Facebook is the world's largest social networking platform with over 3 billion monthly active users.
It's where people connect with friends and family, businesses engage with customers, and professionals showcase their work and achievements.
Your Facebook profile banner (also known as your cover photo, background image, or header image) is one of the most prominent visual elements on your profile—making it crucial to get the size, dimensions, and measurements right for maximum impact.
Why Your Facebook Cover Photo Matters
Your Facebook banner (or cover photo) is prime real estate on your profile. This background image is displayed prominently at the top of your profile page and takes up significant visual space.
A well-designed cover photo immediately communicates your personality, interests, or brand identity. It sets the tone for your entire profile before visitors even scroll down to see your posts or about section.
Friends, family, and potential connections form first impressions in seconds. A professional, properly-sized banner shows attention to detail and helps you make a great first impression.
On the other hand, a blurry, pixelated, or incorrectly cropped banner can make your profile appear neglected or unprofessional.
The Right Facebook Banner Size & Dimensions
Facebook recommends uploading a cover photo with dimensions of 820 x 312 pixels for personal profiles. This is the optimal banner size and measurement that displays perfectly across all devices—desktop, tablet, and mobile.
For Facebook Pages (business pages), the recommended dimensions are slightly different at 820 x 312 pixels for desktop and 640 x 360 pixels on mobile.
The aspect ratio for your Facebook cover is approximately 2.7:1, which means your background image is wider than it is tall. This horizontal format gives you room to display your message, photos, or visual branding elements.
Facebook Cover Photo File Requirements
Facebook accepts JPG and PNG formats for your background image. While there's no strict file size limit, Facebook compresses images, so using a high-quality JPG or PNG ensures your cover photo looks sharp after upload.
Facebook displays your cover photo at 820 x 312 pixels on desktop, but uploads at least 400 pixels wide to ensure good quality on high-resolution screens. PNG is preferred if your design includes text or sharp graphics.
Safe Zone & Measurement Guidelines
Keep in mind that your profile picture overlaps the cover photo in the bottom-left corner. The safe area for important content is the center and right portions of your banner. Avoid placing critical elements where your profile picture will cover them.
On mobile devices, the cover photo is displayed at 640 x 360 pixels and cropped differently. The center of your image is prioritized, so keep your most important elements centered.
Always preview your cover photo on both desktop and mobile before publishing to ensure it looks great everywhere. Facebook provides a preview tool when you upload to help you check the appearance across devices.