Podcast Pre-Launch Checklist

Podcast Cover Art Validator

Upload your podcast artwork for an instant pre-flight check against Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Amazon Music specs - then preview exactly how it looks in the wild.

Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music 100% Private Squint Test
Drop your podcast cover art here
PNG or JPEG Square recommended Max 10MB Never uploaded to any server

Apple Podcasts Cover Art Requirements 2026

Apple Podcasts is the strictest platform when it comes to cover art. Failing any single requirement results in your entire podcast being rejected - often without a clear error message from Apple Connect:

Requirement Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music
Minimum Size 1400 × 1400 px 1400 × 1400 px 1400 × 1400 px
Maximum Size 3000 × 3000 px No hard limit 3000 × 3000 px
Shape Square (1:1) Square (1:1) Square (1:1)
File Size Limit 500 KB ~10 MB 500 KB
Color Space RGB only RGB only RGB only
Accepted Formats JPEG, PNG JPEG, PNG JPEG, PNG
DPI 72 DPI recommended Any 72 DPI recommended

5 Reasons Your Podcast Art Gets Rejected by Apple (2026)

01

File size over 500KB

This is the #1 silent killer. Apple doesn't always tell you which requirement failed - it just rejects the submission. Most creators export a "high quality" JPEG and don't realize it's 800KB.

02

Not a perfect square

If your image is 3000×2998px, it fails. Even 2 pixels off causes rejection. Always constrain aspect ratio in your design tool before exporting.

03

Dimensions below 1400px

Apple raised the minimum from 1400px to 3000px (recommended). Images below 1400×1400px are strictly rejected. Many older tutorials still show the old 1400px minimum - the recommended size is now 3000px.

04

CMYK color space

If you used a print design template, it may have exported in CMYK. Apple requires RGB. Always check your export settings in Photoshop or Illustrator.

05

Unreadable artwork at small sizes

Apple does a human review and may reject art that looks unprofessional at 64px. Use our Squint Test to check if your show name is still legible when the image is tiny.

The "Crowded Shelf" Problem: Designing for Mobile First

Most podcasters design their artwork on a large monitor at full size. But on a phone, your cover art is displayed as small as 64px × 64px on the Spotify shelf or Apple's Browse section. Use our previewer above to see exactly how your art competes on a real mobile device screen, surrounded by other podcasts.

Design tip: The best podcast covers use a bold, single graphic element (face, logo, or icon) that is instantly recognizable at 64px, with no more than 3 words of text. Avoid fine details, complex backgrounds, or more than two colors.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why validate my podcast feed?

Invalid RSS feeds cause episodes to not appear in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Google Podcasts. Validation catches issues before listeners are affected.

What does the validator check?

Required tags (title, description, artwork), episode formatting, enclosure URLs, iTunes categories, and common XML errors.

My podcast isn't showing on Spotify - help?

Usually caused by missing required tags or invalid artwork dimensions. Paste your RSS URL here and we'll identify the exact issues.