Facebook Group Header Group June 2021

Facebook Cover Photo, Group Header Image Size And Other FB Graphics

*** UPDATED WITH THE LATEST CHANGES August 2021 – Quentin Pain ***

READ FIRST

Sometime in early 2021 the group header changed again. You’re welcome to read everything below (to show how tricky this is), and you’re welcome to search the web to find a better answer, but I’ve tried and none are available (there’s a ton of stuff on this – much of it blatant plagiarised copies of my original post), but I’ve yet to find any that are correct.

So instead, know this one thing. If you make your Facebook Group Header 848 x 314 it will currently work on a desktop view without anything ‘disappearing’ top or bottom (carry on reading about what it used to do if you’re interested – that’s about all you need to know though.

The screenshot above shows the new dimensions.

NOTE: For some reason, something happens to the header when uploaded to Facebook and some clarity is lost. Doubling its size to 1696 x 628 in the hope of getting a higher resolution doesn’t help.

[EVERYTHING BELOW IS HOW IT USED TO BE – IT’S ONLY LEFT IN FOR HISTORICAL REASONS – BUT WHO KNOWS WE MAY HAVE TO RETURN TO IT AGAIN IN THE FUTURE]

Old Header Sizes Below

It’s exceedingly hard to hunt down the size for your Facebook Group Header cover photo. So here it is: 820 x 428 pixels (Facebook changed to this new size on 28th November 2017, but note that the top and bottom of your header is hidden – full details below – note that all old headers will be cropped almost in half if not updated to the new size – if your current group header image looks a little weird – that’s why). The aspect ratio for a Facebook group header is 205:107 (but start with 820 x 428 pixels as this is the actual size on a standard desktop monitor).

When updating your group image, FB do give you the chance to move an oversized graphic around, but it’s far better to design it the right size in the first place. When you’ve got the size exactly right, the image will NOT be draggable – this is what you want.

If you want to find what size your graphic should be for a Facebook Profile Page Cover Photo it’s also quite a challenge. Here it is: 851 x 318 pixels. But read on…

Facebook Profile Header Image Size

BUT – things get in the way. Here’s a snap of my Profile Cover Photo together with all the dimensions you need:

Facebook Group Header Size Example Image With Width and Height Shown

The above cover photo is for my Facebook profile page and automatically embeds my profile name to the right of my profile image (Quentin Pain).

Your profile picture extends 25 pixels below the bottom of the graphic into the menu bar (as you can see above), and there is also an embedded 2 pixel white border with thin grey outline added to your picture (this fixed border stops creative designers doing funky things by merging their picture onto the menu bar and cover graphic etc. – shame).

Facebook Page Header Image Size

If you have a Facebook Business Page (aka Fan Page or Community page etc.) and you want to take full advantage of the space, you’re going to need a slightly different sized image. It’s  820 x 320 pixels.

Facebook Fan Page Header Image Size

Facebook Group Header Image Size

Next up we have the Facebook Group Cover Photo. If you run a group on Facebook, use the dimensions below to make best use of the image header area. The size is 820 x 428 pixels.

NOTE: On Desktop devices, Facebook makes the top 48 pixels and the bottom 49 pixels of the image invisible. So make sure your graphic is 820 x 428 pixels and that nothing you need to be seen is in the top 48 pixels or the bottom 49 pixels of the image since it won’t be shown when viewed on a desktop computer.

NOTE 2: You can see the whole header on a desktop by clicking anywhere on the header, which opens it in a popup.

Here’s the group header image for my Content Writers group. It’s called The Science of Copywriting – feel free to join if you write content for yourself or others and want some daily inspiration and ideas.

Facebook Group Header Size Example Image With Width and Height Shown

I got these sizes by creating a pixel based image, uploading it, and then slowly figuring out precisely down to the pixel where Facebook was cutting off the top and bottom. Click on the image below to see the header in place in a group I created in Facebook to test this out:

Facebook Group Header Actual Width and Height By Pixel

Facebook Desktop Ad Image Size

My mission is to help people write and publish the best content online, so they not only promote their business, but also get to be seen as the best in their industry or market.

So to promote that, I use Facebook marketing to help spread the message. And that means I also need to know the size for my ad images.

Some of the marketing I do is based on Facebook Sponsored Posts. The best results come from videos (at least for now – but it does depend on the video of course!). For a fixed image, Facebook recommend a size of 1200 x 628 pixels.

Below is an example that advertises a Workshop I did for bloggers, online content writers and freelancers. Luckily, all ad images on FB seem to have the same aspect ratio, which is 1.91:1 (so you can create your ad images at 1200 x 628 and FB will scale them accordingly without losing the aspect ratio).

Facebook Sponsored Ad Image Size September 2017

Advertising with Facebook is a science, and as with all advertising, you must think through the customer journey.

