If you’re an artist on SoundCloud, you need a profile that reflects that. One of the best ways to make your profile stand out is to have a relevant profile picture. However, to get the best results, you need to follow the recommended SoundCloud profile picture size.
It’s true that SoundCloud is all about the music, but people tend to follow the artist if they like the music. And, as an artist, you’ll want to do everything right to maximize your brand.
There’s a lot of potential in having a great profile picture, from personal branding to subconscious attraction.
In this article, we’ll go over the recommended SoundCloud profile picture size, along with how you can upload and design one.
Let’s dive right in.
Table of Contents
What’s the Recommended SoundCloud Profile Picture Size?
The ideal SoundCloud profile picture size is 1000 x 1000 pixels, with an aspect ratio of 1:1. The image should be either in JPG/JPEG or PNG format.
This is the optimal resolution, according to the SoundCloud header and profile photo standards.
The site has an image file size limit of 2MB. This is still enough to feature high-quality images on both the display picture section and the header.
Additional SoundCloud Picture Sizes You Should Know About
Aside from the profile picture, there are some additional images that you can adjust, in terms of size.
SoundCloud Banner Size
Also called the profile header image, the banner is the largest image on the SoundCloud profile page. It acts as a large visual indicator of what the profile is about.
The optimal banner dimensions are 2480 x 520 pixels, at an aspect ratio of 4:77.
Just like the profile picture, the maximum banner image size is 2MB.
The recommended SoundCloud banner size is necessary to stick to since that will allow you to zoom in and adjust the image how you like it.
Having the right banner image is important because it gives you some valuable real estate to advertise yourself. You can put concert dates or podcast schedules in it, and they’re guaranteed to be visible to people who visit your profile.
SoundCloud Cover Art Size
Having visually engaging album cover art is just as important as having a great profile picture or banner. This is because each cover image is the equivalent of the CD covers that we often used to base our purchasing decisions on!
The ideal SoundCloud album art image dimensions should be at least 800 x 800 pixels, at an aspect ratio similar to the profile picture, at 1:1.
If you’re the host of a podcast, create an ad-type image with the relevant details of the show in it. Using that as the ‘album’ cover will inform the audience about the show and likely build a following is the image is shareable.
Why Do I Need a SoundCloud Profile Picture?
A profile picture is like an ID for your SoundCloud account. If you share your profile on social media, your profile picture acts as a visual representation of your personality and what your art is about.
According to one study, audiences remember 65% of visual content up to three days after seeing it for the first time.
Consider this – if someone sees an awesome picture on your music or podcast profile on SoundCloud, they’re likely to come back to it because of more than just your content.
On top of that, having a picture, and that too a good picture, builds confidence with an audience.
It shows people that you are serious about your content, put effort into everything you do, and don’t cut any corners when it comes to your art. This is valuable for any audience, let alone one that could be buying your music or subscribing to your podcast sometime in the future.
How Can I Design My SoundCloud Profile Picture?
Having custom images on your profile is ideal. However, not everyone has the skill to design custom photos according to the recommended display picture, album art, and header size guide
Luckily, online graphic design tools such as Pixelied have an array of SoundCloud banner templates and other pre-adjusted specs for any visual content you may want to put up on your profile.
Here’s a complete guide on how you can change your SoundCloud profile picture with Pixelied.
Step One – Open Pixelied’s Editor and Set Your Dimensions
Open up Pixelied’s easy-to-use editor and set the aforementioned dimensions.
The Pixelied editor gives you a wide range of size and aspect ratio variations to play with. You can basically size it however you want, although it’s advised to always stick with the recommended sizes.
Step Two – Add Your Elements and Start Designing Your SoundCloud Profile Picture
Adjust the photo composition, add elements to it, modify the colors, and superimpose different pictures on each other.
There are thousands of different elements you can choose from. These include pictures, vector drawings, shapes, stick figures, 2D characters, and much more.
Step Three – Download Your New SoundCloud Profile Picture
Once you’re done creating your image, you can download it by clicking on the ‘Download‘ button on the top-right corner of the editor.
Pixelied gives you the option of downloading your image in various formats, including the recommended JPG/JPEG and PNG. We would recommend going with JPG since it’s the more well-supported format.
However, if you want more lossless compression of images, PNG is the way to go. Since SoundCloud supports both formats, it’s really up to you which one you prefer.
How Can I Upload My SoundCloud Profile Picture?
Here’s a step-by-step guide to uploading your SoundCloud profile picture on a PC.
- Step One: Visit SoundCloud and Sign In to your account.
- Step Two: On the navigation bar at the top, click on your profile picture and select Profile.
Do make sure you’ve followed all the relevant dimensions and size requirements.
- Step Three: Hover on the profile image section and click on Update Image. Doing this will open a window for uploading available files from your computer.
- Step Four: Choose the correct image from your computer, then double-click on the image or click Open. Please note that the image will automatically crop to the circular display picture frame.
- Step Six: Click Save Changes and wait for your image to appear on the left.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to uploading your profile picture on iOS.
- Step One: Open the SoundCloud app on your iOS device
- Step Two: Go to your library/collection. It will look like three books on a shelf.
- Step Three: On the top right corner, find the three dots and click on them. Then, click on Your Profile.
- Step Four: Tap on the pencil icon that says Edit.
- Step Six: Tap on your profile display picture. A window will open up with the available pictures on your device.
- Step Seven: Tap on Save. The image will automatically crop to a circular shape.
The process for uploading a profile picture on an Android device is similar to how you do it on a desktop.
Tips on Designing a Great SoundCloud Profile Picture
Your profile picture design will be a part of what brings people to you. Knowing that it makes sense to put some time and effort into designing it.
Here are some tips on designing a great SoundCloud display picture:
- Design according to how your music or content sounds. If you make RnB music, add softer color tones and elements to your picture. If your music hits harder, use sharp contrast and energetic elements to the image. Craft all visual items according to your art style.
- In case you already have content on other platforms, keep your SoundCloud profile picture the same as on other media. Having a uniform presence across all media helps create a uniform image in the mind of audiences. This will prevent them from getting distracted from your content.
- Keep it as simple as you can. Too many graphic elements on an image make a picture messy and chaotic.
- Try to start with a professionally shot photo. You may be tempted to go on board with a smartphone photo since that will save money. However, a professional photo will usually come photoshopped so you probably won’t have to spend much time adding your personal flair to it.
In addition to these, try to compose the photo in such a way that you don’t have to crop any important elements while uploading the photo. This is especially important with the profile picture since it gets cropped by the round picture frame on the SoundCloud profile page.
Final Thoughts
SoundCloud is one of the best platforms for audio content creators. It’s already set up for people to express their creativity so it only makes sense for you to put some of that creativity in the images on your profile, in particular, your profile picture.
Pixelied has you covered on that front with their range of templates specifically designed for the SoundCloud platform. Since they already follow the SoundCloud profile picture size requirements, all you need to do is make your design. With Pixelied, you’re never short of options with regards to SoundCloud profile image size and design.
