Checked against the source
Telegram channel photo size
Short answer
The Telegram core documentation we read on 2026-10-07 describes only the photoSize schema and gives no channel avatar figure. A channel avatar follows the same square rule as a personal avatar, so upload 512 x 512 px and give the circular crop the same 106 px margin. Telegram has no fixed channel banner canvas.
Key takeaways
- Telegram documents no channel avatar size on the pages we checked on 2026-10-07.
- MediaSizes.com reports the channel avatar following the same 512 x 512 to 1024 x 1024 px rule as a profile photo, displayed as a circle.
- For post images the same guide reports 1280 x 720 px at 16:9, and a 1280 px longest edge for photos sent in a chat.
- Computed: a channel avatar at 512 x 512 px leaves a 362 px safe square inside the circle.
- A boosted channel cover is a gradient theme built from color and emoji patterns, not a fixed image.
The size
| What | Value |
|---|---|
| Width | 512 px |
| Height | 512 px |
| Aspect ratio | 1:1 |
| Where this comes from | third-party: MediaSizes.com applies the profile photo range to channels |
Reported by third parties
Reported by third parties. The Telegram core documentation we read on 2026-10-07 describes the photoSize schema and gives no channel avatar figure.
| What | Reported value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Channel avatar, same rule as a profile photo | 512 x 512 to 1024 x 1024 px, displayed as a circle | MSZ |
| Channel post image | 1280 x 720 px, 16:9 | MSZ |
Source keys: MSZ = MediaSizes.com: Telegram image size (2026-10-07)
To scale
What the circle removes
| Quantity | Value | Working |
|---|---|---|
| 512 px | the side (diameter = side, because the circle is inscribed) | |
| 205,887 px2 | 78.5% of the square (pi x (512 / 2)^2 = 205887) | |
| 56,257 px2 | 21.5% of the square (512^2 - 205,887 = 56,257) | |
| 106 px | from each edge ((512 / 2) x (sqrt(2) - 1) = 106) | |
| 362 px | largest square inside the circle (512 / sqrt(2) = 362) |
Computed at the 512 x 512 px channel photo this page recommends.
What your photo loses
| Source | Scale to fill | Lost each side | Lost top and bottom | Source area kept |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camera, 3:2 (6000 x 4000) | 0.128 (max(512 / 6000, 512 / 4000)) | 128 px ((768 - 512) / 2) | none ((512 - 512) / 2) | 1.1% |
| Square export (1080 x 1080) | 0.474 (max(512 / 1080, 512 / 1080)) | none ((512 - 512) / 2) | none ((512 - 512) / 2) | 22.5% |
| Phone photo, 16:9 (4032 x 2268) | 0.226 (max(512 / 4032, 512 / 2268)) | 199.1 px ((910.2 - 512) / 2) | none ((512 - 512) / 2) | 2.9% |
Computed cover crop into the 512 x 512 px frame this page targets.
Device pixels at each display size
| Display size | Device pixels at 1x | at 2x | at 3x | Against this upload |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In a channel list, 40 px | 40 px | 80 px (40 x 2) | 120 px (40 x 3) | 512 px covers it |
| Channel header, 50 px | 50 px | 100 px (50 x 2) | 150 px (50 x 3) | 512 px covers it |
Computed at the two sizes a channel avatar appears at; 512 px covers both.
What this frame costs to upload
| Format | File size | Against PNG |
|---|---|---|
| PNG, lossless | 309,663 bytes (302 kB) | the reference |
| JPEG, `-q:v 5` | 42,483 bytes (41 kB) | 14% of the PNG |
| WebP, `-q:v 75` | 16,862 bytes (16 kB) | 5% of the PNG |
ffmpeg 6.1.1. Upper bounds: a flat logo or a soft portrait compresses much further. The full method is in the evidence file.
Resize it now
512 x 512 px, the same square as a personal avatar because Telegram draws both as the same circle. There is no channel banner canvas to size a tool against, which is a separate thing on the page.
Batch is unlimited and free - every image is processed on your device, so there is no queue and no daily cap.
What Telegram documents, and the asset that does not exist
Telegram's core documentation for a channel or chat object does not specify an avatar size. The only relevant schema is photoSize, which carries width, height and file size and no recommendation.
There is also no channel banner canvas to design against: the Telegram core documentation we read on 2026-10-07 lists no horizontal banner image slot for a channel. MediaSizes.com reports that boosted channels at Level 5 and Premium accounts can be given a dynamic cover built from color themes and repeating emoji patterns, which scales to any device without cropping.
So the pixel figure a search for "Telegram channel banner size" is looking for does not exist in the pages we read, and this page does not invent one.