And that depends 100% on the traffic you drive to your ad.

If it’s cold traffic, you’ll need to entice and educate your visitors.

If it’s pre-sold or warm traffic, you need to give them a compelling reason to find out more.

Either way, don’t even think about click-baiting your visitors. Facebook are banning people at a faster rate than ever for trying to game the system.

Just put up good stuff and be straight (it can be funny or quirky too, but take care).


Comments

54 responses to “Facebook Cover Photo, Group Header Image Size And Other FB Graphics”

  1. Lindsey | Hazel Haven avatar
    Lindsey | Hazel Haven

    Hey there Quentin. I help creative business owners learn how to use the tools to grow their online presence and this was REALLY useful. I was using 820 x 461 for my Facebook group cover and it works as well. I’ll definitely need to update my other ones. Thanks for the tips and clear images with arrows!

    Cheers!

    1. Hi Lindsey, glad it helped. This is a really strange update from Facebook, but hey, I guess that’s not that unusual these days 🙂

  2. Mark Husson avatar
    Mark Husson

    sounds extreme but I put my group banner up at 4900 x 2558 and it’s far, far clearer than 820 x 428

    1. Quentin Pain avatar
      Quentin Pain

      Yes that’s a great idea Mark. I can see you’re using the same aspect ratio, which is why it works. And since this is on Facebook, we don’t need to worry about large image loading speed either. Thanks for sharing.

    2. Marcia Seever avatar
      Marcia Seever

      Mark, can you explain how you came up with those sizes? I don’t see how they are the same aspect ratio like Quentin mentioned below.

      1. Quentin Pain avatar
        Quentin Pain

        Hi Marcia, Mark is actually using the same aspect ratio (which is why his numbers work). But it’s not easy to do without maths unless you simply double a set of known sizes (which is what I recommend, simply because it’s easier to do – see the new screenshot above). I found this page that explains how to work out the aspect ratio of any image: https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/180804/how-to-get-the-aspect-ratio-of-an-image

  3. Thank you! Finally got my Facebook group image to work.

    1. Delighted to hear that Candice. Take a look at Hale’s comment too. He’s discovered something I missed about the invisible strips at the top and bottom – they are shown if someone clicks on the image.

  4. The “Extra Space” at the top and bottom of the Group Image does show when someone clicks on the image and enlarges it. I use it for arrows that point to the “Call to Action Description” where I have a sales link. One arrow points to the right (desktop) and one set points down (mobile)

    1. Thanks for pointing this out Hale. I’ll update the post. Really appreciate this.

  5. We have hade perfect pic to our groups… Now when Facebook changes that… Its like we are children and hav to learn. I will call it Stupidity.

    1. Yes. I totally agree Olov.

  6. Leo Capuana (0431100987) avatar
    Leo Capuana (0431100987)

    As dumb as the question may sound, (and I’m not a designer of anyone else’s banners or images except my own). I run an Italo/Australian Facebook Group and I cannot seem to get my entire image to show on my Facebook Group banner regardless of what size I use, (whatever size I use, be it big or small, the image is always cropped horizontally and vertically). I have spent an entire day mucking about with it without success and I have trolled the internet for answers, (and tried literally hundreds of different sizes), once again to no avail…..help !!!!
    It’s a closed group, but this is the Xmas banner I tried to upload today (https://www.facebook.com/groups/italoaustraliansinoz/)

    1. You’ve got no choice but to make it exactly to the size I mentioned above Leo (or in the same aspect ratio), just remembering that the top and bottom will be cropped regardless. It’s a horrible mess, but that’s Facebook. The only other possibility is that FB have rolled out different changes to different countries – but that really would be appalling. Contact me direct if you want, and I will try to help you get it right. You can connect with me on my Facebook group if you want: https://www.facebook.com/groups/scienceofcopywriting/

    2. John Boone avatar
      John Boone

      Leo-
      I took the liberty of adjusting your group photo. I sent it to you as a PM on Messenger. It should fit perfectly. Hope it works for you.

    3. Leo, your image header is 820 px wide by 334 high, which is why it doesn’t fit. The height needs to be 428 pixels. To fix it, I would create a black rectangle of size 820 x 428, then drop the original image on top of it in the middle. If you can, make sure the gap at the top is 43 pixels, then it should fit perfectly.

  7. Thank you for the proper sizes on FB group cover. (a very annoying unannounced by Facebook in advance change. Of course they have no correct info on it themselves.)
    Now I have to recreate (not just resize, b/c ratio is not the same) 20-30 banners for our group.
    After fruitless searches and lot of wrong answers this image above in blue is the ONLY correct one I found.. I created a template form it and it’s a keeper. Thumbs up sir.

