YouTube sizes & limits

Name: YouTube social media specs
Creator: SocialSpecSheet
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Last verified 2026-10-16.

Size guides

YouTube image specs
Spec	Value	Source	Last verified
Channel banner image size	2560 x 1440 px recommended (especially for TV); minimum 2048 x 1152 px, 16:9	official page	Verified 2026-10-16
Channel banner safe area for text and logos	1235 x 338 px (at the 2048 x 1152 px minimum)	official page	Verified 2026-10-16
Custom video thumbnail size	3840 x 2160 px recommended, 16:9; minimum width 640 px	official page	Verified 2026-10-16
Custom Shorts thumbnail size	2160 x 3840 px recommended, 9:16; minimum height 640 px	official page	Verified 2026-10-16
Thumbnail file size limit	2 MB on mobile; 50 MB on desktop Mobile podcast thumbnails: 10 MB.	official page	Verified 2026-10-16

YouTube video specs
Spec	Value	Source	Last verified
Default max video length (unverified account)	15 minutes	official page	Verified 2026-10-16
Max upload file size	256 GB	official page	Verified 2026-10-16
Max upload duration	12 hours	official page	Verified 2026-10-16
Max Shorts length	3 minutes	official page	Verified 2026-10-16

YouTube text specs
Spec	Value	Source	Last verified
Title character limit	Not yet verified	—	Unverified

Check your copy with the character counter or resize images with the image resizer. All platforms.