Cover art, size first
Album Cover Size Guide
What pixel size, ratio and format an album cover needs — and how the published requirements differ between Spotify, Apple Music and DistroKid. A 3000 × 3000 converter is built into this page below, with its output size stated up front.
Built-in tool
Export a 3000 × 3000 cover
The converter on this page always outputs exactly 3000 × 3000 pixels. That square fits Spotify’s published range and DistroKid’s ideal, but no single size matches every platform automatically — check the requirements table before you rely on it. Upload a cover image, crop or fit it, and download a JPG or PNG. Everything stays in your browser.
Converter
Make it exactly 3000 × 3000
Everything happens locally in your browser.
Platform requirements
Album cover size by platform
Each service publishes its own rules, and a distributor is not the same thing as a streaming platform. The entries below were checked on the official pages on October 14, 2026; re-open the sources before you deliver, since requirements can change.
Spotify cover art requirements
Spotify asks for square 1:1 artwork between 640 and 10000 pixels on each side, in TIFF, PNG or JPG. Its guidance asks for lossless encoding, the highest original resolution available, sRGB color and 24-bit depth, and advises against upscaling small images. A 3000 × 3000 export falls inside the size range; note that this tool’s JPG output is lossy, so a size match alone does not cover the encoding and color expectations. See Spotify’s official cover art requirements.
Apple Music cover art guidelines
Apple Music for Artists lists square artwork of at least 4000 × 4000 pixels, in JPG, PNG or GIF format. The 3000 × 3000 converter on this page sits below that published minimum, so prepare a larger master in your artwork editor for an Apple Music delivery and confirm the details with your distributor. See Apple Music’s official cover art guidelines.
DistroKid artwork requirements
DistroKid, a distributor rather than a streaming service, lists a 1000 × 1000 minimum and a square 3000 × 3000 ideal, with artwork uploaded as JPG in RGB color space. This page can export a 3000 × 3000 JPG, but the size and extension alone do not prove the color space or every upload check. Inspect the saved file before submitting. See DistroKid’s official artwork requirements.
For Spotify-specific preparation steps, see the Spotify album cover 3000x3000 page.
Read the numbers
Pixel size, file size and print size are different things
Pixels set the dimensions
A cover described as 3000x3000 is 3000 pixels wide and 3000 pixels high — a 1:1 square of nine megapixels. The ratio describes the shape; the pixel count describes the grid. Both numbers matter: a square that is only 1000 × 1000 has the right shape but a fraction of the pixels.
Bytes depend on format and content
Two covers with identical dimensions can differ widely in file size. JPG compresses photographs efficiently and offers a quality control; PNG is lossless and supports transparency at larger byte counts. Detailed artwork compresses differently from flat graphics, so check the actual saved file against any limit.
Print size depends on pixel density
Divide pixels by pixels per inch to estimate a print. At 300 PPI, a 3000 × 3000 cover spans exactly 10 × 10 inches; a 1000 × 1000 image spans about 3.3 inches on a side. The converter sets pixel dimensions and does not write DPI metadata into the file.
Check the cover before you deliver it
- Confirm the pixel dimensions in the saved file’s properties, not just in the preview.
- Open it at full size for soft text and compression artifacts, then check it as a small thumbnail.
- Match the format, color space and any file-size limit of the receiving service.
- Keep the high-resolution original so you can re-export at another size — for example a 4000 × 4000 master for Apple Music delivery.
Choosing between output sizes? The image size converter compares every square this site exports, or return to the 3000x3000 image converter homepage.
Common questions
Album cover size questions
What size should an album cover be?
Album covers are 1:1 squares, and music services publish different pixel requirements, so there is no single universal number. A 3000x3000 square is a common ideal for distributor submissions, while some platforms ask for larger masters. Check the requirements of the service receiving your release, and keep a high-resolution original so you can export more than one size.
Is 3000x3000 enough for every music platform?
No. 3000x3000 falls inside Spotify’s published range and matches DistroKid’s ideal, but Apple Music for Artists lists at least 4000x4000 pixels. Meeting one platform’s numbers does not settle another’s. Compare the platforms in the table above, then confirm on the official pages before delivery.
What format should album artwork be?
Use the format required by your delivery channel. Spotify lists TIFF, PNG and JPG; Apple Music lists JPG, PNG and GIF; DistroKid asks for JPG. Formats do not settle quality rules: Spotify asks for lossless encoding, sRGB color and high original resolution. A correct extension alone does not prove a file meets every requirement.
Why does this page say the converter cannot guarantee approval?
Dimensions are only one part of a submission. Encoding, color profile, content rules, artwork rights and file-size limits are checked by each service, and this tool changes dimensions and composition only. Export the right square here, then verify the saved file against the requirements of your delivery channel.
Can I make a Spotify Canvas with this tool?
No. Spotify Canvas is a separate looping visual asset with its own specifications, not a static square image. This page prepares still cover art only; check Spotify’s official Canvas documentation for that format.