Recommended Size800 × 800 px
Aspect Ratio1:1 (square)
Display ShapeCircle (auto-cropped)
Max File Size4 MB
FormatJPG, PNG, BMP, GIF (no animation)
Why Square, Even Though It Displays as a Circle
YouTube requires a square upload and applies a circular mask automatically across every surface: comments, subscriptions, channel pages, and live chat. Uploading a square image with your subject centered ensures nothing important gets clipped by the circular crop.
The Circular Safe Zone
Because corners of a square get cut off by the circular mask, keep your logo, face, or key visual element within the inscribed circle — roughly 90% of the canvas, centered. Anything in the four corners (the area outside the circle) is invisible by design.
Avatar Display Sizes Across YouTube
| Placement | Display Size |
|---|---|
| Channel page (large) | 176 × 176 px |
| Video page (below player) | 48 × 48 px |
| Comments | 40 × 40 px |
| Live chat | 24 × 24 px |
| Mobile subscriptions | 36 × 36 px |
Design Tips for a Strong Avatar
- Faces or simple logos work best — complex designs become illegible at 24px
- High contrast against YouTube's white and dark theme backgrounds
- Centered composition — off-center subjects look awkward when circle-cropped
- Avoid thin text entirely; it disappears at small display sizes
Need your banner specs too? Check our YouTube Banner Size guide.