Quick answer: export podcast cover art at 3000×3000 pixels square, RGB, as JPG or PNG. Apple Podcasts accepts RSS artwork from 1400×1400 up to 3000×3000 and prefers the largest. The design test is not the full-size file — it is the thumbnail at roughly 100 px where the title and subject must still read.

The Apple requirements

Apple's artwork guide is short and specific. The show cover is square at 3000×3000, and the same spec applies to episode artwork. If you submit via RSS, the accepted range is 1400×1400 to 3000×3000, with the largest size preferred. Files are JPG or PNG in RGB — the screen color space, not CMYK. Other directories (Spotify, Google Podcasts-era surfaces, Overcast) follow the same dimensions, so one file covers the network.

The size table

Asset Dimensions Ratio Notes
Show cover (recommended) 3000×3000 1:1 JPG/PNG, RGB
RSS minimum 1400×1400 1:1 Smallest Apple accepts
Episode art 3000×3000 1:1 Same range as show cover
In-app thumbnail ~100 px 1:1 The real legibility test
Now-playing large ~300–600 px 1:1 Lock screen and CarPlay
Color space RGB — CMYK rejected

Why most covers fail at thumbnail size

Podcast directories display the cover as a small square in lists and search results, and a cover that looks rich at 3000 px often collapses into a blur at 100 px. The rules that survive are blunt: one dominant subject, high contrast between subject and background, and the title kept to a few words at most. Fine linework, guest photos, and gradients with low contrast all disappear.

Test the design by shrinking it to 100 px before you upload. If you cannot read the title at that size, the cover is not finished.

Type and color

A single sans-serif or strong display face outperforms a mix of type styles, and the title should occupy no more than roughly a third of the frame so the subject has room. Apple's review also rejects covers that mimic the platform's UI or place small-print disclaimers, so keep the composition clean.

Cover art as a launch asset

A podcast is a product launch of its own: the cover is the image that appears in every directory, every share, and every embed. It pairs naturally with a 1200×630 OG image for the show's site and a 1080×1080 announcement graphic for the launch post. Neatico generates the cover-sized and feed-sized variants together from one description, so the directory art and the announcement graphics stay consistent.

Frequently asked questions

What size should podcast cover art be? 3000×3000 pixels square, RGB, JPG or PNG. Apple accepts 1400×1400 minimum via RSS but prefers the largest.

Can podcast cover art be PNG? Yes, JPG or PNG are both accepted. Use JPG for photographic covers to keep file size down; PNG for flat graphics with sharp type.

Why does my cover look blurry in Apple Podcasts? It is usually a contrast or type problem exposed at thumbnail size, not a resolution problem. Shrink the file to 100 px and check the title.

Do episode images need the same size? Yes, 3000×3000 with the same 1400 minimum. For the broader network, the social media image sizes hub has the full table.