platform.
Common mistakes
- Putting the only logo or face under the profile photo.
- Packing tiny captions along the far left or right edge.
- Using a soft upscale instead of a true 1500×500 export.
- Uploading a link-preview (~1.91:1) image as the header.
- Matching banner colors so poorly that a dark avatar disappears into a dark corner.
How to use the crop tool
Upload a wide photo (or try the sample), drag until the subject clears the avatar guide, then download. Processing stays in your browser—nothing is uploaded to our servers for cropping.
- Use the overlap guide as a hard keep-out, not a suggestion.
- Prefer exporting JPG for photos and PNG for clean logos.
- Re-check on a phone after you publish on X.
Why 1500×500 matters
Upload 1500×500 when the source allows. Lighter same-ratio files can work, but soft upscales look muddy on phones.
On X, header, banner, and cover photo usually mean this same strip—not a timeline post and not a link-preview card. Keep the lower-left quiet for the avatar either way.
- Exact common target: 1500 wide × 500 tall (3:1).
- Avatar pocket: lower-left circle sits on top on every profile view.
- Mobile may trim far edges—keep wordmarks off the rim.
- Re-crop Facebook (~2.63:1) and LinkedIn (4:1) covers before reuse.
After you download
From this download to a live upload in a few minutes.
- 1
Download the 1500×500 JPG (or PNG for hard-edged graphics) from the tool.
- 2
On X, open your profile → Edit profile → edit the header / banner photo.
- 3
Upload the file, then nudge the position once in X’s editor if it offers a drag handle.
- 4
Save and open the profile on your phone with the avatar visible.
- 5
If anything important sits under the circle or off-screen, re-crop here and upload again.
Frequently asked questions
What is the X (Twitter) banner size in 2026?
1500×500 pixels (3:1) is the standard header size. Upload that frame, then keep critical content away from the lower-left avatar overlap and the far edges.
Is 1500×500 the right upload size?
Yes. That is the practical header size for the X profile strip. Keep critical content out of the avatar overlap and the far edges.
Why is the lower-left important on an X banner?
Your circular profile photo sits on top of that corner on the profile page. Anything important there gets covered for every visitor.
Does X crop the banner differently on mobile?
You may see slight edge differences on phones. Keep logos and faces out of the rim and the avatar pocket, then preview on a real device after upload.
Can I use a Facebook cover as my X banner?
Not without re-cropping. Facebook covers use a different ratio (~2.63:1). Stretching them into 1500×500 warps the image and often lands content under the avatar.
Is Twitter header size the same as X banner size?
Yes—header, banner, and cover photo usually mean the same 1500×500 profile strip. It is not the same as a timeline post image or a link-preview card.
JPG or PNG for an X header?
JPG for photographs, PNG for hard-edged logos or flat type. Export sRGB and keep the file reasonably light for mobile networks.
Should the banner match my profile picture?
Coordinate colors if you like, but export them as separate files. The avatar is a square circle crop; the banner is a 3:1 strip with its own safe zone.