Image sizing and scaling in SharePoint modern pages

Modern pages and web parts are designed to be fully responsive across devices, meaning that images used in web parts will scale differently depending on where they're shown, which layout is used, and the device on which they are being viewed. For example, modern pages are designed to look great on mobile devices, and automatic image scaling helps create that attractive experience.

Examples of pages across devices

What image sizes work best?

Because of the responsive page design, there's not a specific height or width in pixels that will ensure that an image will maintain a specific shape across devices and layouts. Images are resized and cropped automatically to show the best possible result across a variety of devices and layouts. However, there are some guidelines that can help you make sure your images look great on your pages.

Finding the best image sizes for your page depends on these factors:

  • Aspect ratio: the relationship between height and width of images

  • Column layout: the type and number of columns on your page

  • Web part layout: the layout you choose for the web part in which the image is being used

Aspect ratio

An aspect ratio is the relationship between width and height of images. It's usually expressed as two numbers, such as 3:2, 4:3, or 16:9. The width is always the first number. As an example, a ratio of 16:9 could be 1600 pixels in width by 900 pixels in height. Or, it could be 1920 x 1080, 1280 x 720, or any other width/height combinations that can be calculated to equal 16:9. You can find aspect ratio calculators online and in some photo editing tools to help you determine the aspect ratios of your images. 

Examples of 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratios.

In most cases, images in modern web parts work best across layouts and devices when they have an aspect ratio of either 16:9 or 4:3, depending on the layout.

Column layouts

A page can be laid out with sections that include different column types and layouts, such as full-width columns, one column, two columns, three columns, one-third left and one-third right columns. A general rule for images expected to fill the width of a column is that they be at least as wide as the column in which they're placed. For example, an image in an image web part in one column should be at least 1204 pixels wide.

Following are the width guidelines for each of the column layouts:

Layout

Width in pixels

Full-width column

1920

One column

1204

Two columns

586 per column

Three columns

380 per column

One-third left column

380 for left column; 792 for right column

One-third right column

792 for left column; 380 for right column

Because of the responsive nature of pages, images in full-width columns will always display at full-width of your screen with an automatic height based on screen size.

The height of images placed within other column layouts will depend on your aspect ratio. Here are height/width guidelines for 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratios (rounded up/down to the nearest pixel). This is helpful to keep your images at a width and height that scales appropriately for mobile devices, for example:

ASPECT RATIO

LAYOUT

16 x 9

Width x Height in pixels

4 x 3

Width x Height in pixels

One column

1204 x 677

1204 x 903

Two columns

586 x 330

586 x 439

Three columns

380 x 214

380 x 285

One-third left column

380 x 446 for left column; 792 x 446 for right column

380 x 594 for left column; 792 x 594 for right column

One-third right column

792 x 446 for left column; 380 x 446 for right column

792 x 594 for left column; 380 x 594 for right column

Web part layouts

The layouts in the web parts you use will also affect how your images scale. The following examples show different web parts and some of the options and aspect ratios you can use.

Hero web part

The following aspect ratios for Tiles and Layers layouts are:

  • Tiles: the height of the web part is scaled to follow an aspect ratio of 8:3, and images inside the web part scale to an aspect ratio of 4:3.

  • Layers: An individual layer scales to an aspect ratio of 8:3, and images inside each layer scale to an aspect ratio near 16:9.

  • On mobile devices, a Carousel layout is used at 16:9.

Here's an example of an image shown in the Layers layout (top) and Tiles layout (bottom):

Example of Hero web part images in Layers and Tiles layouts

Highlighted content web part

16:9 is the aspect ratio for Carousel, Filmstrip, and Grid layouts.

Here's an example of 16:9 aspect ratio. The first image shows the Filmstrip layout, and the second shows the Grid layout:

The Highlighted content web part using the Filmstrip layout.

The Highlighted content Grid layout with expanded photos displayed.

Image web part

Images will expand to the width of the section containing the web part. 

Here's an example of an image in the Image web part that uses the 16:9 aspect ratio.

An image in the Image web part using the Carousel 16:9 ratio.

You also have the option to change the aspect ratio or free-hand crop using the Image editing tool or use the resize handles to make your image bigger or smaller.

A photo open in the SharePoint editing tool.

Image gallery web part

The following aspect ratios can be used in different layouts:

  • The Brick and Carousel layouts respect the aspect ratios of all images: 16:9, 1:1, 4:3, and so on. 

  • The Grid layout allows three aspect ratios: 1:1 square, 16:9 wide, and 4:3 standard.

The first image shows the Brick layout in theImage gallery web part (keeping the 16:9 and 1:1 aspect ratios). The second image shows the Grid layout (using the 1:1 aspect ratio).

The Image gallery web part using the brick layout option.

The Image gallery web part using the grid layout option.

News web part

Depending on the layout, images in the News web part can be 4:3, 16:9, or 21:9.

Here's an example of images in a Top story and a Carousel layout:

News layouts image examples

Page title area

Images look best when they're landscape or 16:9 or greater in aspect ratio, and when they're at least 1 MB in size. Also, be sure to set a focal point to the keep the most important part of the picture in view, especially when the picture is used in thumbnails, news layouts, and search results.

Example (original image 16:9) with focal point set on the speaker:

Example of a 16:9 image in page title area.

Page thumbnail

Page thumbnails are shown in places like search results, highlighted content results, news posts, and more. By default, the thumbnail comes from the page title area or from the web part that's in the first order on the page (such as top left of a page layout). You can override the default and change the page thumbnail. When you do so, it's best to use an image with a 16:9 aspect ratio.

Example (original image 16:9):

Example of page thumbnail image in Highlighted content web part

Quick links web part

The Quick links web part has six different layouts. Here are the preset aspect ratios:

  • Compact, List, Tiles: 1:1, 4:3

  • Filmstrip, Grid, Button: 16:9

The first image shows the Compact layout in theQuick links web part. The second image shows the same Quick links web part using the Filmstrip layout.

The Quick links web part showing thumbnail images for links.

The Quick links web part showing the 16:9 ratio for images.

Tips: 

Site header image recommendations

In addition to pages, you might want to add custom logos or images in an extended layout. Here are size recommendations for those elements.

Element

Description

Recommendation

Width x Height in pixels

Site logo

Larger logo that can be non-square and transparent depending on the design uploaded.

192 x 64 

Format: PNG, JPEG, SVG (SVG isn't allowed on group-connected sites)

Site logo thumbnail

A square logo thumbnail that's used if no site logo is uploaded or in places that a square format is required.

This element is required.

64 x 64 

Format: PNG, JPEG, SVG (SVG isn't allowed on group-connected sites)

Extended layout site logo

The extended header layout has an extended site logo width.

300 x 64

Format: JPEG, PNG, SVG

Extended Layout background image

A new background image that can be used with the extended header.

2560 x 164

Format: JPEG, PNG

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