X (Twitter) Post Dimensions: Complete Image and Video Size Guide for 2026

X (Twitter) post dimensions decide whether a visual renders sharp in the timeline or reaches followers cropped and compressed. The platform assigns a fixed pixel size and aspect ratio to each of the 5 core placements:

• Profile photos (400 x 400 pixels)
• Header images (1500 x 500 pixels)
• In-stream images (16:9)
• Summary cards
• Videos

If you upload outside of these ratios, it triggers the platform’s automatic crop, which pushes logos and text overlays out of frame. A mis-cropped graphic posted on a client’s X account is a visible quality failure for SMM agencies and freelancers. Every wrong upload costs a design revision, a fresh approval round, and a missed publishing slot. Those losses multiply across 10 or 20 managed profiles.

To avoid such mishaps, agencies can use tools like RecurPost. It crops each upload to the right X ratio in the composer and previews the timeline render before it publishes. This way, you ship clean visuals across every client account.

X (Twitter) Post Dimensions at a Glance

X post dimensions depend on the media type, so start with the full reference below. Each row gives the recommended size in pixels, the aspect ratio, the file-size limit, and the formats X accepts. RecurPost includes a crop preset for the three sizes you upload most: profile photo, header, and in-stream image.

Twitter Image Dimensions

Twitter image dimensions are divided into 4 image types, and each type carries its own aspect ratio:

• 1:1 for the profile photo
• 3:1 for the header
• 16:9 for the in-stream image
• 1:1 or 2:1 for the summary card

The file limit is 2 MB for the profile photo and header and 5 MB for the in-stream image and summary card. Therefore, one exported master asset cannot serve all 4 placements without a separate crop for each.

X applies a circular mask to profile photos and overlays the profile photo on the header’s lower left. Plus, it trims multi-image posts into grid tiles and pulls the summary card image from the destination page’s markup.

Profile Photo

The X profile photo displays at 400 x 400 pixels in a 1:1 square ratio. X accepts uploads from a 200 x 200 pixel minimum in 3 formats, JPG, PNG, and GIF, with a 2 MB file limit. GIF uploads render as static images on standard accounts, and animated profile photos require an X Premium subscription.

Profile uploads that deviate from the 1:1 ratio receive an automatic square crop. Therefore, you can try RecurPost’s image editor; it includes a 1:1 profile preset that applies the square crop before the upload reaches X.

Header Image

The X header image spans 1500 x 500 pixels at a 3:1 aspect ratio, with a 2 MB file limit across JPG, PNG, and GIFs. The platform overlays the profile photo and account name on the lower-left corner of the banner, which removes that zone from usable design space.

Screen size and browser also change the render. For example, up to 60 pixels can be trimmed from the top and bottom edges of the header image. Therefore, keep text and logos at least 100 pixels away from both edges and review the banner on mobile and desktop before client approval.

RecurPost’s 3:1 header preset crops the banner to this safe frame before the post enters the schedule.

In-Stream Images

An in-stream image is the photo that renders inside a post in the timeline. A single image displays best at 1200 x 675 pixels in a 16:9 ratio, with a 600 x 335 pixel minimum. The file limit is 5 MB, and acceptable in JPG, PNG, and WEBP format.

X also supports square images at 1080 x 1080 pixels and vertical images at 1080 x 1350 pixels for single-photo posts. A post holds up to 4 images, where X crops every image in a 2-, 3-, or 4-photo set into a grid. This way, the subject stays in the center of each photo.

Summary Card Image

A summary card image is the link preview X generates when a shared URL carries card markup. The standard summary card uses a square image at 400 x 400 pixels in a 1:1 ratio. Whereas the large image card uses 1200 x 600 pixels in a 2:1 ratio.

Twitter Video Specs

X video posts run at:

• 1280 x 720 pixels for landscape (16:9).
• 720 x 1280 pixels for portrait (9:16).
• 720 x 720 pixels for square (1:1).

The platform accepts any aspect ratio between 1:3 and 3:1, caps standard uploads at 512 MB and 2 minutes 20 seconds. Plus, it supports MP4 and MOV container formats.

Video also carries a stricter failure mode than images. For example, an oversized image still publishes with compression, but a video outside the file, duration, or codec limits is rejected at upload. For agencies, that difference converts a spec error into a missed publishing slot rather than a degraded visual.

RecurPost validates each video against X’s limits before publication. When a file exceeds the size cap or carries an unsupported codec, it flags the error in the composer. RecurPost covers 850+ documented platform failure types across networks the platform supports.

Aspect Ratios That Matter (and Why X Crops Your Media)

X renders every timeline preview at a fixed set of aspect ratios and center-crops any upload outside that set. The platform supports 16:9 landscape and 1:1 square ratios for single-image posts. The header slot holds a 3:1 frame; the large summary card holds 2:1. Video accepts any ratio between 1:3 and 3:1.

Every post occupies a predictable vertical footprint; therefore, X normalizes tall uploads into a compact preview instead of allowing one portrait graphic to occupy double the vertical space. The crop anchors to the center of the image, and desktop and mobile apply slightly different frames. Therefore, an off-center logo survives on one device and disappears on the other. Center-weighted composition protects the subject on both.

Furthermore, multi-image posts follow 3 separate grid rules.

• A 2-image post renders side-by-side tiles near a 7:8 ratio.
• A 3-image post places one tall tile on the left with 2 wide tiles stacked on the right.
• A 4-image post arranges 4 wide tiles in a 2 x 2 grid.

X crops every tile from the center, and the first attached image takes the dominant position in the 3-image layout. Therefore, the hero visual belongs in the first upload slot and the subject belongs in the center of each frame.

RecurPost’s post preview displays the cropped timeline render at scheduling time. This way, a bad crop appears on the screen before it appears on a client’s live account.

How RecurPost Sizes X Media For You

RecurPost sizes X media inside the composer, so you fix crops before they publish, not after. RecurPost’s built-in image editor crops an upload to X presets, its post preview shows the timeline render, and its calendar queues correctly sized media across every client account.

An agency managing many X accounts follows this workflow in RecurPost:

1. Upload your image or video to the RecurPost composer.
2. Crop to the X preset you need: 1:1 profile, 3:1 header, or 16:9 in-stream.
3. Check the post preview to confirm X will not crop the subject.
4. Schedule the post on the social media calendar, or queue many at once with bulk scheduling.
5. Publish. If X rejects the media, RecurPost flags the error with the reason.

You can also crop a one-off asset with RecurPost’s free image cropper before you upload. RecurPost supports this same crop-and-preview flow for every platform you publish to from the X scheduler, not just X.

Common X Media Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

Most X media problems trace back to the wrong ratio or an oversized file. Fix these five and your visuals land clean across client accounts.

• Uploading a tall image to the timeline. X crops it to 16:9, so crop to 16:9 yourself first.
• Exceeding the file limit. X rejects images over 5 MB and video over 512 MB, so compress before upload.
• Low-resolution profile or header art. A 400 x 400 logo looks soft on a retina screen, so upload at 2x and let X downscale.
• Text outside the safe zone. X overlays your name and avatar on the header’s lower-left, so keep a copy clear of that corner.
• Ignoring mobile. Most X users scroll on a phone, so check the post preview on a mobile frame before you schedule.

Try RecurPost

RecurPost crops your X images to the right ratio in the composer, previews the timeline render, and queues correctly sized media across every client account. The Agency plan covers 20 social accounts for $79 per month with no per-user seat charge. See plans and pricing for every add-on with its unit price, or start your 14-day free trial with no credit card.

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