Guide: All Twitch Overlay Types Explained (Dimensions, File Types & File Sizes)

Have you ever noticed how other Twitch streamers have a cool cover image and other cool Twitch designs?

Do you want to know how to create your own overlay images, banners, and panels you can put up on your channel to make your live stream even better looking?

Well, then, you’ve come to the right place! This article shows all the recommended sizes and file types for your Twitch Panels, Overlays, and Banners.

At the end of the article, you can see a table with all the different specifications without explanations.

Are you ready? Let’s get started!

Also, check out the best green screens for Twitch.

Twitch Profile Picture Size

Your profile picture is the first thing you should worry about when setting up your Twitch stream. It will be shown in many different situations, including but not limited to the following:

• Web searches
• Going Live Notifications
• On Twitch’s Sidebar, when you are live
• Your friend’s list
• The top of your stream 

So as you can see, your profile picture will be seen in quite a few different places. That is why it is important to have a profile picture that fits the following requirements. If you have a larger profile picture, it will either be rejected or not show up correctly. Also, note that your profile picture must have a maximum size of 10 MB.

• Recommended Size: 256 x 256px
• File Type: PNG or JPEG
• File Size: Less than 10 MB

You might also like this article on How to Set Up Sound Alerts on Twitch.

Twitch Profile Banner Dimensions

Once you have chosen your profile picture, it is time to choose your profile banner image. Your profile banner is shown behind your profile picture and at the top of your channel.

Due to how large it is, you need to make sure you choose an image large enough. Otherwise, your banner will look blurry or pixelated and unprofessional.

Here are the recommended Twitch banner dimensions:

• Recommended Size: 1200 x 480px
• File Type: PNG, JPEG, or GIF
• File Size: Less than 10 MB

Be sure to make your profile banner as unique as you can. It takes up the most space on your Twitch channel page and should catch people’s attention.

Notice the file format can be PNG, JPEG, or GIF.

Twitch Webcam Overlay Dimensions

The Twitch webcam overlay is like a picture frame for yourself. And you don’t want to frame yourself badly, which is why webcam frames are important.

The ideal size for Twitch Webcam Overlays are:

• Recommended Size: 1920 x 1080px with 16:9 aspect ratio; 1600 x 1200px for 4:3 aspect ratio
• File Type: PNG (Static images) and WEBM (Animated)

In the end, webcam overlay dimensions come down mostly to personal preference. You will likely spend a few streams getting the sizing down perfectly.

Do not stress if you cannot get it right in the beginning. Take your time; you will show your beautiful face perfectly for your stream in no time.

Check out my guide to popular webcam options for streaming.

Twitch Panel Dimensions

Now for the bread and butter of Twitch overlays aka, Twitch panels. The various panels you have placed below your Twitch profile show off different things about you. It could be your bio, your latest Twitch subscribers, or even your stats from a game. Regardless of what you place down there, you want them to be the right size.

Recommended dimensions for Twitch Panels are:

• Recommended Size: 320 x 160px
• File Type: PNG or JPEG
• File Size: Under 2.9 MB

The best part about panels is that you can change their shape and size. Make sure they still exist together consistently to keep it pleasing to viewers.

If you go over 2.9 MB, you can expect your panels to get auto-compressed, making them blurry and difficult to read. So to ensure the best quality, keep your file size below this limit. That way, you’ll know what the result will look like.

The PNG format is less compressed than the JPEG/JPG. PNG files can also have a transparent background. So if you want a frame all around your stream, transparent PNGs are your best option.

These panels are also great spots to place links to your website, social media, Discord, or anything else you think is important. Utilize the space and make it unique to you. 

Twitch Video Player Banner Dimensions

Twitch video player banners are also known as the offline screen. It is the primary image shown to viewers when your stream is offline and is, therefore, one of the most important elements whether you’re just starting out or already a pro streamer.

It is important to have the video overlay sized correctly, so it looks good on screens of different sizes. Not only that, but Twitch will auto-compress it if it is not sized correctly, making it look blurry or pixelated – especially on larger monitors.

The ideal Twitch banner size is:

• Recommended Size: 1920 x 1080 px
• File Type: JPEG & PNG
• File Size: Less Than 10 MB

Including your logo, name, and potentially social media handles on your Twitch Offline banner is recommended. That way, you can continue promoting your important links to your social media accounts or website even when taking a break from Twitch. 

Twitch Emote Size

Perhaps you want to offer special emotes for your faithful viewers on your channel. If you do that, you need to know the proper dimensions for Twitch emotes.

When submitting emotes to add to your Twitch channel, you have to submit three sizes. Those sizes are 28 x 28 px, 56 x 56 px, and 128 x 128 px.

Recommended dimensions for Twitch emotes are:

• Recommended Sizes: 28 x 28 px, 56 x 56 px, and 128 x 128 px.
• File Type: PNG & GIF
• File Size: Less Than 512 KB

When sizing down your emotes, be careful about choosing high-quality images. Otherwise, you may accidentally wind up with blurry, and hard-to-see emotes. So always use high-quality images and take your time when creating your emotes. 

