Quick answer: on X (formerly Twitter) use 1200 × 675 px (16:9) for post images, a 400 × 400 px profile photo under 2 MB, and a 1500 × 500 px header with nothing important in the top or bottom 60 px.
Check your image — see how X will crop your header or post image. The free Image Requirements Checker reads your actual file, shows which placements it fits, previews every crop and explains what to change. It runs in your browser; your image is never uploaded.
X (Twitter) image sizes at a glance
| Image | Size | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Post image | 1200 × 675 px (16:9), up to 5 MB | Third-party recommendation |
| Profile photo | 400 × 400 px, JPEG, GIF or PNG, up to 2 MB | Official |
| Header | 1500 × 500 px (3:1); about 60 px at top and bottom may be cropped | Official recommendation |
| Link preview (large card) | About 2:1, at least 300 × 157 px, under 5 MB | Reported from X's developer docs (not confirmed) |
Post images
X shows single images in the timeline in a wide frame, so 16:9 (1200 × 675 px) displays without cropping; other shapes are cropped in the preview and shown in full when tapped. A 5 MB limit for photos is widely published, but X's help page for it wasn't available to confirm, so treat it as a recommendation. JPG, PNG and GIF are accepted.
Profile photo
X's help center recommends 400 × 400 px and accepts JPEG, GIF or PNG files up to 2 MB. It is shown in a circle.
Header: the cropping problem
X recommends 1500 × 500 px (3:1) for headers, but its help center warns that even at that size, about 60 px at the top and bottom can be cropped depending on the monitor and browser. Your profile photo also overlaps the bottom-left. Keep text and logos in the middle band and treat the top and bottom strips as background.
Link previews (Twitter cards)
When you share a link, X builds a card from the page's twitter:image or og:image. For the large-image card (twitter:card set to summary_large_image), X's developer documentation is widely reported to require about 2:1, at least 300 × 157 px and under 5 MB; we couldn't confirm that page directly. A 1200 × 630 px Open Graph image works well in practice — see the Open Graph image guide.
Common mistakes
- Header text near the top or bottom edge, which gets cropped.
- Profile photos over 2 MB.
- Tall portrait images in posts, which are cropped heavily in the timeline preview.
Practical recommendations
- Use 16:9 for post images you want shown in full.
- Design the header with a clear central band.
- Set both
og:imageandtwitter:cardon your website.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a Twitter (X) post image?
1200 × 675 px (16:9) displays without cropping in the timeline. Other shapes are cropped in the preview.
What size is an X header?
1500 × 500 px. X notes that about 60 px at the top and bottom may be cropped on some screens.
What size is an X profile picture?
400 × 400 px, as a JPEG, GIF or PNG up to 2 MB.
Why is my X header cropped?
X crops the top and bottom of headers differently on different monitors and browsers. Keep important content in the middle.
Sources and how to read these values
Last reviewed: 8 October 2026, the same review as the Image Requirements Checker.
Each value above is labelled: a platform limit is documented by the platform and uploads outside it fail; an official recommendation comes from the platform's own help pages; a third-party recommendation is widely published but not confirmed on an official page; practical guidance is our advice. Platforms change their layouts without notice, so check important images in the app itself.
- X Help Center: profile photo and header
- Post image size and 5 MB limit: widely published guidance
- Large-image card requirements: reported from X's developer documentation (page not accessible to confirm)