Discord Image Sizes 2026: Server Icons, Banners, Emojis, and Avatars

Why Discord Image Sizes Trip People Up

Discord is unlike every other platform in this guide because several of its image slots — server banners, invite splash backgrounds, animated icons — are locked behind Server Boost levels rather than being available to everyone by default. That means the most common mistake isn't uploading the wrong dimensions; it's designing a banner or splash image before confirming your server actually has the boost level required to display it. This guide covers the exact pixel dimensions for every image surface in Discord, along with the boost requirements you need to know before you design anything.

The second most common mistake is treating Discord like Instagram or Slack and assuming generous file size limits. Discord enforces tight limits on emojis and stickers specifically — 256 KB for a static emoji is easy to blow past with an unoptimized PNG, and you won't find out until the upload silently fails.

Server Icon Size

The server icon is the circular image representing your Discord server in the server list on the left side of the app. It's the first thing members recognize when scanning a long list of servers, so clarity at a small size matters more than detail.

• Recommended upload size: 512 × 512 px
• Aspect ratio: 1:1 (square)
• Display shape: Circle — the square upload is cropped to a circular mask
• Displayed size: Approximately 84 × 84 px in the server list, smaller in other contexts
• Accepted formats: PNG, JPG, GIF (animated icons require Server Boost Level 1)
• Maximum file size: 10 MB (static), 10 MB (animated GIF)

Because the icon is cropped to a circle and displayed small, keep your logo or mascot centered within the middle 80% of the canvas and avoid fine text — it becomes illegible at 84 px. High-contrast, single-subject designs read best in a crowded server list.

Server Banner Size

A server banner is a wide image displayed at the top of your server, above the channel list, once your server reaches Boost Level 2. It's a strong branding opportunity for communities that have grown an active boosting base.

• Recommended upload size: 960 × 540 px
• Aspect ratio: 16:9
• Requirement: Server Boost Level 2 (static banner), Level 3 (animated banner)
• Accepted formats: PNG, JPG, GIF (animated requires Level 3)
• Maximum file size: 10 MB

Discord displays the banner behind a semi-transparent gradient near the bottom, where the server name and member counts overlay it. Keep essential visual elements — logos, key art, mascots — in the upper two-thirds of the frame so they aren't obscured by the overlay UI.

Invite Background (Splash) and Discovery Splash

Discord has two similar but distinct splash images. The invite splash appears as the background of your custom invite link preview and requires Boost Level 1. The discovery splash appears when your server is listed in Discord's public Server Discovery page and requires Boost Level 3.

• Recommended size (both): 1920 × 1080 px
• Aspect ratio: 16:9
• Invite splash requirement: Boost Level 1
• Discovery splash requirement: Boost Level 3, plus meeting Discovery eligibility criteria
• Accepted formats: PNG, JPG

Both splash images are displayed with a dark overlay to keep join buttons and server descriptions readable, so avoid placing important detail in the center where UI text sits. Design with a focal point toward the edges or corners of the frame.

User Avatar Size

Your personal Discord avatar appears everywhere — the member list, chat messages, voice channels, and DMs — almost always displayed small and always cropped to a circle.

• Recommended upload size: 512 × 512 px (128 × 128 px minimum accepted)
• Aspect ratio: 1:1 (square)
• Display shape: Circle
• Accepted formats: PNG, JPG, GIF (animated avatars require Discord Nitro)
• Maximum file size: 10 MB

Since your avatar is frequently displayed at 32–40 px in chat, a single clear subject with strong silhouette and contrast will read far better than a detailed illustration. Test how your avatar looks shrunk to icon size before finalizing it.

User Profile Banner Size

Discord profile banners appear at the top of your expanded user profile card, visible to anyone who clicks your name.

• Minimum accepted size: 600 × 240 px
• Recommended upload size: 960 × 540 px (upscales cleanly for high-DPI screens)
• Aspect ratio: Approximately 4:1.6, displayed cropped to fit the profile card width
• Accepted formats: PNG, JPG, GIF (animated banners require Discord Nitro)

Profile banners are cropped differently depending on screen size and whether the viewer is on desktop or mobile. Keep your subject centered horizontally and avoid placing anything critical within 15% of the top and bottom edges, since those areas are the first to be cropped on narrower screens.

Custom Emoji Size

Custom server emojis are one of the most size-constrained image types on Discord. The dimension limit is generous, but the file size limit is strict and catches people off guard.

• Maximum upload size: 128 × 128 px (larger images are auto-downscaled)
• Displayed size: Approximately 32 × 32 px inline in chat, larger in the emoji picker and on hover
• Maximum file size: 256 KB for static emoji, 256 KB for animated GIF emoji
• Accepted formats: PNG, JPG, GIF (animated emoji require Boost Level 1 for extra slots but are available on all servers in limited quantity)

Because emojis are displayed tiny, design at 128 × 128 px with bold, simplified shapes and minimal fine detail — anything subtle disappears at 32 px. To stay under the 256 KB limit, export as indexed-color PNG (8-bit) rather than full 24-bit color whenever the design allows it; this alone often cuts file size by 60–80% with no visible quality loss for flat, cartoon-style emoji art.

Sticker Size

Discord stickers are a step up from emoji — larger, standalone images sent directly into chat rather than inline with text.

• Recommended size: 320 × 320 px
• Maximum file size: 512 KB
• Accepted formats: PNG (static), APNG (animated)
• Background: Transparent required — the subject should be isolated with no background fill

Like emoji, stickers benefit from bold, high-contrast designs with a strong transparent-background isolation. Test your sticker against both Discord's light and dark themes before finalizing, since a poorly isolated edge or faint drop shadow can look fine on one theme and show visible artifacts on the other.

Discord Image Size Quick Reference

• Server icon: 512 × 512 px, circle crop, max 10 MB
• Server banner: 960 × 540 px (16:9), requires Boost Level 2, max 10 MB
• Invite splash: 1920 × 1080 px (16:9), requires Boost Level 1
• Discovery splash: 1920 × 1080 px (16:9), requires Boost Level 3
• User avatar: 512 × 512 px (128 × 128 px minimum), circle crop
• User profile banner: 960 × 540 px recommended, 600 × 240 px minimum
• Custom emoji: 128 × 128 px max, 256 KB max file size
• Sticker: 320 × 320 px, transparent PNG/APNG, 512 KB max file size