X (Twitter) Image Sizes and Specs: The 2025 Complete Guide

X (Twitter) Image Sizes and Specs: The 2025 Complete Guide

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If you’re designing for X (formerly Twitter), getting your visuals right is the difference between a crisp, scannable post and a mysteriously cropped mess. This 2025 guide distills the latest twitter image specs, safe zones, and practical workflows so your images stay sharp and on-brand across mobile and desktop. Use it as a reference to export confidently, avoid surprise crops, and ensure accessibility from day one.

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What’s New in 2025: X Image Behavior at a Glance

• Supported formats: JPG, PNG, GIF (GIFs do not animate as profile/header and aren’t recommended for complex imagery).
• Recommended pixel sizes (high-level):
• Profile: 400×400 (1:1)
• Header: 1500×500 (3:1)
• Single-image tweet: 1200×675 (16:9), 1200×1200 (1:1), 1200×1500 (4:5)
• Link cards: 1200×628 (1.91:1)
• Carousel ads: 1080×1080 (1:1) or 1200×628 (landscape)
• Aspect-ratio range that avoids harsh crops in feeds: roughly 2:1 to 3:4. Stay within this band for predictable previews.
• Quick do:
• Center key content; add safe padding (40 px for posts, 60–90 px for headers).
• Use sRGB, 8-bit, JPG quality ~80–85 for photos.
• Quick don’t:
• Don’t rely on extreme tall/wide ratios—they’ll likely crop.
• Don’t push text to the very edges; rounded corners and UI overlays can clip it.

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One-Page Quick Specs

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Profile Photo and Header (Cover) Specs

• Profile photo:
• Size: 400×400 px (1:1). Renders smaller, inside a circle.
• Format: JPG or PNG (no GIF).
• Tips: Keep the subject centered; avoid tiny text; test against light/dark mode backgrounds.
• Header (cover):
• Size: 1500×500 px (3:1).
• Safe margins: Keep essential content centered with 60–90 px padding on all edges to avoid the avatar and UI overlays.
• File weight: Keep under ~5–10 MB for faster loading; JPG at ~80–85 quality is often sufficient.
• Tip: Use subtle textures/gradients; avoid fine lines near edges.

![diagram]()

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Single-Image Tweets: Best Sizes by Orientation

• Landscape: 1200×675 (16:9)
• Square: 1200×1200 (1:1)
• Portrait: 1200×1500 (4:5), which provides more vertical real estate without triggering aggressive crops.

Cropping behavior:

• X typically crops extreme aspect ratios; sticking between ~2:1 and 3:4 keeps previews consistent.
• For all orientations, add at least 40 px of internal padding around text/logos.
• Center key subjects; avoid edge-aligned captions.

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Multi-Image Posts (2–4 Images): Layout and Order

• Consistent ratios reduce awkward trims. Safe sets:
• All square (1080–1200 px).
• All 4:5 (e.g., 1200×1500).
• Upload order tips:
• The first image often anchors the layout; choose the hero visual first.
• For 3–4 images, ensure complementary compositions; avoid heavy left/right bias that can crop poorly.
• Cropping quirks:
• Mobile can clip more aggressively than desktop; expect slightly tighter crops at the outer edges.
• Captions below images can wrap; leave visual breathing room to prevent overlap in dense feeds.

![diagram]()

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Link Previews and Ads

• Website/App Cards: 1200×628 (1.91:1). Keep headlines short and ensure any embedded text stays above 14–16 px equivalent for legibility in compressed feeds.
• Carousel Ads: 1080×1080 (1:1) or 1200×628 (landscape).
• Branding guidance:
• Keep the logo at 8–12% of the shortest side for recognition without crowding.
• Use high-contrast marks; avoid thin strokes under 1.5–2 px at target size.
• Favor minimal text; platform compression can soften small type.

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File Formats, Color, and Compression

• Formats:
• JPG for photos/gradients; set quality ~80–85 for a good size-to-quality balance.
• PNG for UI, text, flat color, and transparency; consider PNG-8 for simple graphics to reduce size.
• GIF for simple loops/stickers; avoid for profile/header and long/high-res animations.
• Color:
• sRGB, 8-bit. Convert wide-gamut (Display P3, Adobe RGB) to sRGB to prevent desaturation/shifts.
• Compression and limits:
• Typical max photo size: up to ~5 MB (mobile) and ~15 MB (web). Smaller uploads render faster and reduce recompression risk.
• Avoid heavy posterization; add slight noise to gradients to mitigate banding.