    1. Thanks so much KatWoman.

  8. I made mine this size…it still stretches it. 🙁 So I don’t know what to do.

    1. If it is stretched, it can only be to do with the size. Post your FB group URL here if you like and I will take a look.

  9. Wow – there’s a lot to learn for newbies like us.

    1. Quentin Pain avatar
      Quentin Pain

      The hardest part is keeping up with the changes. They’re never announced, which is a problem. But I do my best to keep this page updated when it does happen.

  10. Hi Quentin, thanks for the post about the new sizes of facebook group cover images but can I ask you if you have the correct sizes for showing on mobile devices? And, is Ipad different too? I work with graphic designers so to be able to supply them with the new size dimensions would be a great asset to me and my designers. Would you also suggest doubling the size ratios to achieve a clearer image in facebook? Thanks again great valuable information!

    1. Thanks for your comment. The sizes are fine on all devices. And yes, definitely double or quadruple the sizes to get crisper images on high definition devices (as you know, it’s the aspect ratio that is crucial).

  11. Thank you Quentin. My Group photo slotted in perfectly after I created a white tempate of 820 x 428 and pasted the photo (820 x 334) 43 pixels (with marker) down from the top. As you’ve said, both top and bottom of template hidden 43/51. Created using MS Paint

    1. That’s great to hear Bazbee. Thanks for confirming.

      1. Thank you for the reply. Further to my last I created a header for another group like this.
        1) Image/photo size 820 x 334
        2) Two white templates: A = 820 x 377, B = 820 x 428
        3) Rotate image/photo
        4) Open template A in MS Paint and paste in the rotated image/photo (automatically locks to top of template)
        5) Rotate 4), New image = 820 x 334 with 43 top border
        6) Paste 5) onto template B. Final with 43 top and 51 bottom border.
        I use Ribbet (photo editor), Picasa and MS Paint.
        Easier to do than describe!

  12. Marcia Seever avatar
    Marcia Seever

    I think all of these different sizes and the strange “make it this size but don’t put anything in the top 48 pixels” crap, exactly that. A bunch of crap! I have made the banners for several groups so I’m going to try to resize them so they look right. And then I’ll pretend to think that it all makes perfect sense. NOT.

    Your article and graphics are quite helpful however, one thing I find irritating is that there is no consistency in what the different pages/groups/fan pages are called. (not only in your article) One can never be quite sure what people are talking about when they call one thing by several different names. Is it a banner, or a photo header, or just a header or a cover photo, or a header cover photo, or a page header, the photo at the top of the page, or…?? Just imagine if everyone called it the same thing! What a wonderful world it would be!

    Thanks for your article!

    1. Hey Marcia, thanks for your input. Yes, consistent naming would be brilliant. Evolution is a slow process 🙂

      1. Cover/banner/header whatever, if it looks like a duck, it’s a duck!
        Quentin, as you know many group admins continue to use portrait images and accept top/botttom cropping, can I put this one by you?
        Based on the 334 height, borders 43+51 add approx 28%. i.e. 43 = 13% and 51 = 15%.
        Now for those who persist on using portraits without templates, adding 13% top and 15% bottom white borders should work

        1. Hey Bazbee, You bring up a good point. If the header was to double in size (and maintain aspect ratio), does that also mean the hidden top and bottom borders are doubled? (eg. if the total new height was 856, does it mean the hidden top border would be 86 and bottom 102). If anyone wants to test this, please do let us know the results. For most people, I would imagine it’s simply a case of making sure anything important is not at the top or bottom (depends on the aesthetic pickiness of the designer of course – I mean that in a good way 🙂

          1. Hi again Quentin, yes you’re right there, I’ve seen those dimensions elsewhere.
            Subsequently I’ve checked two FB Groups who randomly upload large images.
            For both, FB automatically select, for the cover image, the top part of a large image/picture.
            As expected ratios are 820:334 and my theory of 13%/15% seem to be partly true. 13% of the top of the cover image is cropped (invisible) from the original image/picture whereas a much larger section is cropped (invisible) from the lower part.

          2. Hi Bazbee, the overall size of the header image must be 820 x 428 (otherwise the image itself will be cropped in all sorts of weird and wonderful ways depending on how different the sizes are to the correct size). You can double it in both directions and it will still work perfectly (and double again etc.). So 1640 x 856 will work as should 3280 x 1712. The lowest common denominator for the aspect ratio is, I believe, 205:107 (really awkward numbers right!). I haven’t tested this, just used my very limited mathematical skills to figure it out!

    2. I agree!

  13. Hey Quentin

    No idea why, I’ve resized an image to 820 px wide for an FB group but it’s spilling into the sides, cropping off vital info, and is out of proportion. When I take same image and test on my FB page it works perfectly.

