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Discord Banner Size 2026: Profile, Server & Invite Splash Specs

Quick Answer Discord profile banner: minimum 600×240 px, Nitro subscribers only (animated GIF needs Nitro too). Discord server banner: minimum 960×540 px (16:9), requires Server Boost Level 2. Upload at 2× the minimum for sharper results on high-DPI screens.
Original photo before editing as a Discord server banner
Before
Photo cropped and color-graded to 960×540 px as a Discord server banner
After
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Profile Banner Specs (Nitro Feature)

Discord profile banners are a Nitro-exclusive feature — only users with an active Discord Nitro or Nitro Basic subscription can upload a custom profile banner. The minimum accepted size is 600×240 pixels, which displays at approximately 680×240 on screen. Uploading a larger image at the same ratio — such as 1200×480 — keeps the banner sharp on high-DPI screens without any extra work, since Discord scales it down cleanly. Supported formats include JPG and PNG for static banners. Animated GIF banners also require Nitro. Profile banners appear behind your avatar, username, and the 'Add Friend' button when other users open your profile card, so design with the understanding that the bottom portion will be partially obscured by avatar and text.

1

Minimum 600×240 px, upload 1200×480 for sharpness

Uploading at 2× the minimum keeps the banner crisp on retina and high-DPI screens.

2

Requires active Nitro subscription

Profile banners are not available on free Discord accounts. Check your Nitro status in User Settings.

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Animated GIF banners also need Nitro

Both static and animated profile banners require Nitro. GIF banners loop continuously on your profile card.

Server Banner Specs (Boost Level 2)

Server banners are a community feature unlocked at Server Boost Level 2, which requires a total of 7 boosts on a server. The minimum size is 960×540 pixels at a 16:9 aspect ratio. As with profile banners, uploading at a higher resolution — 1920×1080 is a practical choice — produces a sharper result without needing to reconfigure anything. The server banner appears at the top of the server's channel list sidebar and in the server discovery listings. Discord displays the banner behind the server name and icon, so keep the upper-left area of the banner relatively clear to avoid clashing with that overlay. JPG and PNG are both accepted for server banners.

1

Minimum 960×540 (16:9), upload 1920×1080 for sharpness

Full HD upload at the same ratio looks significantly sharper on high-resolution monitors.

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Requires Server Boost Level 2

Level 2 needs 7 total boosts on the server. Check Server Settings → Boosts to see your current level.

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Keep upper-left relatively clear

Discord overlays the server name and icon in the upper-left of the banner in the channel list sidebar.

Invite Splash & Server Icon Quick Reference

Discord has several additional image slots beyond banners. The invite splash — the background image shown on the server invite page — is unlocked at Server Boost Level 1 and should be 1920×1080 pixels. The server icon is 512×512 pixels and is displayed as a circle in the server list sidebar, so keep the key design element centered within a circular crop. Server icons appear very small in the sidebar (typically 48 px on desktop), so use a simple, high-contrast icon or logo rather than detailed imagery. Profile pictures follow the same 512×512 spec and circular display rules.

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Invite splash: 1920×1080 (Boost Level 1)

Shown as the background on the server invite page. Full HD, JPG or PNG.

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Server icon: 512×512, displayed as circle

Center your logo or icon within the square so the circular crop does not cut off key elements.

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Server icon renders at 48 px in the sidebar

Use a simple, bold, high-contrast image. Fine details are invisible at sidebar size.

Designing Banners That Work Behind UI Overlays

Both profile and server banners are partially covered by Discord's interface elements. On a profile banner, the lower third of the image is covered by the avatar, username, custom status, and action buttons. On a server banner, the upper-left corner is covered by the server name and icon. The most effective banner designs treat the banner as a background layer rather than a primary information surface — a rich photograph, abstract art, or a branded color gradient works far better than a banner with text that will be obscured by Discord's UI. Use high-contrast images with a clear visual weight near the center or right side of the banner, away from where UI elements sit, to create a backdrop that enhances rather than competes with the Discord interface.

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Treat the banner as a background, not a text surface

Discord's UI overlaps critical zones on every banner type. Don't put text or logos where UI sits.

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Use rich photography or abstract gradients

Visually interesting backgrounds that don't depend on reading specific content survive UI overlays gracefully.

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Check the overlay positions in Discord

Upload a test image and view it in Discord before finalizing. UI positions vary slightly between desktop and mobile.

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Match your server or profile's color scheme

Banners that complement your server icon and role colors create a cohesive branded environment.

Making a Banner from a Photo

Almost any photo can be turned into a Discord banner with the right crop and enhancement. For a profile banner at 600×240, any landscape photo can be cropped to the 2.5:1 ratio — a prompt like 'Crop this photo to 600×240 for a Discord profile banner, keeping the most interesting part of the scene centered' works directly. For a server banner at 960×540, 'Resize and enhance this photo to 960×540 for a Discord server banner, give it a slightly dark moody color grade' creates a professional-looking result. After editing, you can optionally add a subtle color overlay or gradient in a design tool to ensure the banner complements your server's color scheme before uploading.

1

Profile banner: crop to 600×240 or 1200×480

'Crop to 600×240 for a Discord profile banner keeping the scene centered' — upload at 1200×480 for double sharpness.

2

Server banner: crop to 960×540 or 1920×1080

'Resize to 960×540 for a Discord server banner with a cinematic color grade' — or upload at 1920×1080.

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Enhance for the dark Discord interface

'Add a slightly dark tone and increase contrast' helps the banner look intentional against Discord's dark theme.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Profile banner: minimum 600×240 px (Nitro only; upload 1200×480 for sharpness). Server banner: minimum 960×540 px at 16:9 (Server Boost Level 2; upload 1920×1080 for sharpness). Animated GIF profile banners also require Nitro.
Yes. Profile banners are a Nitro-exclusive feature. Free Discord accounts cannot upload a custom profile banner. Animated GIF banners additionally require Nitro. Server banners (a separate feature) require Server Boost Level 2 and are not Nitro-gated.
Server Boost Level 2, which requires 7 total boosts on the server. Level 1 (2 boosts) unlocks the invite splash background. Level 3 (14 boosts) unlocks additional perks like a custom server URL.
16:9. The minimum accepted size is 960×540 px. For the sharpest result on high-DPI screens, upload at 1920×1080 (full HD at the same ratio).
512×512 pixels, displayed as a circle. Keep the key design element (logo, icon, mascot) centered within the square so the circular crop does not cut off edges. Server icons appear as small as 48 px in the sidebar, so use simple, bold imagery.
1920×1080 px. The invite splash is the background image shown on the server invite page. It is unlocked at Server Boost Level 1 (2 boosts).
Yes. Crop any landscape photo to 600×240 (profile banner) or 960×540 (server banner). Upload at 2× those dimensions for retina sharpness. Avoid placing text in the banner since Discord's UI will overlap it.
JPG or PNG for static banners. GIF for animated profile banners (Nitro required). PNG gives slightly better quality for banners with sharp edges or flat colors. JPG is fine for photographic backgrounds.

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