Become an expert on Twitter picture sizes

A picture is only as good as its pixels. Sharing an incredible meal on social media won’t be nearly as enjoyable if the image quality is poor. And nobody will know the landmark you’re pointing to if it’s pixelated due to your phone camera’s overtasked zoom.

Sometimes, there’s not much you can do to get the perfect social media shot without professional photography equipment. But no matter the quality of the original photo, you can always present an image in its best light by sizing it correctly and using the right file format.

Whether you’re posting a superb selfie, image post, or banner, you can save your photos from stretching, warping and squishing with our guide to Twitter picture sizes. Let’s explore how to get high-fi on Twitter.

Our Twitter image size cheat sheet

Twitter pics aren’t one-size-fits-all. We’ll walk you through all the common photo types, including the maximum size of a Twitter profile picture and the best picture size for a Twitter post.

Twitter profile banner size

Your profile banner is the long, horizontal image that heads up your account and frames your profile picture. The Twitter header space is perfect for landscape shots, funky graphics, company logos and artwork – so long as whatever image you use doesn’t distract from your profile photo. A quick note: the terms “background” and “banner” refer to the same image, so the Twitter background picture size is the same as the banner size.

• Recommended dimensions: 1500 x 500 pixels
• File size: Maximum 5MB

Twitter profile picture size

Your profile image should feature you or your organization’s logo. Give other Twitter users a taste of your “brand” with this photographic first impression.

• Recommended dimensions: 400 x 400 pixels (minimum 200 x 200 pixels)
• File size: Maximum 2MB

Twitter in-stream photo size

Twitter was once only about snappy Tweets, but you can now add multimedia content to your posts. Use the following parameters when attaching an image:

• Recommended dimensions: 1600 x 900 pixels (minimum 600 x 335 pixels)
• File size: Maximum 15MB on the web and 5MB on mobile devices

Twitter card image size

If your Tweet contains a link, the app picks up on this and places an image of the site on your feed. Pretty cool, right? These automatically-generated images, called summary cards, take some of the work of making an aesthetically pleasing post off your shoulders.

• Image dimensions: 120 x 120 pixels
• File size: Maximum 1MB

Twitter advertising image sizes

Advertising on Twitter? We see you, savvy social media marketer. Use these ad image sizes to create the perfect post:

• Single and multi-image tweets: 600 x 335 pixels (minimum)
• Carousels: 800 x 800 pixels for 1:1 aspect ratio. 800 x 418 pixels for 1.91:1 aspect ratio. Max file size: 20MB for 2–6 images
• Website card image: 800 x 418 pixels for 1.91:1 aspect ratio. 800 x 800 for 1:1 aspect ratio. Max file size: 20MB
• App card image: 800 x 800 pixels for 1:1 aspect ratio. 800 x 418 pixels for 1.91:1 aspect ratio. Max file size: 3MB
• Direct Message card: 800 x 418 pixels. Max file size: 3MB
• Conversation card: 800 x 418 pixels. Max file size: 3MB

5 tips for creating Twitter images

The content you post counts just as much as getting image sizing right. That low-light photo of the world’s perfect bacon cheeseburger may not be studio quality, but sometimes it’s sharing the experience that counts.

Here are some general tips for helping all your share-worthy content shine:

1. Use the same (or a similar) profile picture on all social media accounts so your followers recognize you wherever they go. This is especially important if you have a business or brand.
2. Select photos that work well on different devices. If you use social networks for marketing your business, it’s a good idea to preview your content on mobile and web devices before launching it.
3. Optimize your images as much as possible before uploading them. Sometimes, in-app editing features such as filters or contrast sliders do the trick. If you’re posting professional content, resize and edit your images for optimal quality. You don’t need to be a professional graphic designer or photographer to get great results. Many user-friendly, third-party design apps offer templates that meet standard social media image sizes. You can find ready-made canvases for banner images, profile pics, and news feed posts for any app. Plus, you’ll be able to download your image in various file types, from lightweight JPEGs to versatile PNGs.
4. Write great captions. Use calls-to-action (CTAs) to encourage followers to interact with your posts. Invite viewers to participate in a survey or leave their responses to a question in the comments. Ask them to like and share your posts so you can rack up new followers.
5. Write a strong bio to accompany your profile photo. Sure, a picture says a thousand words, and you only have 160 characters to work with, but this blurb can tell new followers everything they need to know about your content. Further their knowledge by linking to your website or another social media platform. If you want your followers to be able to explore your whole web presence, get a Linktree, which can branch out to several places on the web.