X image sizes
Post photos, the profile photo, the header and link cards on X, with the sizes and file caps from X's help centre and developer docs, and a resizer that makes each one.
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Where it goes
- Up to 5 MB
- JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP
- We make 4,096 px on the long edge
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or
JPEG, PNG, WebP or GIF. It stays on your device. Nothing's uploaded.
Your image
Your resized image shows up here.
Shape
Shown whole between 3:4 (tall) and 2:1 (wide). X doesn't say how it crops outside that range.
Fit
Save as
Describe the image for people who can't see it. Copy it into the post with the image. X doesn't say how it counts, so we count the strictest way.
X image sizes at a glance
Image limits are the same with or without X Premium; Premium raises only the video limits.
| Placement | We make | Shape | File size | Formats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Post photo | 4,096 px on the long edge (our pick) | 3:4 to 2:1 shown whole | 5 MB | JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP |
| Several photos | 4,096 px on the long edge (our pick) | Not documented | 5 MB | JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP |
| Profile photo | 400 × 400 | 1:1 | 2 MB | JPEG, PNG, GIF |
| Header photo | 1500 × 500 | 3:1 | Not published | JPEG, PNG, GIF |
| Link card image | 1200 × 600 (our pick) | 2:1 | 5 MB | JPEG, PNG, WebP, GIF |
Post photos
A post takes up to 4 photos, or 1 animated GIF. Each photo can be up to 5 MB, as a JPEG, PNG, WebP or GIF. We read 5 MB as 5,000,000 bytes.
One photo shows whole when its shape is between 3:4 (tall) and 2:1 (wide). X doesn't say what happens outside that range, so the resizer cuts a taller or wider photo to the nearest end and lets you drag to choose what stays. X doesn't document how it crops two, three or four photos either, so for several photos the resizer keeps each one's shape unless you pick one.
X doesn't publish a pixel limit for photos. We make them 4,096 px on the long edge: sharp on a full screen, and the file stays nearer the cap. Alt text for a photo can be up to 1,000 characters.
GIFs
An animated GIF can be up to 15 MB on the web (the help centre says 5 MB on mobile), 1280 × 1080 and 350 frames. Resizing a GIF in a browser keeps only its first frame, so when you drop one in, the resizer offers to keep the original as it is and checks it against those limits.
Profile photo and header
X recommends 400 × 400 px for a profile photo, up to 2 MB, as a JPEG, PNG or GIF. An animated GIF won't work here.
The header photo is 1500 × 500 px. X warns that some screens and browsers cut about 60 px from its top and bottom, so the resizer draws those lines on the preview: keep faces and words between them. X doesn't publish a file size limit for the header.
Link cards
When you share a link, X builds the card from tags on that page. The summary card with a large image takes a 2:1 image from 300 × 157 to 4096 × 4096 px, under 5 MB, as a JPEG, PNG, WebP or GIF. A GIF shows only its first frame, and SVG doesn't work. Its alt text, set with the twitter:image:alt tag, can be up to 420 characters.
X's developer site no longer serves its card docs at their old address, so the source below is an archived copy from February 2026. We make card images 1200 × 600: sharp on high-density screens and far under the cap.
Why we make these sizes
- Post photo and Several photos. X doesn't publish a pixel limit for post photos. We stop at 4,096 px on the long edge: plenty for a full-screen view, and the file stays nearer the 5 MB cap. X doesn't give this size, so it's our pick.
- Profile photo. X recommends 400 × 400 px.
- Header photo. X recommends 1500 × 500 px.
- Link card image. X takes any 2:1 image from 300 × 157 to 4096 × 4096. 1200 × 600 stays sharp on high-density screens at a card's width and far under 5 MB. X doesn't give this size, so it's our pick.
Does Shaflex check my images for X?
Yes. Shaflex checks every image you attach against X's media rules as you add it. Images X can't take still go to the networks that can, with a note, so one draft never stalls on one network. The image editor works inside your draft: crop to a network's size, put a screenshot in a device or on a backdrop, and blur what's private.
See how Shaflex schedules for X, how one draft goes to every network, and what the free plan includes.
Where these rules come from
Each one is from the network's own documentation, help pages or source code. We last checked them on .
- X Developer Platform: Media best practices (size and format limits)
- X Help Center: How to post photos or GIFs on X
- X Developer Platform: Create media metadata (alt_text)
- X Help Center: How to customize your profile
- X Help Center: Help with uploading a profile photo
- X Developer Platform: Summary card with large image (Wayback Machine copy, February 2026; the live page has moved)
More free tools
Each one runs in your browser too.
- X
X character counter
X's weighted count: any link is 23, emoji and CJK characters are 2. Premium's 25,000 too.
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Turn a long post, a thread or a list into a carousel: a cover, a slide per point and a closing slide, for Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn or Facebook.
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Questions
What's the best image size for an X post?
X doesn't publish one. A photo between 3:4 and 2:1 shows whole in the feed, and each can be up to 5 MB. We make 4,096 px on the long edge, which looks sharp full screen and stays under the cap.
What size is the X header photo?
1500 × 500 px. Some screens cut about 60 px from the top and bottom, so keep faces and text in the middle 380 px.
What size is the X profile photo?
X recommends 400 × 400 px, up to 2 MB, as a JPEG, PNG or still GIF.
Does X Premium change the image limits?
No. Premium raises the video limits. Photos stay at 5 MB each and 4 per post.
Why did my GIF stop moving?
Resizing a GIF in a browser keeps only its first frame. Choose Keep the original instead: X takes animated GIFs of up to 15 MB on the web, 1280 × 1080 and 350 frames.
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