When selecting a cover photo for your Facebook profile or page, it’s important to choose an image that is the right size and aspect ratio to avoid cropping issues. Facebook cover photos display at 820 pixels wide by 312 pixels tall on desktop, and 640 x 360 pixels on mobile. To ensure your photo looks its best on all devices, it should be cropped to fit these dimensions without being stretched, squished, or too zoomed in.
The Recommended Size for Facebook Cover Photos
The recommended size for Facebook cover photos is 820 x 312 pixels. This size will display edge-to-edge with no cropping on desktop versions of Facebook. If your photo is larger than 820 x 312 pixels, Facebook will automatically crop it to fit. If your photo is smaller than the recommended size, it will be stretched to fit and may appear pixelated or blurry.
Here are the key details on Facebook cover photo sizes:
- Width: 820 pixels
- Height: 312 pixels
- Aspect ratio: 2.63:1 (820:312)
Keeping these dimensions in mind when selecting and cropping your cover photo will help it look its best across all viewing platforms.
Cover Photo Size for Mobile
On mobile devices, Facebook cover photos display at 640 x 360 pixels. This more vertical aspect ratio fits the narrower mobile screens better. If your desktop cover photo is 820 x 312 pixels, Facebook will automatically crop it to 640 x 360 pixels for mobile viewers.
The mobile cover photo size specs are:
- Width: 640 pixels
- Height: 360 pixels
- Aspect ratio: 16:9 (640:360)
To ensure your cover isn’t cropped awkwardly on mobile, you may want to design it specifically for the 640 x 360 size upfront. Or preview how the 820 x 312 desktop version will crop down before publishing it.
How to Crop Cover Photos Perfectly
To crop your cover photo properly for Facebook:
- Start with a high quality image sized at least 1200 x 444 pixels. This gives you extra image area to work with.
- Open the image in an editing program like Photoshop, GIMP, or an online editing tool.
- Select the Crop tool and enter 820 pixels for the width, and 312 pixels for the height. This will crop your photo to the ideal desktop cover size.
- Drag the crop area around your photo to frame it as desired. Be sure important elements fit within the 820 x 312 pixel area.
- Save your cropped photo at 820 x 312 pixels for best desktop display.
- Optionally, recrop the image to 640 x 360 pixels for optimized mobile display.
Cropping precisely to the recommended dimensions will prevent unwanted cuts off the sides or top/bottom. It will also prevent suboptimal stretching or pixelation.
Tips for Cropping Facebook Cover Photos
Here are some tips to keep in mind when cropping Facebook cover photos:
- The most important focus area is down the left side, since profile pictures and information bars may display over the right side.
- Frame key subjects in the left and center areas so they’re fully visible.
- Horizontal photos work best, since the cover area is wider than it is tall.
- Images with the optimum 2.63:1 aspect ratio won’t be distorted when uploaded.
- Add a minor blur or gradient fade along the bottom if needed, since some content is always covered by the profile pic and info bar.
- Preview the crop on both desktop and mobile to ensure core elements aren’t cut off.
Using Design Programs to Crop Cover Photos
Image editing programs like Photoshop and GIMP offer the most control for cropping Facebook cover photos precisely.
Here are the basic steps for cropping in Photoshop:
- Open your cover photo image in Photoshop.
- Select the Crop Tool from the toolbar.
- In the control bar, enter 820 pixels for the width and 312 pixels for the height.
- Click and drag the crop area to frame your key image elements properly.
- Click the check mark in the control bar to complete the 820 x 312 pixel crop.
- Go to File > Export to save a copy of your cropped cover photo.
GIMP provides similar cropping functionality:
- Open your image in GIMP.
- Select the Crop tool.
- In the Tool Options panel, set the dimensions to Fixed Size of 820 x 312 pixels.
- Click and drag to position the crop area over your image.
- Click the Crop button to complete the crop edit.
- Go to File > Export to save your cropped photo.
Both programs allow you to cleanly crop to precise pixel sizes for Facebook covers. The steps are very similar in most photo editing tools.
Using Online Editing Tools to Crop Cover Photos
If you don’t have image editing software installed, there are many free online photo editors you can use to crop your Facebook cover image to size, such as:
- Pixlr Express
- Fotor
- Canva
- BeFunky
- PicMonkey
Most online editors have streamlined cropping tools:
- Upload your image to the editor.
- Select the Crop option.
- Enter 820 x 312 pixels in the dimensions fields.
- Drag the crop box into position over your image and click Apply.
- Download the cropped photo to your computer.
Look for the ability to define custom crop sizes in pixels for optimal results. This will ensure your cover isn’t distorted or blurred from standard aspect ratio presets.
Cropping Cover Photos on Mobile Devices
You can also crop cover photos right from your mobile device using apps like:
- Snapseed
- Adobe Lightroom
- VSCO
- Photo & Video Editor
- Pixlr
The process is very similar:
- Open the app and load your cover photo.
- Tap the Crop icon.
- Enter 820 x 312 pixels in the dimensions fields if available.
- Adjust and straighten the image as needed.
- Tap Save or Export to save a copy of the cropped image to your camera roll or gallery.