    Further I’ve no idea as the image I replaced in the group was much wider and showed up perfectly…

    Any thoughts?

    Many thanks. Jane

    PS was looking for somewhere to upload to show it…

    1. Hi Jane, make the height 428 pixels (with your existing width of 820) and it will fit – BUT – you will not be able to see the top and bottom – these are hidden by Facebook (and there’s no way round it). So make sure there is nothing important in the top 43 pixels and bottom 51 pixels.

  14. I noticed that my album cover picture is ugly because it’s stretched horizontally! How can I make it more square like before?

    1. Bole, read the Facebook Group section above. You need to make the header graphic exactly 820 x 428 pixels otherwise it won’t fit properly and you will lose some of it.

  15. Quentin, apparently since early Feb there’s been another change! – re yours – top border 48, bottom 46 (or equivalent). Is that true?

    1. Hey Bazbee, the actual size is still the same, but I got my microscope out and measured everything to the last pixel. The results can be seen above. I created a group on Facebook to test this out. It’s here – go take a look I think you’ll find it really useful (click on the header when you get there and you’ll see the whole thing – it’s quite fun). https://www.facebook.com/groups/176773073111687/

  16. Well, I’ve been searching for quite some time to get my banner to fit properly and sure enough, I’ve found the solution on your page. Re-sizing my image to 820×428 and taking into consideration the 48 px at the top and the 49 px at the bottom, I re-sized by image to 820×331 and voilà, it worked. Thanks for solving a small headache Quentin. All the best.

    1. So pleased to hear this Roger.

  17. Lucie avatar
    Lucie

    I was starting to get really impatient reading so so so many outdated updates and trying about 15 different sizes. You FINALLY SOLVED my group cover photo problem. Thank you SO SO much!!!

    1. I’m so pleased Lucie. Thank you for your comment.

  18. Simon Fawkes avatar
    Simon Fawkes

    Thank you so much for the information about Facebook Group Header Image Sizes. I had just created what I thought was a great image for my new FB Group and I was dismayed to see that it did not fit. The information you provide is clear and easy to follow.

    Many thanks

    1. That’s great to Simon. Thank you.

  19. Paul Joldersma avatar
    Paul Joldersma

    I have visited a bunch of different sites and each one provides a different number that they swear up and down is the correct one. To be honest though, I think it depends on the display settings you are using, because I’ve tried several recommendations, and the one that came closest to working, was almost 1600 px wide.

    1. Quentin Pain avatar
      Quentin Pain

      Paul Joldersma – it’s the aspect ratio that matters. As long as you know that, you can use any size image you like provided it has the same aspect ratio. BUT, whatever you choose, on some devices, the top and bottom will be clipped – that’s down to Facebook – NOT – your image size, aspect ratio or anything else. This is why this drives people nuts. The image size I recommend here is the correct one for the actual space the header takes up on a standard desktop display (820px x 428px) – measured down to the last pixel. You can get a higher resolution simply by doubling or trebling the figures. That’s the easiest path to take. BOTTOM LINE: If you’re image is not distorted but the top and bottom are clipped when viewed on a desktop device, all is well. This is how Facebook designed it to look. There’s no work around for it, and no one knows why they chose to make it this way (I can’t come up with a single reason, and Facebook have never commented on it).

  20. Thank you!!! I was finding all kinds of dimensions for FB group cover and it was having my images butchered despite having the size right. Added the extra bleed and problem solved. Thanks again!

    1. You’re very welcome Erica. Thanks for the feedback.

  21. Thank you! I searched all over looking for the correct size, and tried resizing my header image over and over again. Your dimensions were my sixth attempt. SUCCESS!

  22. Yes thanks FB. All those brilliant minds with not a clue about customer service or design. I didn’t have to worry about uploading photos. I could slide them around until I was happy. With the simple addition of css declaration height: 100%; they’ve buggered the layout with the observed result of stretching the image. And removed the edit option of repositioning the image for added aggravation.

  23. Marina Teramond avatar
    Marina Teramond

    When I register in some social networks it is always a big problem for me to select the right size for my photo, especially when it applies to Facebook. I don’t know why but this social network has always been the most complicated in use for me and its functionality has always been intricate. It is so great that I came across this article because I have an informative group on Facebook and I didn’t know that it changed the size of Group Header cover photo. I couldn’t understand why my header image looks so strange and not harmonious. It has annoyed me so much that the image is draggable. Thank you very much for your recommendations and the right steps to set the correct size. I thought that I would not figure it out.

  24. Stephanie Flach avatar
    Stephanie Flach

    THANK YOU for the updated information! I just created a graphic for my fb group header, and it was PERFECT for a personal group, but for my group that’s linked to my business page, I had to create a 38 pixel margin for the header strip that fb places across the bottom.

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