This weblog post explores selecting a good profile photo and how to upload or replace it on your YouTube aqueduct.

Why It's Important to Have a Good YouTube Profile Photo?

A good YouTube profile picture is 1 of the most underrated things on your YouTube aqueduct.

While you may think that your YouTube channel is only near the videos yous upload, it's more than than that.

How your aqueduct looks plays a big role in how much attending information technology gets.
If your channel looks unprofessional, viewers may recollect that yous are not serious near your channel and that your videos may be of low quality.

Your aqueduct profile picture is often your outset impression on the YouTube platform.

People see your channel icon when they search for your channel, next to each video in search results, below each video actor, and next to every comment you make.

A skilful profile photo helps with branding and makes your aqueduct stand up out, gets more than clicks, and allows y'all to grow your YouTube channel faster.

People who already know your channel are more probable to watch your videos when they recognize your motion picture, and outset-time viewers feel more than confident when your channel icon conveys fun and quality.

A good avatar allows you to communicate consistent branding and helps users quickly decide which video to watch next.

YouTube Avatar Requirements

Resolution

YouTube profile pictures accept a foursquare format that is displayed inside of a circle.

The minimum resolution for channel icons is 80 ten 80 pixels, however, I recommend uploading an image that is at least 176 x 176 pixels, because that'due south the resolution YouTube uses when it displays your YouTube aqueduct in search results.

That being said, the majority of all profile picture impressions are tiny with a resolution of either 36x36 pixels (videos on the YouTube homepage) or 24x24 pixels (videos in YouTube search results).

Therefore you should optimize your profile photo then it looks great and is recognizable even on very small resolutions.

File formats

Supported file formats for YouTube contour pictures are JPEG, GIF, BMP, and PNG files. Go along in heed that animated GIFs are not supported and will only use the first frame of your animation.

File size

The maximum filesize for YouTube profile photos is 4MB or less.

How to Choose a Good YouTube Contour Icon?

When it comes to choosing a YouTube icon, there are 2 main directions that have a proven track record. You can either use a branded logo or a photograph of yourself, depending on your channel.

If you already have a square, icon-based logo, you are in skilful shape.

I recommend hiring a professional designer on Fiverr to create a pixel-perfect version of your square logo with a resolution that is divisible by 12, for example, 1200 x 1200 pixels. (Or ask them to create a new icon logo from scratch)

Or, if you're talented, optimize your logo yourself with Canva or Adobe Photoshop.

This is important as the ii almost common appearances of your YouTube contour icon are either 24 ten 24 pixels and 36 10 36 pixels (two times 12 x and three times 12). Past picking a number that tin can be divided past 12, you prevent interpolation that would upshot in blurry edges.

I recommend asking your designer to utilise a 12 ten 12 filigree to marshal all hard edges along those lines. This way your logo will look pixel perfect when information technology's scaled downwardly to 24x24 pixels or 36x36 pixels.

If your logo contains too many fine details, ask the designer to simplify your design and to reduce the number of lines, elements, and colors to make it easier to recognize fifty-fifty on small screens.

Photo of yourself

For photos, I always recommend using a zoomed-in headshot that allows people to recognize your facial features even when scaled down to 24x24 pixels or 36x36 pixels.

For enhanced branding consider using your brand color as the background behind your head.

YouTube Profile Picture Policies

Now that your new profile photo is ready to upload, it'south time for a concluding cheque that you don't accidentally violate ane of YouTube's community guidelines and policies.

YouTube'south impersonation policy states that whatsoever YouTube aqueduct that tries to imitate someone else's channel will receive a community strike or instant termination based on the severity of the violation.

Therefore it is super important that you should never upload someone else'southward profile photo!

YouTube'south Thumbnails policy is besides important for your contour photograph.

Whatever of the following non-exhaustive lists of violations will trigger a community strike or termination of your channel, depending on the severity of the violation.

  • Profile photos depicting sexual acts, nudity, or other sexually gratifying imagery.
  • Images intended to shock or cloy.
  • Images with claret or gore that are graphic or disturbing.
  • Images with vulgar or lewd language.
  • Note this is non a complete list.

How to Change Your YouTube Profile Photo - Step by Pace

How to alter your channel picture on desktop

Step one

First, open up your YouTube channel page on your browser and locate your contour photo. If you haven't uploaded a profile picture before, YouTube will brandish the commencement letter of your channel proper noun.

Footstep two

Motility your mouse on elevation of your profile picture. A popover text will appear and tell you that you tin can edit your profile moving-picture show here.

Footstep 3

This volition open up the Customization tab within the YouTube Creator Studio. Find the "Change" button in the "Picture" section and click on it.

Stride 4

Select a suitable photo from your hard drive and upload information technology.

Pace v

Yous can motility your picture show effectually and zoom in and out until you notice the perfect crop. The blue circle indicates the visible area on your channel. Once you're fix, click on Washed.

Footstep vi

It may expect similar it, but you're not washed yet. It's important to save your new profile photo by pressing the bluish "Publish" button at the top-right corner.

Step 7

YouTube will redirect y'all to your YouTube channel page, where you tin bask your new profile photo.

Changing your channel avatar on the YouTube app

Step 1

Open the YouTube app on your phone.

Pace 2

Click on the icon in the top-right corner.

Step 3

Click on "Your channel."

Footstep iv

Detect the little pencil icon at the top and click on it.

Step 5

You will see picayune photographic camera icons on your profile picture and header. Click on your profile photo.

Stride 6

You can take a photo on the spot or select i from your media library.

Step seven

Select a picture from your media gallery.

Stride 8

Use your fingers to motility the photo around. Y'all can too zoom in and out past pinching two fingers on your screen.

One time you're happy, click "Salvage" at the top-right corner.

Step 9

You will be greeted with a notification that lets you know that your profile picture show has been updated successfully.

After Changing Your YouTube Aqueduct Profile Motion-picture show, What's Next?

Selecting a skilful YouTube profile photo is an important step when it comes to growing on YouTube.

After you accept completed this step and created the best first impression, your next focus is to craft a sound plan to concenter your offset 1000 subscribers.

If you want to learn more about growing your YouTube channel, check out my article on how to chop-chop get 4000 hours of watch time and how to maximize your YouTube video views.