How to Prepare 3000x3000 Album Cover Art for Spotify, Apple Music and DistroKid

Author : Shasha Lee | Published On : 18 Sep 2026

Square artwork is the first thing listeners see, and every major music platform has its own technical requirements. If your cover art is the wrong size, distributors can reject the release or display it poorly. This guide explains what each platform asks for and how to prepare an exact 3000x3000 image that passes review.

What each platform requires

Spotify: cover art must be a 1:1 square between 640 and 10,000 pixels per side. A 3000x3000 image sits comfortably in that range, which is why it is the most commonly recommended size. Spotify asks for JPG or PNG files and advises against upscaling small images, because enlarging cannot restore missing detail.

Apple Music: Apple Music for Artists currently lists square artwork of at least 4000x4000 pixels in JPG, PNG or GIF format. Check the latest guideline before you export, because published minimums have changed over time.

DistroKid: this distributor recommends 3000x3000 square artwork with a minimum of 1000x1000 pixels, delivered as JPG in RGB color. It also flags artwork that contains URLs, QR codes, prices or streaming-service logos, so keep the design clean.

Why 3000x3000 is the practical choice

For most distributors a 3000x3000 pixel square is either required or comfortably above the minimum. Starting from a larger original photo or design, rather than upscaling a small file, keeps the artwork sharp on every screen from a phone thumbnail to a poster print.

How to prepare the image

Start with the largest version of your artwork you have. Crop it to a perfect square instead of stretching it, so faces and text do not distort. Resize the square to exactly 3000x3000 pixels and export as JPG when the platform requires RGB JPG files, or PNG when you want lossless quality. Finish by checking the file at thumbnail size: text should stay readable and the corners should be square.

If you want a quick browser-based option, 3000 Converter is a free tool that converts any JPG, PNG or WebP file to exactly 3000x3000 pixels. You upload an image, adjust the crop or fit, preview the square result and download a JPG or PNG without a watermark or account. Processing runs locally in the browser, so the artwork is never uploaded to a server.

Final checklist before you upload

Exact square dimensions for your target platform, the file format your distributor requires, RGB color, no URLs, QR codes, prices or platform logos in the artwork, and readable text at thumbnail size. Preparing cover art to the right size takes a few minutes and prevents the most common reason distributors reject a release. Always check each platform's official guidelines before your final export, since requirements can change.