Remember the last time you were on YouTube? What made you click on a particular video or watch one from a specific channel?

Maybe it had an interesting banner, or it provided you with just the right information to decide whether it’s right for you. 

A banner is one of the most important elements on any YouTube channel. It’s the first thing people see when they visit a YouTube channel. It can also significantly impact whether the brand can reach its desired target audience, engage them and persuade them to watch more of the channel’s content or subscribe to it.

The good news is that there are several simple ways to ensure that your banner achieves this goal. 

Dive in and learn the most effective ways to create a YouTube banner for maximum impact using templates from Wave.video and basic tips for creating professional banners that look great across all devices.

What’s the Best YouTube Banner Size?

Like any social media platform that allows creators to create custom profiles or pages for their work, YouTube has specific guidelines for ensuring that all user-generated content fits into its brand scheme. 

These guidelines include things like using only one font type in your text: Helvetica Neue Black Regular; keeping ad placement within safe zones; placing logos etc.

The YouTube banner size is the exact size you should use when creating a YouTube channel banner. 

YouTube requires banners to be in the 16:9 format, and the ideal size can range between 2048 x 1152 pixels and 2560 x 1440 pixels. 

This is because the exact dimensions of your banner vary depending on the device viewers use to access YouTube. 

Here’s a summary of the recommended YouTube banner size.

Metric	Recommended
YouTube banner	2560 × 1440 pixels
Minimum image dimension	2048 × 1152 pixels
Minimum image-safe area	1235× 338 pixels
Maximum file size	6 MB

YouTube Banner Aspect Ratio

The aspect ratio describes the proportion of an image’s width to its height. The most common aspect ratios on YouTube banners are square and rectangular.

Square banner dimensions have a height that is the same as their width (1:1). 

Rectangular banner dimensions have a longer horizontal dimension than vertical ones (typically 16:9). In general, it is recommended to use rectangle banners since they look more balanced with your channel design or cover photo.

A well-designed YouTube banner has a height almost equal to two-thirds of its width, which is close to the golden ratio.

The golden ratio is helpful for images in design circles because it creates pleasing proportions and helps guide users’ eyes where you want them to go.

Suppose you’re designing for mobile devices only. In that case, you should remember that some phones will scale up any image within an app to fill 100% of the screen width regardless of its original resolution.

Formatting Tips

There are some essential things to keep in mind when it comes to formatting your YouTube channel banner. Some of these tips will be more obvious than others, but the following will help you get started:

• Use a template. This is the easiest way to ensure that all your graphics are formatted correctly and look consistent. You can create templates using Wave.video still, but you should pay attention to font size, color scheme, and spacing between elements.
• Maintain a single font throughout your channel branding (and use an appropriate size). Consistently using the same font across your graphics makes it easier for viewers to recognize your brand. 
• The same goes for color schemes; pick one and stick with it so that viewers can easily identify which video belongs where within a series or category page lay.

As always, go with the highest media quality available. You’re trying to stand out from the competition so go big.

What Is The ‘Minimum Image Safe Area’?

A minimum image-safe area is where all the most critical data on your YouTube banner should be located. 

The thing is, your target audience will likely access your channel using different devices. Different devices mean different display screen sizes, which presents a minor problem.

When a display renders an image, it follows explicit instructions embedded in the code. If the code states the image should be displayed in 1080p, a device with a smaller display will execute the instructions to the latter, which may distort the image.

To prevent this from happening, YouTube has a designated “minimum image safe area” where you’re supposed to place all the essential links, text, or other relevant information. This area isn’t affected by any rendering distortions, guaranteeing that viewers will get this data no matter the device they use.

Your banner’s minimum image safe area should be 1235 x 338 pixels. 

Planning the YouTube Banner Size for All Devices

Given that it will be seen on different devices, you should also consider the layout of your YouTube banner and ensure any device can render it without distorting it.

The standard desktop computer screen resolution for most modern computers is 1920 x 1080 pixels, which translates to an aspect ratio of 16:9 (widescreen). Most browsers support this resolution and will display your banner at its full width with little or no cropping. 

On mobile devices such as tablets or smartphones, however, the resolution varies between devices; for example, an iPhone XS Max has a 2688 x 1242-pixel display with an aspect ratio of 19.5:5 (widescreen), resulting in significant cropping when displaying banners created for much larger displays like desktops or TVs. 

The smallest screens might make it difficult to see what’s happening in a video if it has been designed specifically for larger displays.  

To ensure your viewers get the most out of your channel, you should ensure that all elements are visible and conform to YouTube’s banner size specifications before uploading it on YouTube.

