Your profile picture, or channel icon, appears beside every video, comment, and search result. It is your most-seen piece of branding, so make it count.
Recommended size
- Upload size: 800 × 800 px
- Display shape: circle (design within a circular safe area)
- Formats: PNG or JPG (no animated GIFs)
- File size: under 4 MB
Design for a circle
YouTube crops your square upload into a circle, so keep your logo or face centred and away from the corners.
Make it legible when tiny
Beside a comment, your icon is barely larger than the text. A simple mark, a single letter, a bold symbol, or a clear face, reads far better than a detailed logo.
Stay consistent across platforms
Use the same icon on every social network so audiences recognise you instantly wherever they find you.
Grab a reference
Use our profile picture tool to download any channel's avatar at full resolution and study how successful creators keep their icons simple.