Discord banner size in 2026: server banner 960 x 540, profile banner 680 x 240, and the top-48-pixel rule
Discord publishes two banner sizes and they are not interchangeable. A server banner should be at least 960 x 540 pixels at 16:9, with a 1920 x 1080 image resized automatically on upload, and it is unlocked at Boost Level 2, with animated GIF banners at Level 3; Discord adds that the top 48 pixels should stay simple so the server name over it stays readable, and that logos and text in the image are best avoided (support.discord.com, "Server Banners", checked September 2026). A profile banner is a Nitro feature: PNG, JPG or animated GIF under 10 MB, with minimum dimensions of 680 x 240 pixels (support.discord.com, "Custom Profiles", checked September 2026). This guide covers both, what each unlock requires, and how to make banners that read at Discord's small sizes.
What is the Discord server banner size?
At least 960 x 540 pixels at 16:9, with a 1920 x 1080 upload resized automatically; the top 48 pixels should be plain because the server name is drawn over them, and the banner appears at the top of the channel list once the server reaches Boost Level 2, as of September 2026.
| Banner | Discord's figure (checked Sept 2026) | Unlock | Notes from Discord's page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Server banner | At least 960 x 540, 16:9; 1920 x 1080 is resized for you | Boost Level 2 | Keep the top 48 px simple; avoid logos and text; key art or character stills work well |
| Animated server banner | Same size, as a GIF | Boost Level 3 | Animates for 5 seconds on load, again on reappearing and on hover; does not animate under reduced motion |
| Profile banner | At least 680 x 240; PNG, JPG or animated GIF under 10 MB | Nitro subscription | A crop step appears after upload |
Sources: Discord Support, Server Banners and Custom Profiles.
The server banner is displayed as a short strip at the top of the channel sidebar, so although the upload is 16:9, viewers see a wide crop through the image's centre with the server name overlaid at the top. That is why Discord's guidance is "no text": the image is small and covered.
What is the Discord profile banner size?
Discord's Custom Profiles page states a minimum of 680 x 240 pixels for the profile banner, as PNG, JPG or animated GIF under 10 MB, and that only Nitro members can upload one. The banner shows at the top of the profile card behind the avatar, which overlaps its bottom-left, and Discord shows a crop tool after upload, so a larger image at the same shape (1360 x 480) gives the crop room and stays sharp. Per-server profile banners, also a Nitro feature, follow the same minimum.
How do you design for Discord's small banners?
- No text, as Discord asks. The server banner carries the server name over it and the profile banner sits behind the avatar; text in the image collides with both.
- One subject, off-centre. A character, a scene or a piece of key art placed slightly right of centre survives the sidebar crop and the avatar overlap.
- Keep the top band calm. Discord's 48-pixel rule for the server banner: no busy detail where the name goes. The same idea applies to the profile banner's bottom-left, under the avatar.
- Check in dark and light. Discord's default theme is dark; a banner with a bright white edge glows against it. The colour palette extractor pulls a colour from the art for a matching profile theme (a Nitro option).
- Export the biggest clean file inside the limit. 1920 x 1080 for the server, 1360 x 480 for the profile, under 10 MB, verified with the image metadata viewer.
How do you make an animated Discord banner?
Animated server banners need Boost Level 3 and a GIF; Discord's page notes the animation plays for 5 seconds when the server loads and then pauses, so the motion should be a short loop that reads in its first seconds. Generate the still in the AI image generator at 16:9, animate it with a single subtle instruction ("embers drift upward", "light sweeps across the logo wall") in image to video, which renders clips of 4, 6, 8, 10 seconds, then convert the clip to a GIF with the free video to GIF tool at a width that keeps the file well under the limit. The aspect ratio resizer and safe-zone preview shows a 16:9 frame cropped to a wide strip so you can check where the loop's action lands. Community servers around streams pair the banner with the assets in AI video ideas for streamers and a stream bed from AI music for streamers.
Publishing on more than one platform? The sizing rules for other surfaces are in Album cover size, resizing a photo for Instagram without cropping, 21, Video aspect ratios explained, and AI image aspect ratios.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size is a Discord server banner?
At least 960 x 540 pixels at 16:9, per Discord's Server Banners page checked in September 2026; a 1920 x 1080 image is resized automatically. Server banners unlock at Boost Level 2, animated ones at Level 3.
What size is a Discord profile banner?
A minimum of 680 x 240 pixels as PNG, JPG or animated GIF under 10 MB, per Discord's Custom Profiles page. Profile banners require a Nitro subscription; a crop step follows the upload.
Can I put text on a Discord banner?
Discord's server banner guidance says to avoid logos and text and to keep the top 48 pixels simple, because the server name is drawn over the banner. Profile banners sit behind the avatar, so text there is partly covered too.
How long does an animated Discord banner play?
Discord's page states the server banner animates for 5 seconds when the server first loads, again for 5 seconds when it scrolls back into view, and on hover; it does not animate when a user has reduced motion enabled.
Generate high-res imagery and edit with precision
Create reference-consistent images, then inpaint, outpaint, retouch, restyle, and upscale with complete before/after versioning in one shared Library.