Discord does not have one banner size. It has three, and they do not share an aspect ratio. The profile banner is a wide strip of at least 600 x 240 px, the server banner is a 16:9 image of at least 960 x 540 px, and the invite splash sits at exactly 1920 x 1080 px. Upload a file at the right ratio and Discord shows it clean; upload the wrong shape and it center-crops your design, usually in the worst place. This guide lists every size, the file rules, and the design habits that keep your banner sharp on any screen.
⚡ Quick Answer
Design your profile banner at 1200 x 480 px (5:2), your server banner at 1920 x 1080 px (16:9), and your invite splash at exactly 1920 x 1080 px. Use PNG or JPG for static images and GIF for animation. Profile banners need Nitro, server banners need Boost Level 2, and every upload stays under roughly 10 MB.
Most banner failures are not a mystery. They are just a size mismatch. Discord rarely rejects a wrong banner, it quietly crops it, and that silent crop is what ruins a logo or slices a headline in half. Nail the ratio first and the rest of the design decisions get easy.
What Counts as a Discord Banner
Discord calls three different images a banner, and each one lives in a different place:
- Profile banner: the wide strip behind your avatar in your profile card. A personal feature tied to Nitro.
- Server banner: the wide header at the top of a server's channel list and invite preview. A server feature tied to Server Boosts.
- Invite splash: the background image on a boosted server's invite screen. Also tied to Server Boosts.
Because the three banners use two different shapes, one file never covers all of them. Plan for separate files from the start, and the whole process stays simple.
Profile Banner Size
The profile banner is the horizontal strip behind your avatar when someone clicks your name. Discord's documented minimum is 600 x 240 px, which works out to a 5:2 aspect ratio.
- Minimum: 600 x 240 px
- Aspect ratio: 5:2
- Recommended upload: 1200 x 480 px for sharpness on high-density screens
- Formats: PNG, JPG, GIF
- File limit: about 10 MB
- Access: full Nitro subscription, not Nitro Basic
Avoid the common trap of designing at 600 px wide and crossing your fingers. Upload a file that is twice the minimum, so 1200 x 480, and Discord downscales it to a crisp result. If you design wider than the 5:2 ratio, such as a 680 x 240 canvas, Discord crops the excess on either side. Keep your subject centered and leave a safe margin around the edges.
Animated profile banners work with Nitro. Export an animated GIF at the same size and keep it under the file limit. The animation plays when someone opens your profile.
Server Banner Size
The server banner sits at the top of your channel list and appears on the invite preview. It is a 16:9 image with a minimum of 960 x 540 px, and it is available at Server Boost Level 2 (7 boosts).
- Minimum: 960 x 540 px
- Aspect ratio: 16:9
- Best upload: 1920 x 1080 px, which Discord accepts and downscales automatically
- Formats: PNG, JPG, and GIF at Boost Level 3
- File limit: about 10 MB
- Required: Boost Level 2 for static, Boost Level 3 for animated
One rule keeps tripping designers up: the top strip of the banner is not yours to fill. Discord places the server name and member count over the top edge, so leave the top of the image clear. On a 1920 x 1080 file, that means keeping meaningful detail and text out of roughly the top 90 to 100 pixels. Center your artwork vertically and keep any headline in the lower two thirds of the frame.
Animated server banners appear at Boost Level 3 (14 boosts) and play a short loop when the server loads. Same sizing rules apply, so build the GIF to 1920 x 1080 and keep it light.
Invite Splash Size
The invite splash is the background behind the big Join button on your server's invite screen. It is available at Boost Level 1 (2 boosts).
- Exact size: 1920 x 1080 px
- Aspect ratio: 16:9
- Formats: PNG or JPG, no animation
- Required: Boost Level 1
The splash sits behind interface text, so a subtle, low-detail background reads far better than a busy one. Darker images let the Join button and server name stand out, which makes the invite feel polished instead of cluttered.
Related Image Sizes
Banners are only part of a polished server or profile. These companions share the same rules and tie the visual identity together:
- Profile avatar: 128 x 128 px minimum; upload a 512 x 512 px square. Displayed as a circle, so keep the subject centered.
- Server icon: same 512 x 512 px square, also shown as a circle in the sidebar.
- Custom emoji: 128 x 128 px, under 256 KB, PNG or GIF.
- Stickers: 320 x 320 px, under 512 KB, PNG, APNG, or Lottie.
- Role icons: 64 x 64 px and up to 128 x 128 px for a cleaner look.
Avatars and icons use a 1:1 square even though they display as circles. Build the full square so Discord's circular crop does not surprise you.
