Discord's help pages give these sizes as of Nov 2026: server banner 960x540 at 16:9 (a 1920x1080 image is resized for you), server invite background 1920x1080 in JPG or PNG, server icon at least 128x128, profile banner at least 680x240 and under 10MB, custom emojis under 256KB, and role icons 64x64 and under 256KB. Several of those are minimums or recommendations rather than exact sizes.
Discord spreads these numbers across half a dozen help articles, and a few of them disagree slightly. Here they are in one place, with the boost or subscription each one needs and the catches that make an upload look wrong.
The Discord image size table
| Asset | Size or limit Discord gives | File types | Needs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Server banner | At least 960x540, 16:9; 960x540 recommended; 1920x1080 is resized for you | Image or GIF | Boosting Level 2 (animated needs Level 3); Partner servers get it without boosting |
| Server invite background | 1920x1080 required | JPG or PNG, no GIF | Boosting Level 1 |
| Server icon | Minimum 128x128 | Not stated on the page | Nothing extra |
| Profile banner | Minimum 680x240, under 10MB | PNG, JPG or animated GIF | Nitro |
| Per-server profile banner | Recommended minimum 600x240, under 10MB | PNG, JPG or animated GIF | Nitro |
| Per-server avatar | Maximum file size 8 MB | JPG, PNG or GIF | Nitro (per-server profiles) |
| Profile avatar | No pixel size published | PNG or GIF (animated GIF needs Nitro) | Nothing extra for a still image |
| Custom emoji | Under 256KB | JPEG, PNG, GIF or WEBP | Name of at least 2 characters |
| Role icon | 64x64, maximum 256KB | Static image or static custom emoji | Boosting Level 2, desktop, Manage Roles |
One honest gap: Discord's help pages don't publish a pixel size for emojis or for your main profile picture. They give file-size and file-type limits instead. If a site tells you there's an official pixel size for those, it isn't from Discord's own help articles.
The profile banner has a small inconsistency too. Discord's Custom Profiles article gives a minimum of 680x240, while its Per-Server Profiles article gives a recommended minimum of 600x240. Make it 680x240 or larger and you'll satisfy both.
Server banner: what Discord recommends
The server banner is the image at the top of your channel list. Discord's guidance, as of Nov 2026:
- Upload an image or GIF of at least 960x540 pixels at a 16:9 ratio. A 1920x1080 file is automatically resized.
- Keep the top 48px fairly simple and free of busy imagery, so your server's name stays readable on top of it.
- Avoid a logo or text in the image. Discord suggests key art, character stills or subtle background art that represents your game or brand.
- You can only upload one banner image at a time. If your server drops from Level 3 to Level 2, an animated banner becomes static using the same image.
If you've got an animated banner, Discord says it plays for 5 seconds when the server first loads, then pauses. It plays again for 5 seconds when it scrolls back into view, and on hover. It doesn't animate when someone has reduced motion turned on, so make sure the first frame works on its own.
Server owners and members whose role has manage server or administrator can change it. The upload steps are in my guide to changing your Discord server banner.
Making a banner that works
- Design at 1920x1080, a 16:9 canvas, so Discord can resize it down cleanly.
- Keep the top 48 pixels plain, because your server title sits over them.
- Leave out logos and text, as Discord recommends.
- Export as an image, or a GIF if your server is at Level 3 and you want it animated.
- Upload it in Server Settings, under Overview, at the bottom of the page in Server Banner Background.
Invite background: keep the middle clear
The server invite background is the image behind the invite pop-up when someone opens your invite link in the app or a browser. It's a Boosting Level 1 perk, and it stays available at Levels 2 and 3.
Discord says the image must be 1920x1080, and it accepts JPG and PNG. It can't animate or be a GIF. The invite itself is an upright rectangle in the middle of the window, so keep the important parts of your image away from the centre, where the pop-up covers them. Discord also recommends no logo or text.
Two practical tips from Discord's article. Paste your invite link into a private browser window to see how the background looks before you share it. And get it right before you upload, because Discord says you can't edit or adjust the image afterwards; you'd have to remove it and upload a new one.
Server icon, emoji and role icon sizes
Discord says the minimum server icon size is 128x128. If you want a specific area of a larger image, crop it in multiples of 128, such as 256 or 384 pixels square. You can change the icon later.
Custom emojis must be under 256KB and use JPEG, PNG, GIF or WEBP. Names need at least 2 characters, using only letters, numbers and underscores. My guide on adding emojis to Discord walks through the upload.
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Role icons are a Level 2 boosting perk. Discord's requirements are 64x64 pixels and a maximum of 256kb, and you can only set them on desktop with the Manage Roles permission. They can't be animated. Discord shows only one icon next to a name in chat, the one from the member's highest role, and if a server loses Level 2, uploaded icons stay saved but stop displaying until the level comes back.
Profile images: Nitro, not boosts
This is where people mix things up. Server banners, invite backgrounds and role icons depend on your server's boosting level. Profile banners depend on your own Nitro subscription. Discord says only Nitro members can upload an image or animated GIF as a profile banner, and they must be PNG, JPG or animated GIF files under 10MB.
For your profile picture, Discord lists PNG and GIF as supported file types, and Nitro subscribers can upload an animated GIF. Per-server avatars, also a Nitro feature, accept JPG, PNG and GIF up to 8 MB. To change yours, see my guide on changing your Discord profile picture.
If you're not sure which boosting level your server is on or how levels work, my page on Discord server boosts explains the perks at each level.
Which images to sort first
I'd start with the server icon, because every server has one and it only needs to be 128x128 or larger. If your server is boosted, the invite background is the next best use of your time, because it's the first thing a new member sees. Skip the animated banner until you've got a strong static one, since it only moves for a few seconds and reduced-motion users never see it move at all. And skip chasing a pixel size for emojis or profile pictures; Discord doesn't publish one, so stay under the file-size limits instead.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a Discord server banner?
Discord recommends 960x540 at a 16:9 ratio, and says a 1920x1080 image is resized automatically. Server banners need Boosting Level 2, as of Nov 2026.
What size should a Discord server icon be?
At least 128x128, according to Discord. For a specific crop, Discord suggests multiples of 128, such as 256 or 384 pixels square.
What is the Discord profile banner size?
Discord gives a minimum of 680x240 pixels, under 10MB, in PNG, JPG or animated GIF. Profile banners need Nitro.
What size are Discord emojis?
Discord's help pages don't give a pixel size for emojis. They say custom emojis must be under 256KB in JPEG, PNG, GIF or WEBP.
Can a Discord invite background be a GIF?
No. Discord says the invite background must be 1920x1080 in JPG or PNG and can't be animated or a GIF.
