Reddit displays images very differently depending on where they appear — a post thumbnail on a feed, a full-size image in the lightbox, a subreddit banner, or a circular community icon. Each context has its own size requirements. Using the right dimensions gets your image to display sharply across all Reddit surfaces.

Reddit Post Images

Image posts are the most common use case. Reddit accepts images in the post editor and re-encodes them for display on different devices.

Recommended size: 1200×628 px (approximately 1.91:1 ratio). This is the standard open graph image ratio and matches how Reddit previews images when shared externally
Maximum file size: 20 MB per image
Accepted formats: JPEG, PNG, GIF, WEBP
Gallery posts: up to 20 images per post, each up to 20 MB. Images in a gallery display at a consistent aspect ratio — landscape (1.91:1) or square (1:1) work best
Feed thumbnail: Reddit shows a 140×140 px square thumbnail in card view — keep the subject centered so it still reads well at that size

Reddit Profile Picture (Avatar)

Recommended size: 256×256 px. Reddit displays avatars as small circles next to usernames — use a simple design that is readable at 32 px
Maximum file size: 10 MB
Accepted formats: JPEG, PNG
Aspect ratio: Square (1:1). Non-square images are cropped to a circle — use the Image Cropper to center your subject in a 1:1 frame

Subreddit Banner Image

The banner appears at the top of a subreddit page on desktop. It is one of the first visuals visitors see when they land on a community.

Recommended size: 1920×384 px (approximately 5:1 ratio). Reddit displays the banner full-width at 1920 px on large screens and scales down on smaller displays
Maximum file size: 10 MB
Safe zone: Keep important text and logos in the center of the banner — the edges are cropped on narrower viewports
Accepted formats: JPEG, PNG

Subreddit Banner Background Image

Separate from the main banner, this is the large background image shown on the subreddit page header.

Recommended size: 4000×1200 px. Reddit scales this image to fill the full-width background area
Maximum file size: 10 MB
Design tip: Use a subtle, non-busy background that does not distract from the community icon and banner text layered on top

Community Icon (Subreddit Icon)

Recommended size: 256×256 px. Displayed as a circle in the subreddit header and in community listings
Maximum file size: 500 KB
Accepted formats: PNG recommended (for transparency support), JPEG
Design tip: The icon appears at very small sizes in some contexts (as small as 18×18 px in compact mode) — use a simple, high-contrast design with no fine detail

Reddit Mobile App Considerations

Reddit's mobile app and new Reddit web design crop images to fit different aspect ratios depending on the feed view (card, compact, classic). For post images:

Card view: shows a wide crop of the image (about 16:9 or 1.91:1)
Compact view: shows a 1:1 square thumbnail (140×140 px)
Best approach: place the main subject in the center of your image so it survives both crops cleanly

Step-by-Step: Prepare Reddit Images

Post image: resize to 1200×628 px for standard posts. Keep the key subject centered for feed thumbnails
Profile avatar: crop to 1:1, then resize to 256×256 px. Use a bold, simple design
Subreddit banner: resize to 1920×384 px. Keep branding in the center — edges are cropped on mobile
Community icon: design at 256×256 px with transparent background (PNG). Use image compression to get under the 500 KB limit
Gallery post images: aim for consistent aspect ratios across all gallery images. 1200×628 px or 1080×1080 px work well

Reddit Image Quick Reference

Post image: 1200×628 px recommended, 20 MB max, JPEG/PNG/GIF/WEBP
Gallery post: up to 20 images, each up to 20 MB
Profile avatar: 256×256 px, 10 MB max, circle crop
Subreddit banner: 1920×384 px, 10 MB max
Banner background: 4000×1200 px, 10 MB max
Community icon: 256×256 px, 500 KB max, PNG (circle crop)