A Canvas is a 3 to 8 second looping vertical visual at a 9:16 ratio that takes the place of your album art in the Now Playing view. People treat it like a short music video, but there is no sound and no room for a story.
Where it shows
- The Now Playing view on the Spotify mobile app, in place of the album cover
- Playlist and radio sessions wherever your track comes up in someone else's queue
- The preview panel in Spotify for Artists while you set the Canvas
The safe zone
The Now Playing view prints the track title, artist name and playback controls across the lower part of the screen, and the back arrow and context menu sit at the top, so the vertical middle is the only clear band. Faces and any type belong there. Spotify publishes a height range of 720 px to 1080 px alongside the 9:16 ratio rather than one exact pixel pair, which is why the pixel fields here are empty and the ratio is the rule to build against.
Quirks worth knowing
- Canvas is a video rather than an image, and it has to run 3 to 8 seconds, so an upload fails on duration before anyone judges the picture.
- The audio in your MP4 is ignored, and Spotify advises against footage of talking, singing or rapping because a clip this short cannot line up with the lyrics.
- Three loop styles are offered, a continuous loop, a hard cut with clear edit points, or a rebound that plays the clip forwards then reverses it, so the end of your clip is a deliberate choice.
- The published dimensions read as 720 px to 1080 px tall at a 9:16 ratio, which does not resolve into one exact pixel pair, so this record leaves the pixel fields empty rather than picking a number.
- It replaces the album artwork instead of sitting beside it, so a listener on the Now Playing screen never sees your cover while the track plays.
- JPG is accepted as well as MP4, so a still image can serve as a Canvas when motion is not worth the work.
Common mistakes
- Exporting a 15 second clip and expecting to trim it during upload, which is not an option.
- Letterboxing horizontal footage into the vertical frame, which puts black bars across the whole player screen.
- Printing the track title across the bottom of the clip, where Spotify already prints the real title and the controls.
- Choosing a hard cut that flashes every few seconds for the length of a three minute song.
What we recommend
- Cut one continuous motion of 3 to 8 seconds that returns to its own first frame.
- Hold the subject in the vertical middle, clear of the controls below and the menu above.
- Check the duration to the frame before uploading, since length is the most common reason a Canvas is refused.
- Choose the loop style on purpose, using rebound for motion that cannot loop cleanly on its own.
Common questions
Why won't my Spotify Canvas upload?
Length and dimensions are the usual culprits. Spotify requires 3 to 8 seconds at a vertical 9:16 ratio as an MP4 or JPG, and warns that an upload can fail if the length or size is even slightly off. Check the duration in your editor rather than trusting an export preset.
How long is a Spotify Canvas?
3 to 8 seconds. It loops for as long as the track plays, so a 4 second clip runs dozens of times during one song. Make something that survives repetition rather than something with a beginning and an end.
Does a Spotify Canvas have sound?
No, the listener hears your track and nothing from the clip. Spotify recommends footage without talking, singing or rapping, since a clip that short will never sync with the lyrics. Think of it as moving cover art.
Does Canvas replace my album cover?
In the Now Playing view, yes, the Canvas appears instead of the album artwork. Your cover still shows in search, in playlists and on the release page. The Canvas only takes over the full player screen on mobile.
More answers on thumbnail, carousel and cover questions are on the FAQ.