What one guide reports
The reports below come from one guide, MediaSizes.com, read 2026-10-07. It treats the channel avatar as identical to a profile avatar, which matches how Telegram displays them: both are circles in a header row.
It reports channel post images at 1280 x 720 px at 16:9, notes that photos sent in a chat are compressed so the longest edge is 1280 px, and says an HD mode sends at up to 2560 px. Those are client behaviors rather than published specifications.
| What | Reported value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Channel avatar | 512 x 512 to 1024 x 1024 px, circular | MediaSizes.com |
| Channel post image | 1280 x 720 px, 16:9 | MediaSizes.com |
| Chat photo, longest edge after compression | 1280 px | MediaSizes.com |
| Chat photo in HD mode, longest edge | up to 2560 px | MediaSizes.com |
| Boosted channel cover | gradient theme, not a fixed canvas | MediaSizes.com |
Source read 2026-10-07.
SafeImageKit's Telegram guide, 1,821 words and read 2026-10-07, covers channels and bots rather than avatars, and Postiz publishes a Telegram photo resizer at 1600 x 1600 px, a third figure that appears to be its own tool setting rather than a Telegram requirement. Neither contradicts the 512 px avatar range; both are silent on it.
The circle, and the wordmark problem
A channel avatar is drawn as a circle next to the channel name, in a list and at larger size on the channel page. The mask arithmetic is the standard one: at 512 px the corner clearance is 106 px and the largest intact square is 362 px.
A channel avatar is very often a wordmark, and a wide wordmark scaled to 512 px of width ends up about 512 x 128. That fits inside the 362 px safe square only if it is vertically centered with room above and below.
A stacked lockup, mark above the wordmark, fills the circle properly. If the horizontal version is the primary mark, a square or stacked cut is the better asset for the avatar, and the same artwork can then be reused without a second design.
Post images: 1280 x 720 px, and the portrait problem
For a landscape post the reported working size is 1280 x 720 px, which is 16:9 exactly: 1280 / 720 = 1.778, and 16 / 9 = 1.778.
For a portrait post, fit the reported rule instead. Telegram compresses so the longest edge is 1280 px, so a 9:16 post designed at 1080 x 1920 px is scaled to 720 x 1280 px, which leaves it 360 px narrower than every other platform on this site uses.
That is a real downgrade for text-heavy posts: 720 px across is below what a 2x phone needs for a full-width image. If crispness matters more than convenience, MediaSizes.com reports that sending the image as a file rather than as a photo avoids the compression entirely.
A 4:5 portrait post at 1080 x 1350 px lands at 1024 x 1280 px after the same rule, which is much closer to usable, and 1080 x 1350 px is the frame Instagram keeps uncropped.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a Telegram channel photo?
Telegram's core documentation gave us a photoSize schema and no channel avatar figure, so the 512 x 512 to 1024 x 1024 px range is MediaSizes.com's. Channels and profiles are drawn as the same circle, so 512 x 512 px is the upload.
Does a Telegram channel have a banner size?
Not a fixed one. Telegram does not use a horizontal banner canvas like YouTube or X. MediaSizes.com reports that a boosted channel can be given a gradient cover built from color themes and emoji patterns, which scales to any screen without cropping.
What size should a Telegram channel post image be?
1280 x 720 px for landscape, which is 16:9 exactly. For portrait, design 1080 x 1920 px; the reported compression rule scales it to 720 x 1280 px, so text-heavy posts lose sharpness unless you send the image as a file rather than as a photo.
How do I avoid Telegram compressing my channel post image?
Send it as a file rather than as a photo. MediaSizes.com reports that Telegram compresses photos so the longest edge is 1280 px, with an HD mode at up to 2560 px, and that sending as a file preserves the original resolution.
Is a Telegram channel avatar the same size as a profile photo?
The avatar is the same square circle as a personal avatar, and MediaSizes.com reports the same 512 x 512 to 1024 x 1024 px range for both. The Telegram core documentation we read on 2026-10-07 describes only the photoSize schema and gives no figure for either.
Should a Telegram channel avatar be a wordmark?
Yes, but a stacked one. A wide wordmark scaled to 512 px of width ends up about 512 x 128, which fits inside the 362 px safe square inside the circle only if it is vertically centered. A mark above the wordmark fills the circle properly.
Other Telegram sizes
Sources
- Telegram Core: photoSize constructor (checked 2026-10-07)
- MediaSizes.com: Telegram image size (checked 2026-10-07)
- SafeImageKit: the definitive guide to image sizes for Telegram (checked 2026-10-07)
The Telegram core documentation we read on 2026-10-07 gives no channel avatar figure and describes no channel banner image slot. MediaSizes.com applies the personal avatar range to channels, which is consistent with how the app draws them, and the post-image figures on this page are that source's too.