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The Ultimate Twitch Offline Banner and Panels Checklist (2025)

June 21, 2026 · 7 min read

Your Twitch channel works for you 24/7 — even when you're asleep, at work, or offline. The offline banner and panels are the first things a new visitor sees. If they're missing, broken, or low-effort, you lose the click before you ever get the chance to stream.

This is the complete Twitch offline banner and panels checklist. Every size, every layout decision, every fix that separates a pro channel from an abandoned one.

What Is a Twitch Offline Banner? (And Why It Matters)

The offline banner is the large image that fills your stream window when you're not live. It's the billboard of your channel. A good one tells a visitor:

  • Who you are
  • What you stream
  • When to come back
  • That you take your channel seriously

A bad one (or none at all) says the exact opposite.

Twitch Offline Banner Size: Get This Right First

Twitch recommends an offline banner size of 1920 x 1080 pixels. That's standard 16:9, same as your stream resolution.

Here's what happens if you get it wrong:

  • Too small → Twitch stretches it, and it looks blurry or pixelated.
  • Wrong aspect ratio → You get awkward black bars (letterboxing) on the sides.
  • Too much detail in the center → The Twitch UI overlays (follow button, tabs) will cover your text.

Pro tip: Keep all critical text and logos in the "safe zone" — roughly the center 1200 x 600 pixel area. Twitch's interface covers the bottom 100-150 pixels and the right side where the chat would be.

Offline Banner Design Checklist

  • Resolution is exactly 1920 x 1080
  • File is under 10 MB (PNG or JPG)
  • Text is readable at thumbnail size (test it!)
  • Your brand colors match your overlays and panels
  • Includes your stream schedule or "Next Stream" info
  • Links to your socials or Discord (via text, not clickable)
  • No crucial info in the bottom 150px or far right edge

Twitch Panels Checklist: The Complete Layout

Panels are the boxes below your stream window. They're where viewers learn about you, follow your socials, donate, and decide if they're staying.

Panel Image Sizes (Don't Guess)

Every panel image should be 320 x 160 pixels for standard panels, or 320 x 240 pixels for taller panels with more text.

Twitch panel size rules:

Element Size Format
Panel image 320 x 160 px (or 320 x 240) PNG or JPG
Panel image file size Under 1 MB each —
Emote/icon inside panel 28 x 28 px recommended PNG with transparency

Common mistake: Uploading a 1920 x 1080 image as a panel. Twitch will squash it down and it'll look like garbage. Export at exactly 320 x 160.

The 9 Panels Every Pro Channel Has

Order matters. Viewers scan top-to-bottom, left-to-right. Here's the proven panel layout:

  1. About Me / Bio — 2-3 sentences. Who you are, what you play, your vibe. Keep it human.
  2. Schedule — Days and times in your timezone. "Streaming Tues/Thurs/Sat 7-10 PM EST" is better than "variety streamer idk lol."
  3. Rules — Keep it short. 3-5 rules max. No one reads a novel.
  4. Social Links — Discord, Twitter/X, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram. Use branded icons.
  5. Donations / Tips — Only if you accept them. Link to Ko-fi, Streamlabs, etc.
  6. Wishlist / Throne — Optional, but common for mid-size streamers.
  7. PC Specs / Setup — Gamers love this. Keep it brief: CPU, GPU, mic, cam.
  8. Chat Commands / FAQ — !discord, !socials, !setup. Saves you typing the same thing 50 times a stream.
  9. Brand / Credits — Who made your overlays, your editor, your music. Gives credit and looks professional.

Twitch Panels Layout Best Practices

  • Keep it to 2 columns max. Three columns look cluttered on mobile.
  • Use consistent panel art. Same font, same color palette, same corner rounding. Mixing a rounded rectangle panel next to a circle panel next to a hexagon panel looks chaotic.
  • Link panels open in new tabs. When you add a link in a panel description, check "Open in new tab." You don't want them navigating away from your channel entirely.
  • Don't use ALL CAPS text. It reads like shouting. Normal sentence case is more welcoming.

Twitch About Section: Text That Converts

The text below each panel image is just as important as the image itself. You get a few hundred characters — use them.

