Ebook Cover Dimensions: All Platforms
Your cover is your book's most important marketing asset. Get the technical specifications wrong and your cover displays blurry, cropped, or distorted across retailer platforms. This guide covers exact dimensions, aspect ratios, and file format requirements for every major ebook and print-on-demand platform.
Launch with Reviews →Cover Specs by Platform
| Platform | Minimum | Ideal | Ratio | Format | Max Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon KDP | 1000 × 625 px | 2560 × 1600 px | 1.6:1 | JPEG or TIFF | 50 MB |
| Apple Books | 1400 × 1050 px | 2400 × 1600 px | 1.5:1 | JPEG or PNG | 4 MB |
| Kobo | 750 × 500 px | 2560 × 1600 px | 1.6:1 | JPEG | 5 MB |
| Barnes & Noble Press | 750 px wide | 2560 × 1600 px | 1.6:1 | JPEG or PNG | 5 MB |
| Draft2Digital | 1400 × 875 px | 2560 × 1600 px | 1.6:1 | JPEG or PNG | 10 MB |
| IngramSpark (print wrap) | Trim-specific | 300 DPI at trim size | Per trim + spine | PDF (press-quality) | N/A |
Cover Design Principles for Thumbnail Performance
Large, legible title text
Test at 150px wide — if the title is unreadable, resize the font. Most covers fail at thumbnail because the title was designed for print-size viewing.
Single dominant image
Busy covers lose impact at small sizes. One strong image element (figure, face, object) reads clearly at thumbnail. Multiple competing elements become visual noise.
High contrast
Low-contrast covers disappear on retailer pages. Strong contrast between text and background, between subject and backdrop, ensures readability across device displays.
Genre signaling
Readers browse covers to identify genre at a glance. Your cover should communicate genre in under one second — color palette, typography, and imagery all signal expected content.
Great Cover + Great Reviews = Great Launch
Your cover gets the click. Your reviews close the sale. iWrity connects your book with genre-matched ARC readers who write the reviews that convert.
Start ARC Campaign →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ideal ebook cover size for Amazon KDP?+
Amazon KDP recommends 2560 × 1600 pixels minimum, with the ideal aspect ratio of 1.6:1 (height to width). For best results, use 2560 × 1600 px or higher (up to 10,000 px on the longest side). File format: JPEG or TIFF. File size: maximum 50 MB. The 1.6:1 aspect ratio (6×9 inches) is the standard book cover proportion — use this as your base regardless of platform.
Does one cover size work for all platforms?+
A single 2560 × 1600 px JPEG at 1.6:1 aspect ratio works for Amazon KDP, Kobo, and most other platforms. Apple Books prefers 2400 × 1600 (1.5:1). Barnes & Noble Press accepts the same as KDP. For print covers, you'll need a separate wrap file with spine and back cover at the specific trim size — ebook covers are front-only.
What file format should my ebook cover be?+
JPEG (JPG) is the universal standard for ebook covers across all platforms. Use maximum quality JPEG — high compression produces visible artifacts on retailer thumbnail displays. PNG is accepted on some platforms and preserves quality better, but creates larger files. Avoid TIFF for standard ebook distribution (some platforms don't accept it). Never upload a BMP or GIF.
Why does my cover look blurry on Amazon?+
Cover blurriness on Amazon is almost always caused by: (1) uploading at minimum required size rather than optimal size — use 2560 × 1600 px at minimum, ideally 3200 × 2000 px, (2) heavy JPEG compression before upload — let Amazon's servers handle compression, (3) uploading through an aggregator that compresses your file before sending to Amazon. Upload directly to KDP with a high-resolution, minimally compressed JPEG.
What makes an ebook cover effective at thumbnail size?+
Amazon displays covers primarily as thumbnails (roughly 100 × 160 px in search results). Effective thumbnail covers: large, legible title text, single dominant image (not busy or cluttered), high contrast, and clear genre signaling. Test your cover scaled to 150px wide — if you can't read the title and identify the genre, the cover needs revision. Most cover design failures are invisible at full size but fatal at thumbnail.
Do I need separate covers for print and ebook?+
Yes. Ebook covers are front-only JPEG files. Print covers include front, spine, and back cover in a single flat PDF or TIFF file sized exactly to your trim dimensions plus bleed. Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, and Lulu all provide cover calculators that generate the exact print cover template once you enter your trim size, paper type, and page count.