Twitch Sub Badge Dimensions

It is always great to start gaining Twitch subscribers, and it gives people a sense of pride to have a channel sub badge next to their name. Sure, you can leave it as the basic sub badge, but all that is is a basic star. You don’t want to be that person, so here are the recommended dimensions for creating your sub badges. 

Remember that you will need to upload three sizes, just like when you upload emotes to Twitch. 

• Recommended Size: 18 x 18 px, 36 x 36 px; and 72 x 72 px
• File Type: PNG
• File Size: Less Than 25 KB

Twitch Alert Dimensions

Ah, alerts are fun to have pop up on your screen during a Twitch stream. Creating twitch stream alerts can be slightly more complicated than the rest of the graphics for your Twitch stream, but they are still fairly simple. When beginning the creation process, start with an 800 x 600 px canvas and then size it down to between 700 – 750 px when you finish it. 

Here are the recommended dimensions for Twitch alerts:

• Recommended Resolution Size: 700 – 750 x 200 – 250 px
• File Type: transparent PNG (Static alert); WEBM (Animated alert)
• File Size: 2 – 3 MB

Remember that the exact file size for alerts is based on the OBS Studio software you use.

If you use Streamlabs (sometimes called Streamlabs OBS because it’s based on OBS), then the maximum file size is 10 MB.

On the other hand, if you are using StreamElements, your max file size is 30 MB.

You can read more about the best streaming software here.

Twitch VOD Thumbnail Dimensions

After you have done the hard part of streaming, all you have to do is put out the VOD and let your viewers enjoy it until the next time you stream. However, your views will likely suffer if you do not have well-designed VOD thumbnails. That is why you need to have a thumbnail within the right size and is catchy to the eye. 

The dimensions for Twitch VOD thumbnails are:

• Recommended Resolution size: 1280 x 720 px
• File Type: Jpeg & PNG
• File Size: No Recommended Size

Luckily, this will be quick if you size the VOD thumbnail well and choose an interesting part of the stream to attract viewers. Don’t sweat it if you do not have designer-level skills.

See the guide to the best second monitor for Twitch.

Twitch Overlay data table:

As promised in the introduction, here’s a table with all the recommended data summarized:

Twitch overlay type	Image Size (in pixels)	File type(s)	File Size
Profile Picture	256 x 256	PNG / JPEG	<10 MB
Profile Banner	1200 x 480	PNG / JPEG / GIF	<10 MB
Webcam Frame	1920 x 1080 (16:9) 1600 x 1200 (4:3)	PNG (transparent) WEBM (animated)	N/A
Panel	320 x 160	PNG / JPEG	<2.9 MB
Offline Screen	1920 x 1080	PNG / JPEG	<10 MB
Emote	28 x 28 56 x 56 128 x 128	PNG & GIF	<512 KB
Sub Badge	18 x 18 36 x 36 72 x 72	PNG	<25 KB
Alert	700/750 x 200/250	PNG (transparent) WEBM (animated)	2-3 MB
VOD Thumbnail	1280 x 720	PNG / JPEG	N/A

Conclusion

Creating overlays, banners, and panels for your Twitch can seem difficult, but the process goes smoother when you know the best size and dimensions. Following the above guide, you should be ready to create your own overlays and stream designs for Twitch.

If you enjoyed this article, be sure to check out some of my other helpful tech guides like this one on the best streaming services! Until next time, happy gaming!

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FAQ:

Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about Twitch Overlays:

What are Twitch Overlays?

Firstly, what even are Twitch overlays?

Twitch overlays include subscriber goals, recent interactions, new subscriptions, and other important information on a streamer’s screen or pop-up.

So, for example, when you donate to a streamer and something pops up on the stream screen a few seconds later that says “[your name] donated [amount].

That is called an overlay; streamers can add as many or as few to their stream. It allows them to customize a stream and is a great way of making it their own.

In other words, Twitch overlays help differentiate your channel from others, make it easily identifiable for new viewers right from the start, and are part of your brand as a streamer.

So let’s look at how you can create your own stream overlays and the best ways and best practices.

However, even the best graphics can’t compensate for a bad webcam, sound, or an underlit room. You must ensure your video stream’s basics are to get the highest image quality. Good lighting, fx from a ring light, and sound from a good microphone are important.

Best Programs for Creating Twitch Graphics

Before I give you all the recommended dimensions for different Twitch graphics, the first step is to know where you can go to create these graphics.

Luckily for you, here is a list of some top places to create your own Twitch overlay: 

• Canva: This program is perfect for beginners, and you can start creating hundreds of designs even with a free account. You can upgrade to a premium account if you need extra designs and options.
• Gimp: Another beginner-friendly editor, Gimp is open to everyone, and you can use their software to create nearly any type of graphic you need for your Twitch stream.
• Pixlr: Pixlr is a powerful browser-based photo editing app and graphic design tool. There’s a free ad-based version available, but you can pay to get the ad-free version if you’d like.
• Adobe Photoshop: If you are a more advanced designer, then Adobe Photos has your back in creating Twitch graphics. However, it does cost money, making it a costly choice.

If you don’t want to create your own, you can simply Google things like “Twitch overlay design” or “Twitch overlay template.” A lot of sites offer pre-made templates.

However, if you want to stand out as a content creator and take your Twitch channel to the next level, the better way is to create your own custom designs.