Wave.video YouTube Banner Template

YouTube banner templates can be a great time saver for beginner or experienced YouTubers. 

Here’s how you can use YouTube banner templates on Wave.video:

1. Search for Wave.video on your browser and sign up for a free Wave.video account or sign in if you’re an existing user.

2. Once you’re on the homepage, click My Projects at the top right section of the page.

3. Move the cursor to the Create button on the next page. This should trigger a dropdown menu.

4. Go to the Start by browsing section of the dropdown menu and select Templates. You can also start with a blank video or image.

5. In Wave.video template library, go to the Social Media section and choose YouTube Video.

6. Choose the one you like from a wide variety of templates, and click on it. 

7. Hit the blue Edit Template button to make it meet your brand design.

8. In the editor space, you can resize the template to suit recommended dimensions. You can also edit the template to match your brand and make it more engaging. Explore all the options of Wave.video. 

9. When you’re satisfied, and everything looks good, click on the Publish button. Now you can download the image in PNG, GIF, or JPG format. 

You can always go back to the Wave.video editor to make changes or to create new YouTube banners.

YouTube Banner Design Ideas and Tips:

Everyone can create a banner for YouTube, but not all banners are great or achieve the intended results. This is why it’s crucial to get it right. 

Here are some key considerations for creating a professional-looking video thumbnail that you can use on your channel page and other social media platforms.

1. People’s Photos

People’s photos are the most popular for a reason. They’re more engaging than photos of things, and people are much more likely to pay attention. 

It can be as simple as featuring a video thumbnail of you or your staff as they go about their work. Having people in it lends credibility and humane touch to your brand, which is good for your business.

Still, ensure that you’re using relevant photos representing your brand and your target audience

2. Text and Logo

A well-designed logo goes a long way in helping you establish brand consistency across multiple channels. It’s also inevitable to have some text in the YouTube banner since you’ll want to describe what your brand does and why your target audience should watch your videos and subscribe long-term.

Consider the following if you plan to include a logo and some text on your banner:

• The text and logo should be consistent with your chosen theme for branding, but you can also play around with different colors.
• Use a large enough font size that it’s easy to read from afar (this will depend on the background color of your banner) but not so bold that it creates an unwanted focal point.
• Ensure the text font and color are consistent with the tone of voice and brand image you want to portray in your video content. For example, if you have a whimsical brand image, choose a light-hearted font like Comic Sans or Papyrus; if you want to create a severe feel for viewers, try using something more formal like Times New Roman or Arial Black. 
• Place logos towards one side or another rather than directly in the center so that they don’t detract from other elements on your banner.

It would also be best to avoid placing text too close together because it can make them hard to read at smaller sizes

3. Versatile Background

A versatile background is important to the overall design. You need something easy to customize, change and add elements to.

You can use a solid color, pattern, or texture as your background, but ensure that you don’t overwhelm the viewer too much. Also, ensure it supplements or conforms with your brand identity.

4. Collage

If you’re looking for a way to add personality and make your banner stand out, collages are the right option. You can choose a still image or video footage as your primary source material and bring in elements like text, graphics, and icons that communicate what you do. 

Collage banners are also great for showing off your work because they offer more space than traditional designs. As long as it’s well executed and cohesive, a collage can be used in any industry — and it’s a great way to catch people’s attention.

The best part is that this technique is easy to execute yourself. All you need is a free editing tool like Wave.video and some basic skills to use it properly.

5. Social Media and Site Links

This feeds into your overall digital marketing strategy and ensures your target audience can find you in their platform of choice.

It’s best to include your most popular social media account links on the banner and a link to your blog or landing page. 

How to Add a YouTube Banner

Adding a YouTube banner to your channel is very simple. Here’s how to go about it:

• Open YouTube on your browser and log in to your creator account. 
• Click on your profile icon on the homepage and select Your channel.
• Look for the Customize channel button and select it. You’ll be redirected to YouTube studio.
• Click on the Branding button as shown below and select the option to Upload the banner image.

Once the upload is complete and everything looks good, hit the publish button for the changes to take effect.

Final Thoughts

The ideal and recommended YouTube banner size is 2560 x 1440 pixels.

While there are no hard and fast rules, the best way to ensure that your brand gets maximum attention is to have an appealing and optimized banner and ensure videos on the channel are engaging and dynamic. 

Remember, people are scrolling past millions of videos on their devices every day. If you want them to stop scrolling, give them a good reason.

If you’re looking for inspiration to create an eye-catching design for your YouTube channel or brand page banner image, check out these free optimized templates here.