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Etsy Listing Photo Size
Etsy recommends listing photos of at least 2000 px on width and height, sets a 635 px floor on the first photo, and warns that files over 1 MB may not upload. Drop a photo below to check it against all three.
Etsy listing photo requirements
Every figure below is Etsy’s own published guidance, not a rule of thumb.
| Spec | Etsy’s figure | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Listing photo, recommended | 2000 px or more on width and height | Etsy's stated recommendation. It also gives buyers room to zoom. |
| First photo, minimum | 635 px on width and height | Below this, Etsy says the listing shows up lower in searches. |
| File size | Under 1 MB | Etsy warns that larger files may not finish uploading. |
| File types | .jpg, .gif, .png, .svg, .heic | No animated GIFs. Transparent PNGs render black on Etsy. |
| Colour profile | sRGB | Etsy converts to sRGB. CMYK files shift colour. |
| First photo shape | Landscape or square | Etsy asks for horizontal and says to avoid square crops. |
| Photos per listing | Up to 10 | The first one sets the shape for the rest. |
Etsy photos do not need to be 72 DPI
Plenty of guides list “72 PPI” as an Etsy requirement. Etsy’s own documentation does not mention PPI or DPI anywhere in its image rules, and for good reason: the DPI value stored in a file’s metadata has no effect on how a browser renders it. A 2000 x 2000 image is 2000 x 2000 on screen whether its metadata says 72, 300, or nothing at all.
DPI matters on the other side of the sale. It decides how large your buyer can print the file you deliver. If you sell digital downloads, that is the number to get right in the artwork, not in the listing photo. The print resolution checker covers that side.
Etsy thumbnail size, and why there is no single number
You never upload a thumbnail to Etsy. Etsy generates one from your first listing photo and then crops it three different ways depending on where it appears: square, portrait, and landscape. So the useful question is not “what size is the Etsy thumbnail” but “does my first photo survive all three crops”.
The practical answer is to shoot wider than you think you need, keep the product centred, and leave a margin on every side. Etsy’s listing thumbnail adjustment tool lets you preview each crop before publishing.
| First photo | Largest square crop | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 x 2000 (square) | 2000 px | Safe everywhere, but wastes width in landscape thumbnails. |
| 3000 x 2000 (3:2 landscape) | 2000 px | Recommended. Fills the landscape crop and still clears 2000 px square. |
| 2000 x 3000 (2:3 portrait) | 2000 px | Works, but the square and landscape crops cut the top and bottom. |
| 1200 x 1800 (2:3 portrait) | 1200 px | Uploads and clears the 635 px floor, but under Etsy's recommendation. |
The problem with selling portrait art on Etsy
Etsy tells sellers to make the first photo horizontal or square. Most art prints are portrait. If you photograph a 2:3 print flat against a wall, Etsy’s square and landscape thumbnail crops will cut the top and bottom off the artwork, which is exactly the part a shopper is trying to judge.
Rotating the print is not the answer. Showing it in a room is. A landscape photo of a portrait print hanging on a wall gives Etsy the horizontal frame it wants, keeps the whole artwork inside every crop, and answers the scale question at the same time. That is the single highest-leverage change most wall art sellers can make to a listing.
Build one in a couple of minutes
Upload your artwork, place it on a wall at the real print size, add a frame, and export a landscape room photo sized for an Etsy listing.
FAQ
What size should Etsy listing photos be?
Etsy recommends at least 2000 pixels on both width and height. Your first listing photo must be at least 635 pixels on width and height, or Etsy says the listing will show up lower in searches. Keep each file under 1 MB, because Etsy warns that larger files may not finish uploading.
What is the Etsy thumbnail size?
Etsy does not ask you to upload a separate thumbnail. It crops one from your first listing photo, and it shows that crop in square, portrait, and landscape shapes in different places across the site. The practical minimum is 635 pixels, the practical target is 2000 pixels, and the important part is leaving enough space around your product that all three crops still work.
Do Etsy photos need to be 72 DPI?
No. Etsy publishes no PPI or DPI requirement for listing photos, and the number stored in a file's metadata has no effect on how a screen displays it. Only the pixel dimensions matter. DPI matters when you print the artwork, not when you upload a photo of it.
Should my first Etsy photo be portrait or landscape?
Etsy recommends horizontal or square, and explicitly advises against square crops. That is awkward for art prints, which are usually portrait. The fix is not to rotate the print, it is to photograph or render it hanging on a wall, which gives you a naturally landscape image with the portrait print inside it.
Why is my Etsy photo upload failing?
The most common cause is file size. Etsy warns that images over 1 MB may not finish uploading, especially on a slower connection. Export as JPEG at quality 80 to 85 rather than reducing the pixel dimensions, so you stay above the 2000 pixel recommendation while getting under 1 MB.
Why does my transparent PNG look black on Etsy?
Etsy does not support transparency. Any transparent area of a PNG renders black. Flatten the image onto a white or coloured background before uploading.
Related tools and guides
- Print Resolution & DPI Checker
Check whether your artwork file is large enough to print at a given size.
- Image Cropper for Print
Crop to a standard print size in the browser, with a live sharpness estimate.
- How to Sell Art on Etsy
Niche, sizes, listing photos, titles, and pricing for an art shop.
- How Many Photos Should a Listing Have?
What each of Etsy's ten image slots should show.