About Me Panel Text Template

Hey, I'm [name]. I stream [games/category] [days] at [time] [timezone].

I'm all about [vibe — competitive? chill? chaotic? funny?]. Expect [specific thing: bad singing, clutch wins, community chats, lore deep dives].

New here? Say hi in chat — I reply to every message during stream.

[Optional: fun fact about yourself]

Don't write: "I'm a variety streamer who likes games" — that describes 4 million people. Do write: "I main horror games and scream at jump scares like it's my first time every time."

Schedule Panel Text Template

🔴 LIVE: [Days] at [Time] [Timezone]
📅 Special streams announced in Discord

All times are approximate — follow me on [social] for last-minute changes.

Rules Panel (Keep It Positive)

Frame rules as what you do want, not what you don't.

1. Be chill — this is a positive space
2. No hate speech, racism, or harassment — instant ban
3. No backseat gaming unless I ask
4. Self-promo in chat only with permission
5. Have fun and use those emotes

Common Offline Banner and Panel Mistakes (Fix These Today)

1. Default Twitch Panels

If you haven't customized your panels at all, Twitch shows generic gray boxes with default text. That's the streaming equivalent of a "Coming Soon" sign on a closed restaurant. Fix it in 20 minutes.

2. Broken Image Links

Panels that show the little broken image icon are worse than no panel at all. It screams "I gave up." Double-check every link after you save.

3. Missing Offline Banner

A black screen when you're offline is a missed opportunity. Even a simple banner with your logo and schedule is better than nothing.

4. Outdated Schedule

An offline banner that says "Streaming every Monday!" but you haven't streamed in 3 months erodes trust. Update it or remove the schedule entirely.

5. No Mobile Check

Open your channel on a phone. If your offline banner text is cut off or your panels are a single endless column, fix the layout. Over half of Twitch browsing happens on mobile.

How to Make Your Offline Banner and Panels (Even If You Can't Design)

You don't need Photoshop or a graphic design degree.

  • Canva — Free. Search "Twitch offline banner" or "Twitch panel" templates. Resize tool works perfectly for 1920x1080 banners and 320x160 panels.
  • PlaceIt — Mockup-style banners if you want a "lifestyle" look.
  • Fiverr — $10-20 gets you a matching banner + panel set from a designer who knows Twitch specs.
  • StreamElements / Streamlabs — Free panel templates built into their dashboard.

The bare minimum: A Canva template with your name, colors, and schedule. That already puts you ahead of 60% of small streamers.

When to Update Your Offline Banner and Panels

  • Seasonal events — Spooky theme for October? Festive for December? Easy swap.
  • Game switches — If you permanently move from Valorant to variety, update the banner.
  • Brand refresh — New logo? New colors? Update everything at once.
  • Every 3-6 months — Even if nothing changes, a refresh signals active management.

Bringing It All Together: The Complete Twitch Channel Audit

Walk through your channel right now with this checklist:

Offline Banner:

  • 1920 x 1080 resolution
  • Text readable at small sizes
  • Brand colors match overlays
  • Schedule or next stream info included
  • No important content in UI overlap zones

Panels:

  • All 320 x 160 (or 320 x 240)
  • Consistent art style across all panels
  • 2-column layout max
  • Links open in new tabs
  • No broken image icons
  • About Me, Schedule, Rules, Socials, and at least 3 more

About Section Text:

  • Specific, not generic
  • Includes timezone on schedule
  • Rules are positive and short
  • No typos (read it out loud)

Your offline banner and panels are the handshake your channel gives every new visitor. Make it count.

For a deeper look at how your full channel comes together — overlays, alerts, scene setup, and discoverability — check out our guides on how to make your Twitch stream look professional and the complete stream scene setup checklist for beginners. And if you're still dialing in your panels text, the Twitch panels and about section best practices guide covers the exact copywriting fixes that convert lurkers into followers.

Not sure if your channel is missing something obvious? Run through every element of your stream — overlays, panels, audio, lighting, discoverability — in under 2 minutes. Get your free Streamlint audit and see the exact fixes that will make your channel look and perform like a pro stream.

small and mid-size Twitch streamers who want their channel to look and perform more professionally.

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