Twitter/X Image Size

The recommended image dimensions for X (formerly Twitter) in 2026

Whether you still call it Twitter or you've switched to calling it X, getting your image sizes right makes a real difference in how your posts look in the feed. A properly sized image fills the preview area completely instead of getting awkwardly cropped. And since X is a fast-scrolling platform, you've got about a second to catch someone's attention - a clean, full-width image helps. If you're also sharing content on Reddit or Bluesky, note that the optimal post image dimensions are similar but not identical.

What size should an X/Twitter post image be?

The best image size for a single-image post on X is 1600 x 900 pixels with a 16:9 aspect ratio. This gives you the sharpest display on both desktop and mobile timelines. If you want to save some file size, 1200 x 675 pixels (also 16:9) works well too and still fills the preview area without cropping. X supports images up to 4096 x 4096 pixels, but these 16:9 dimensions are the sweet spot for timeline display.

X accepts JPG, PNG, GIF, and WebP formats. The maximum file size is 5 MB per image on mobile and up to 15 MB on the desktop web client. GIFs follow the same limits - 5 MB on mobile and 15 MB on desktop. PNG works best for graphics and screenshots with text, while JPG is better for photographs.

Multiple image posts

X handles multi-image posts differently depending on how many images you attach. With two images, they appear side by side, each cropped to roughly a 700 x 800 pixel area. With three images, one takes up the left half and two stack on the right. And with four images, you get a 2x2 grid.

For multi-image posts, square images (1080 x 1080 pixels) tend to work well since X crops them to fit the grid. But if you want full control over what's visible, consider posting images one at a time or using the same 16:9 aspect ratio for a more predictable layout.

X/Twitter Header Photo Size

Your header photo (the banner at the top of your profile) should be 1500 x 500 pixels with a 3:1 aspect ratio. The maximum file size is 5 MB on mobile and up to 10 MB on the desktop web app.

Here's the tricky part - your profile picture overlaps the bottom-left area of the header on both desktop and mobile. So don't put anything critical in that corner. On mobile, more of the top and bottom edges get cropped than on desktop because of the narrower screen. Keep your important visuals (text, logos, calls to action) in the center of the image, and you'll be safe across all devices.

X/Twitter Profile Picture Size

Your X profile picture should be 400 x 400 pixels - a perfect square. X displays it as a circle everywhere (in the feed, on your profile, in replies), so the corners get cropped off. Make sure your face, logo, or main subject is centered and doesn't extend to the edges.

The maximum file size is 2 MB, and X accepts JPG, PNG, and GIF formats. While 400x400 is the official recommendation, uploading at a higher resolution like 800x800 won't hurt and gives X more data to work with when scaling.

Link preview images (Twitter Cards)

When you share a link on X, the platform pulls an image from the page's Open Graph or Twitter Card meta tags and displays it as a preview. For the large summary card (most common), the recommended size is 1200 x 628 pixels (1.91:1 ratio) with a maximum file size of 5 MB. For the standard summary card with a small square thumbnail, use 144 x 144 pixels minimum (1:1 ratio).

If you run a website or blog, setting up proper Twitter Card meta tags is worth doing. Without them, your shared links might show no image at all - or X might pull a random image from the page that doesn't represent your content well. The twitter:image meta tag is what X looks for when generating link previews.

X/Twitter Video Dimensions

For horizontal video, use 1280 x 720 pixels (720p) with a 16:9 aspect ratio. X also supports 1920x1080 (1080p), but 720p is perfectly fine for most content and keeps file sizes smaller. For vertical video, go with 1080 x 1920 pixels (9:16 aspect ratio).

Videos can be up to 2 minutes and 20 seconds (140 seconds) long for regular free posts. X Premium and Premium+ subscribers get significantly more: up to 4 hours and 16 GB on web and iOS (Android caps at 10 minutes). The maximum file size for standard posts is 512 MB, and the supported formats are MP4 and MOV. For best results, use H.264 video codec and AAC audio codec.

X/Twitter Ad Image Sizes

If you're running paid ads on X, the image requirements differ slightly from organic posts. For single image ads, X recommends 1200 x 1200 pixels (1:1 ratio) or 1200 x 628 pixels (1.91:1 ratio) for the best quality. The minimum acceptable sizes are 800 x 800 (square) or 800 x 418 (landscape). Carousel ads support 2-6 assets using 1:1 image assets.

As of February 2026, X expanded aspect ratio support for ad creatives, letting advertisers reuse assets from other platforms without reformatting. Ad images have a 5 MB file size limit. X also recommends keeping text to less than 20% of the image area - while this isn't a hard rule like it used to be on Facebook, images with less text tend to perform better in ads.