The right Medium image export depends on the role: featured image, in-story visual, publication background, avatar, chart, screenshot, diagram, GIF, or social preview.
There is no single official Medium featured image size that solves every preview. Medium gives editor requirements and publication guidance, while story cards can vary by surface. Start with the image role, choose JPG or PNG based on the visual content, keep a source file separate from the upload copy, and preview the story or publication before publishing.
Start With Image Role, Not A Magic Pixel Size
A Medium story cover and a publication avatar are not interchangeable. A story cover is judged in the feed and social preview. An inline screenshot is judged inside the article body. A publication background image is judged as a wide header. A promo image is judged in a compact homepage block. If you export one file for all of these roles, at least one surface will usually suffer.
Medium-Supported Formats And Editor Notes
Medium's image help currently lists JPG, JPEG, GIF, and PNG uploads up to 25 MB. It also notes that images need to be at least 1192px wide for all story placement options to appear. Treat those as editor and placement facts, not as a guarantee that one file will look right as a story cover, chart, screenshot, and publication header.
JPG or JPEG
Use JPG/JPEG for editorial photos, photographic story covers, abstract visuals, rich illustrations, and lifestyle-style images where smooth color and smaller weight matter. Avoid repeated saves that soften detail.
PNG
Use PNG for screenshots, charts, UI captures, diagrams, typography-heavy graphics, flat illustrations, and publication marks that need crisp edges or transparency. PNG can be heavier than JPG for photos, so do not use it for every image by habit.
GIF
Use GIF only when motion clarifies something: a short UI sequence, a before/after transformation, or a tiny animated explanation. If the GIF is decorative, heavy or distracting, a still image may respect the reader better.
WebP
WebP can be useful for websites, but Medium's current image help emphasizes JPG, JPEG, GIF, and PNG for story uploads. When publishing directly on Medium, use the formats Medium documents and preview the result in the editor.
Medium Image Role Export Table
| Medium image role | Suggested export logic | Best format logic | Cropping risk | What to preview |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Story featured image | Use a clear first image already added to the post; leave safe space around the subject. | JPG for photographic covers; PNG for graphic covers with sharp text or flat shapes. | High, because previews and social cards can crop differently. | Featured image picker, focal point, title, subtitle, and preview card. |
| In-story supporting image | Export for reading width, not just maximum size. | JPG for photos; PNG for diagrams, UI, and text-heavy graphics. | Low to medium, depending on placement. | Desktop and mobile story body near the related paragraph. |
| Publication background/header image | Prepare a wide identity image; Medium recommends at least 1500px wide and an ideal 8:1 ratio. | JPG for photographic or textured headers; PNG for simple graphics where crisp edges matter. | High, because the header is panoramic. | Publication homepage header, focal point, and important edge details. |
| Publication avatar/logo | Use a simple mark that survives small display. | PNG for sharp logos or transparency; JPG for simple photo-style marks. | Medium, because tiny details disappear. | Small preview, homepage identity, and contrast. |
| Chart or diagram | Crop to the useful idea and make labels readable before upload. | PNG is usually safer for text, lines, and flat color. | Medium, especially in mobile view. | Label readability and nearby explanatory text. |
| Screenshot or interface sample | Remove private data, crop to the relevant area, and avoid showing a whole dashboard when one panel is enough. | PNG is usually safer for UI edges and small text. | Medium, because details shrink quickly. | Mobile readability, privacy masking, and caption context. |
| Social preview image | Use the same honest story promise as the featured image and avoid text near edges. | Match the source: JPG for photo, PNG for graphic. | High, because external platforms may crop or cache cards. | Medium publish preview and external card refresh after final edits. |
Featured-image crop-safe planning
Place the story subject in a safe central region with room around it. Faces, objects, chart labels and title-like text should not sit on the card edge. Set a focal point after selecting the image as featured, but design the image so the focal point has room to work.
Publication Assets Are Separate Decisions
Medium publication settings require a name, description and avatar. The description has a 280-character maximum and appears in search results and publication previews. The publication avatar appears in multiple small and medium contexts, so it should be recognizable without tiny details.
The publication background image is a separate homepage header asset, not a story cover. Medium recommends at least 1500px wide with an 8:1 aspect ratio and supports focal-point adjustment. Publication homepage sections can use grid, stream and list display modes, and a section can show up to 25 stories. Promo images are their own compact assets and should not be treated as full story covers.
Choose The Role Before Exporting
- Story featured image: represents the title and subtitle in previews.
- In-story supporting image: explains a point inside the article body.
- Publication background/header image: supports publication identity with a wide composition.
- Publication avatar/logo: works as a simple recognizable mark.
- Chart or diagram: communicates a process or data point with readable labels.
- Screenshot or interface sample: shows a cropped, privacy-safe example.
- Social preview image: makes the same honest promise outside Medium.
Keep Source Files Separate From Medium Upload Copies
Keep the original photo, chart, screenshot, illustration, or design file in a source folder. Export a separate Medium delivery copy for each role. This protects you when a publication editor asks for a wider cover, when a screenshot needs private data removed, or when a chart needs a PNG export with sharper labels.
Compression should happen after the role, crop, and format are clear. Over-compression can damage typography, chart labels, dashboard text, screenshots, diagrams, and flat illustrations. A lighter file is useful only when the reader can still understand the image.
Alt Text And Image Context
Medium lets writers add alt text to images. Write alt text that explains what the image contributes to the story, not a pile of keywords. A nearby sentence or caption should also give the reader enough context to understand why the visual is there, especially for charts, diagrams, screenshots, and AI-generated images.
Where to go next
FAQs About Medium Image Sizes and Formats
Use JPG for most photos and photographic covers. Use PNG for screenshots, charts, UI captures, diagrams, typography-heavy graphics, flat illustrations, and crisp-edged publication assets.
Medium recommends a publication homepage background image at least 1500px wide with an ideal 8:1 aspect ratio.
Medium documents editor and placement requirements, but story featured image crops can vary by preview surface. Use a wide, clear image, set the focal point, and preview before publishing.
Use PNG when crisp edges matter: screenshots, charts, diagrams, UI samples, transparent marks, flat graphics, and images with readable labels.
Yes. Keep the original file untouched, then export role-specific delivery copies for the story cover, in-story image, publication header, avatar, screenshot, chart, or social preview.
