A Discord server’s first impression is its icon and banner. Upload the wrong size and the icon gets squashed into a blurry circle or your banner gets chopped. A few minutes of preparation avoids all of that.
Server icon size
The icon is displayed as a circle in the server list, and as a rounded shape in other places. Discord recommends a square image of at least 128 x 128 pixels, but 512 x 512 is the safer upload, since it stays sharp on high-density screens and when shown larger in invites. Use JPG or PNG. If you have Nitro or a boosted server, animated GIF icons are possible in some cases, which depends on the server’s level.
Server banner size
Banners need the server to reach a certain boost level, so not every server can add one. When available, the common recommendation is 960 x 540 pixels, which is a 16:9 shape, though larger versions at the same ratio look better on sharper displays. The banner appears at the top of your channel list, and the edges can be trimmed depending on screen size, so keep text in the middle.
Invite splash image
For servers that unlock it, the invite background (splash) is shown on invite links. It’s wider and meant to be a full background image. The commonly recommended size is around 1920 x 1080 pixels. Because it’s a background, avoid putting small text on it, as invite cards overlay their own text.
Plan for the circle
The circular crop on the icon cuts the corners off. Treat your 512 x 512 square as having a circle inside it and keep logos and faces well within that circle. Our walkthrough on making a square image helps if your starting artwork is a rectangle.
Step by step
- Start with your best logo or artwork at a large size.
- Crop to a 1:1 square, centered.
- Resize to 512 x 512 with the aspect ratio locked.
- Export as PNG for graphics or logos, JPG for photos.
- Upload in Server Settings.
Icon design tips
- Choose a bold, simple shape. A server icon is displayed at about the size of your thumbnail.
- Use contrasting colors that look fine on both Discord’s light and dark themes.
- Skip long text. One or two letters or a symbol works better than a full name.
- Be careful with transparency. A transparent PNG will show Discord’s background color behind it.
Common problems
- Blurry icon: the source was too small. Start from a bigger original.
- Off-center cropping: the image wasn’t square before upload.
- Upload rejected: the file is over the limit or in an unsupported format. See how to fix the “file too large” error.
Streaming as well? Our Twitch banner and panel size guide covers the matching graphics.
Platform rules change, so double check Discord’s current help page for exact numbers. To prepare your files, use our online image resizer and enter 512 x 512 for the icon.