Having just updated my own Twitter profile I thought I’d write a post to answer a common issue people might have relating to Twitter profile picture size requirements. What follows here is a straightforward and quick explanation of Twitter profile picture sizes and best practise.
A Note on Twitter Profile Pics
I should also mention for clarity, when I’m taking about Twitter profile pics, I’m talking about the avatar image as well as the header… see image below.
Twitter Avatar Picture Size & Guidelines
As of March 2020, Twitter recommends you use a square image for your avatar (profile picture), with dimensions of 400 x 400 pixels. That’s this size:
You can use the following file formats but the file size should be no larger than 2MB:
- JPG
- PNG
- GIF
N.B. You cannot use animated GIFs in Twitter avatars.
As for the best guidelines for your avatar profile image, it really depends upon what type of account you have.
For personal accounts, bloggers, freelancers (i.e. about an individual), it’s best to use a picture of yourself. It should be a high quality image with a clear view of your face (probably from the shoulders up, like mine).
Since you want to leave a good impression, try to inject some personality by smiling in it. If you can’t smile, at least try not to look unhappy!
If your profile image is for a brand, then a logo is of course perfectly acceptable.
Remember when you design a Twitter profile avatar that although the 400 x 400 pixels format is square, your profile image does not display in these dimensions unless you click on it… and Twitter displays it in a circle. This might have a bearing on how you deign you profile pics.
For either a personal or brand account, keep text to a minimum (or don’t use it at all) since more often than not, it won’t display well when the image scales down.
Twitter Header Picture Size Guidelines
As for Twitter header picture sizes, the recommendations is presently 1,500 x 500 pixels. As an example it’s this size:
You can use the following file formats but as with all Twitterprofile images, the file size should be smaller than 2MB:
- JPG
- PNG
- GIF
N.B. You cannot use animated GIFs in Twitter header images.
In terms of guidelines, your Twitter header image is pretty important because it’s the largest visual element on your profile page. As such it provides the biggest opportunity for you to make an impact on people who see it.
You might choose to add:
- Your logo
- Endorsements
- USPs
- A high-res image
Whatever you choose as your header, you’ll need to remember that Twitter handles this picture responsively: the dimensions of what you see of the original header image change according to device. Generally the top and bottom of the header picture is cropped
Also bear in mind that your Twitter avatar profile picture takes up the space in the bottom left-hand side of the header, so be sure not to add anything important in that area… or you won’t see it.
That’s it… I said it would be straightforward!
Summary
- The Twitter profile picture size recommendation varies according to whether it’s the avatar image or the header.
- 400 x 400 pixels for the avatar.
- 1,500 x 500 for the header.
- You can use JPEG, PNG or GIF for your Twitter profile pictures (but not animated GIFs).
- The Twitter profile header image is responsive, so its dimensions change according to the device viewing it. The top and bottom also gets cropped as the screen scales down.
More about Twitter… What are Twitter lists?
That’s it for now.
Paul
Any questions or thoughts? Please leave them below in the comments section.
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