Resize a photo to the correct Twitter (X) header size

The Twitter (X) header size is 1500×500 pixels (3:1). Drop a photo, drag the focal point onto what has to stay visible, and the safe-zone overlay marks the strip that sits above your profile picture so you know what actually shows once it's live. Everything runs in your browser — nothing is uploaded.

No upload No file size limit No sign-up Free

Drop an image here

or click to choose — 2560 px wide or more covers every size

1500×500, still called the "Twitter" header

The header photo size on X (formerly Twitter) is 1500 × 500 pixels, a 3:1 aspect ratio — wide and short, sitting behind your profile picture and name at the top of your profile. This has been the stable, published size for years and predates the rebrand, which is why most guides and this tool still refer to it as the Twitter header size even though the platform is X now.

The part that catches people out: the avatar overlap

On desktop, your profile picture sits in the bottom-left corner of the header and physically overlaps it — roughly the bottom third of the left side of the image is covered. Put a face, a logo or any text there and it's partly hidden the moment the profile loads. The preview here shades that safe zone directly on the image, so you can see before downloading whether anything important currently falls inside it.

AreaStatus
Top strip, roughly 1500×380Always visible
Bottom-left cornerCovered by the profile picture
~60px at top and bottom on some screensMay be trimmed depending on monitor size and browser

Why crop around a focal point

A 3:1 banner is an unusual shape — wide and short — and almost no source photo starts out that way. A centred crop only works when the subject is already in the middle of the frame; anything off to one side gets sliced out entirely once the image is cropped down to a strip this thin. Dragging the focal point onto whatever has to remain visible builds the crop around that point instead, and if it sits near an edge, the crop pulls inward rather than running off the photo.

Should you upload at 2x for sharpness?

X can display a higher-resolution header — 3000×1000, exactly double — more sharply on high-density (retina-class) screens than a 1500x500 file rescaled up by the browser. This is a minor gain, mainly visible on newer phones and monitors, not a requirement: 1500x500 is the standard size, displays correctly everywhere, and is what this tool produces. If you have a very high-resolution source photo and want the extra sharpness, cropping at 2x scale and exporting at 3000x1000 from an image editor afterwards is the way to get it.

File format and size

X accepts JPG or PNG for header photos, up to 2MB; animated GIF headers are no longer reliably supported and render as a static frame on most clients anyway. This tool exports JPEG at high quality, which comes in comfortably under that limit for a 1500x500 image.

Everything runs in your browser using the canvas API. The photo is never uploaded to a server, there's no account or sign-up, and no file size limit beyond what your own device can handle.

Frequently asked questions

What is the correct Twitter (X) header size?

1500x500 pixels, a 3:1 aspect ratio. X still calls this the header photo internally even though the platform is branded X now, and 1500x500 has been the stable published size for years - it's what this tool produces by default.

Why does the preview show a shaded box over part of the image?

That's the safe zone - the top strip of the header, roughly the upper 380 pixels, that stays clear of your profile picture. On desktop, the avatar sits in the bottom-left corner and overlaps the header underneath it; anything important placed there - a face, text, a logo - gets partly covered. The shaded overlay shows that boundary before you download, so you can reposition the focal point to keep key content above it.

Does a higher-resolution upload look sharper?

Slightly, on high-density screens - X will accept and can display a 2x version (3000x1000) more sharply on retina-class displays than a 1x file rescaled up. 1500x500 is the standard size and looks correct everywhere; going to 3000x1000 is a minor sharpness gain for pixel-peepers, not a requirement.

What if my photo isn't already 3:1?

Almost none are - a 3:1 banner is a wide, short strip, and most photos are closer to square or portrait. Drag the focal point onto whatever has to remain visible and the crop is built around that point rather than the centre, so a subject standing off to one side still survives the crop into a much wider, shorter frame.

What file size and format does X accept for headers?

JPG or PNG, up to 2MB (animated GIF headers are no longer supported as static images render more reliably). This tool exports JPEG at high quality, which comes in well under that limit for a 1500x500 image.

Is my photo uploaded anywhere to do this?

No. The crop and resize run entirely on your own device using the browser's canvas API - the photo is never sent to a server. No account, no sign-up, no file size limit beyond what your device can handle.