Example export presets (JSON concept):

{
  "x_profile_400": { "w": 400, "h": 400, "format": "jpg", "quality": 82, "colorProfile": "sRGB" },
  "x_header_1500x500": { "w": 1500, "h": 500, "format": "jpg", "quality": 82, "colorProfile": "sRGB" },
  "x_post_landscape_1200x675": { "w": 1200, "h": 675, "format": "jpg", "quality": 83, "colorProfile": "sRGB", "pad": 40 },
  "x_post_square_1200": { "w": 1200, "h": 1200, "format": "png", "colorProfile": "sRGB", "pad": 40 },
  "x_post_portrait_1200x1500": { "w": 1200, "h": 1500, "format": "jpg", "quality": 82, "colorProfile": "sRGB", "pad": 40 },
  "x_link_card_1200x628": { "w": 1200, "h": 628, "format": "jpg", "quality": 82, "colorProfile": "sRGB" }
}

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Accessibility and Inclusivity

• Alt text: Add descriptive alt text (up to ~1000 characters). Focus on what’s salient, not every pixel.
• Contrast: Aim for WCAG AA (e.g., 4.5:1 for normal text). Test both light and dark mode backgrounds.
• Avoid text-only images where possible; pair visuals with in-post copy for screen readers.
• Charts/memes: Provide concise descriptions of the takeaway and any critical numbers.
• Dark mode pitfalls: PNGs with soft glows can halo on dark backgrounds; test against both modes.

Alt-text example:

Alt: Bar chart showing Q1–Q4 revenue growth: 12%, 18%, 22%, 25%, highlighting a steady upward trend. Blue bars on white grid; source: internal analytics.

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Design Safe Zones and Crop-Proofing

• Keep faces/logos centered; avoid placing critical elements in the top/bottom 40 px or extreme edges.
• Expect rounded-corner crops on thumbnails; avoid edge-to-edge borders that might clip.
• Header safe zones:
• Center your message; leave 60–90 px padding on all sides.
• The profile avatar overlays the lower-left area on many layouts—keep text/images clear of that zone.
• Captions vary by device:
• Line heights and truncation differ; ensure the image communicates even if the caption line breaks earlier than expected.

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Workflow, QA, and Troubleshooting

Reusable templates (recommended):

• Profile: 400×400
• Header: 1500×500
• Posts: 1200×675 (landscape), 1200×1200 (square), 1200×1500 (portrait)
• Multi-image: all square or all 4:5 sets

Export checklist:

• Convert to sRGB; 8-bit.
• JPG quality ~80–85 (photos) or PNG for UI/text.
• Add 40 px internal padding for posts; 60–90 px for headers.
• Keep file sizes modest for fast loads.

Pre-post QA:

• Preview on mobile and desktop.
• Check crop on profile grids, timelines, and detail view.
• Verify alt text, contrast, and dark mode appearance.

Troubleshooting:

• Blurry uploads: Ensure you’re not upscaling; export at target size; avoid over-compression.
• Color shifts: Convert wide-gamut images to sRGB; embed the profile if your tool allows.
• Banding in gradients: Use slight noise/dither; prefer JPG for photo-like gradients.
• Awkward trims in multi-image: Re-export with consistent ratios; reorder images so the hero sits first.
• Low CTR on link cards: Increase contrast, simplify text, enlarge logo within safe zones, A/B test 1.91:1 vs. square creatives (for ads).

Measuring and iterating:

• Track impressions, CTR, and engagement rate per aspect ratio and format.
• Build a matrix of performance by size and orientation; double down on the best performers.

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Final Takeaways

• Stay within the 2:1 to 3:4 aspect-ratio band for crop-safe previews.
• Use 400×400 for profiles, 1500×500 for headers, and 1200 px widths for posts.
• Center critical content with generous padding, and always test in both light and dark modes.
• Keep accessibility front and center: alt text, contrast, and clarity matter as much as pixels.

Master these twitter image specs and your visuals will stay sharp, legible, and scroll-stopping—no matter how the feed compresses, crops, or rearranges them.

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Summary

This guide consolidates up-to-date image sizes, safe zones, and export practices for X so your visuals render cleanly across devices and contexts. Follow the recommended aspect ratios, padding, and color-management tips, and verify accessibility before posting. With consistent templates and quick QA, you’ll avoid surprise crops and keep brand visuals crisp at every touchpoint.