Having the ability to define custom ratios makes getting the right crop easier on mobile. Otherwise, eyeballing an 820 x 312 area can work.
How Facebook Resizes Cover Photos
If you upload a cover photo that isn’t 820 x 312 pixels, here is how Facebook will resize it:
- Photos larger than 820 x 312 pixels will be cropped to fit.
- Photos smaller than 820 x 312 pixels will be upscaled and stretched to fit.
- Vertical photos may be cropped awkwardly to force a horizontal fit.
- Non-2.63:1 ratio images will be distorted to fit the cover area.
Letting Facebook do the cropping often produces less than ideal results. That’s why preparing properly sized cover photos with your preferred framing is best.
Choosing the Right Images for Cover Photos
Selecting an eye-catching, effective cover photo involves choosing:
- An interesting, high-quality image.
- A horizontal orientation that fills the long cover space.
- A composition that focuses key elements on the left side.
- Colorful photos that represent your brand or profile.
- Texts and logos with important details in large, readable sizes.
Look for photos in your camera roll, stock photo sites, or image searches to find inspiring options. The most successful Facebook covers catch attention while representing what your profile is all about.
Previewing Cover Photos Before Publishing
It’s always wise to preview how your Facebook cover photo will look before publishing it live. Here are some ways to preview covers:
- Use Facebook’s free Cover Photo preview tool.
- Temporarily upload the photo to your profile but don’t publish it.
- Ask friends to check out the preview and provide feedback.
- View your cover on both desktop and mobile to check cropping.
Proof your cover photo for optimal quality, cropping, colors, and appearance on different devices. Tweaking your image based on preview feedback can really pay off.
Mistakes to Avoid When Cropping Cover Photos
Watch out for these common cover photo cropping mistakes:
- Uploading a low resolution image that appears pixelated.
- Not cropping to 820 x 312 pixels, resulting in distortion.
- Cutting off key parts of the image with an awkward crop.
- Leaving too much empty or unimportant space around the core elements.
- Cropping text or logos too tightly, making them hard to read.
- Having key subjects hidden behind your profile picture or other page elements.
Carefully planning your photo selections, crops, and previews helps avoid less than ideal outcomes.
Ideal Aspect Ratios for Cover Photos
To avoid image distortion on Facebook covers, use photos with these aspect ratios:
- 2.63:1 – The optimum desktop cover photo ratio (820:312 pixels).
- 1.78:1 – Also displays well, minimizing cropping.
- 16:9 – Ideal for the mobile cover photo size (640:360 pixels).
- 4:3 – Common DSLR and smartphone photo ratio. May require cropping.
- 1:1 – Square images require significant cropping to fit.
Finding images that closely match Facebook’s 820 x 312 pixel cover area will result in less drastic cropping and distortion.
Cover Photo Specs for Facebook Pages
Facebook Page cover photos use the exact same dimensions as personal profile covers. Ideal Page cover sizes are:
- Desktop – 820 pixels wide x 312 pixels tall
- Mobile – 640 pixels wide x 360 pixels tall
Follow the same tips and best practices for selecting, cropping, and uploading Page cover photos as you would for your personal profile.
Changing Cover Photos for Fresh Looks
Facebook profiles and Pages don’t require you to stick with the same cover photo forever. Consider changing your cover image periodically for fresh looks and to highlight different topics or campaigns. Just be sure new photos are cropped properly before uploading.
Some tips for switching up Facebook covers include:
- Match covers to relevant seasons, events or holidays.
- Create timely covers to accompany launches or announcements.
- Use covers to showcase new products, services or features.
- Tie covers to current marketing campaigns or initiatives.
- Keep a few cover images ready to swap in as needed.
Rotate through strong photo options that reinforce your brand and keep your Facebook presence dynamic.
Using Cover Videos Instead of Photos
In addition to static cover photos, you can also use cover videos on Facebook profiles and Pages. Cover video specs include:
- MP4 or MOV format up to 20MB
- Minimum resolution of 720p (1280 x 720 pixels)
- 90 seconds maximum length
- Ideal 1.78:1 aspect ratio (16:9 widescreen)
Follow the same principles of cropping video frames properly and previewing your cover clip before publishing it live.
Tools to Design Eye-catching Facebook Covers
Using templates and easy design tools can help create more polished, professional Facebook covers. Some top options include:
- Canva – Online design app with templates and drag-and-drop editing.
- Creative Market – Download ready-made templates for Photoshop and other tools.
- PicMonkey – Intuitive online image editor with templates, graphics, fonts, and effects.
- Adobe Spark – Create stunning branded covers and images in minutes.
- FotoJet – Online graphic design app with customizable templates.
Start with quality images and assets, then use tools to arrange them into compelling, on-brand Facebook covers.
Conclusion
Cropping and sizing your Facebook cover photos properly results in a polished look that reinforces your brand. Optimized 820 x 312 pixel images avoid unwanted distortion on desktop, while adapting well to 640 x 360 mobile displays. Plan covers thoughtfully, experiment with template tools, preview before publishing, and change them up periodically for maximum impact.
With this guide’s tips for cropping cover photos just right, you can make your Facebook presence shine.