Complete Spec Table
| Element | Minimum | Best Upload | Ratio | Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Profile banner | 600 x 240 | 1200 x 480 | 5:2 | Nitro |
| Server banner | 960 x 540 | 1920 x 1080 | 16:9 | Boost L2, GIF at L3 |
| Invite splash | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | 16:9 | Boost L1 |
| Avatar and server icon | 128 x 128 | 512 x 512 | 1:1 circle | Free |
| Custom emoji | 128 x 128 | 128 x 128 | 1:1 | Free, under 256 KB |
| Sticker | 320 x 320 | 320 x 320 | 1:1 | Free, under 512 KB |
Design Rules That Apply to Every Banner
The sizes are only half the picture. These five habits decide whether an upload looks sharp or broken:
- Crop to the ratio before you upload. Discord crops mismatched images from the center, so a logo designed for 16:9 vanishes when you drop it into a 5:2 slot. Cut the file yourself and you control the frame.
- Upload at twice the minimum when you can. A 1200 x 480 profile banner and a 1920 x 1080 server banner survive high-density screens without going soft. The extra size costs nothing.
- Leave clean edges. Interface text and buttons overlay the edges of every banner. Keep your text and key artwork away from the borders so nothing important sits underneath a label.
- Respect the safe zones. The server name covers the top of the server banner, and your avatar and name sit over the left of the profile card. Keep those areas clear.
- Export light. Stay under the upload cap and use JPG for photographic banners, PNG when you need sharp edges or transparency, and GIF only when you really want motion.
⚠️ Mistakes to Avoid
- Reusing one file for two banners: the profile (5:2) and server (16:9) ratios do not match, so one image always gets cropped badly.
- Filling the top of the server banner: the server name overlays that strip, so your headline ends up half hidden.
- Uploading a tiny 600 px wide file: modern screens make it look blurry. Double it to 1200 x 480 for a crisp result.
- Jamming text into the corners: the profile card overlaps the edges, and corner text is the first thing a crop removes.
How to Make a Discord Banner
You do not need a design tool loaded with paid plugins. A free web editor handles all of this:
- Pick a canvas: create a file at your target upload size, 1200 x 480 for a profile banner or 1920 x 1080 for a server banner.
- Build to the ratio: work inside the 5:2 or 16:9 frame and keep your subject centered with clean margins around the edge.
- Keep the text off the overlays: reserve the top strip of a server banner and the left side of a profile banner where Discord places its own labels.
- Export at full quality: save as PNG or high-quality JPG. For animation, export a GIF from the same-sized frame.
- Check the file size: confirm the export stays under the upload limit, around 10 MB for banners.
- Upload and preview: set it in Discord and open your profile or your server invite from another device to see the real crop before you tell anyone about it.
Want to generate artwork faster? AI image tools handle banners in one pass. Browse the AI image generator directory for tools that output exact dimensions in PNG or GIF.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the exact Discord banner size?
There are three. The profile banner is at least 600 x 240 px (5:2), the server banner is at least 960 x 540 px (16:9), and the invite splash is exactly 1920 x 1080 px (16:9).
2. Does a profile banner require Nitro?
Yes. Profile banners, including per-server banners, need a full Nitro subscription. Nitro Basic does not include them, and neither does a free account.
3. Can I use an animated banner?
Yes. A GIF profile banner works with Nitro, and an animated server banner opens up at Boost Level 3. Keep the GIF under the file size cap or the upload fails.
4. What happens if my image is bigger than the size Discord expects?
Discord downscales and center-crops it to the target ratio. Crop your file to the correct aspect ratio first so the crop happens on your terms, not Discord's.
5. Can one file work for both the profile and server banner?
No. The 5:2 profile strip and the 16:9 server banner are different shapes, so a single image will be cropped in one of the two places. Build separate files.
6. What is the maximum file size for a Discord banner?
Banner uploads accept roughly 10 MB. Smaller assets have tighter caps: custom emoji stop at 256 KB, and stickers stop at 512 KB.
The Bottom Line
💡 Tactical Summary
Memorize three numbers: 600 x 240 (profile banner), 960 x 540 minimum (server banner), 1920 x 1080 (invite splash). Upload at double the minimum for sharpness, keep text away from the edges, respect the top strip of the server banner, and check the crop in a real preview before you share it.
Discord banners fail for boring reasons: the wrong ratio, cramped edges, or a file that is just too small to stay sharp. Fix those three things and most banners start looking intentional. Plan the file per banner, respect the overlays, and always preview the real crop on another device before you call it done.
Need the companion sizes for your profile visuals? Our guide to Instagram username ideas covers naming, while the full blog library has more sizing and design breakdowns.