A Canvas is the short looping video that plays behind your song in Spotify’s Now Playing view — and it’s a free, easy way to make your tracks more engaging and more shareable. Here’s what it is, the exact specs, and how to add one.
What a Canvas is
A Canvas is a short, looping visual that replaces your static cover art on the mobile app while your song plays. Spotify calls it “album artwork for the streaming age.” Tracks with a Canvas tend to get more saves, playlist adds and shares — and when a fan shares your song to Instagram, Facebook or Snapchat Stories, the Canvas goes with it.
Canvas specs (the requirements)
These are strict — miss one and the upload fails:
- Length: 3 to 8 seconds
- Aspect ratio: 9:16 (vertical)
- Resolution: 1080 × 1920 (anything from 720px to 1080px tall works)
- Format: MP4 (a JPG also works for a static frame)
How to add one
- Log in to Spotify for Artists (desktop or mobile app).
- Go to Music and select your track.
- Click Add Canvas and upload your file.
- Trim to length if needed, preview, and publish.
It’s free, and your Canvas can go live within about 24 hours. You can change or remove it anytime without affecting your play count.
Tips for a good Canvas
Keep important visuals centred so phone edges don’t cut them off, avoid text, logos or URLs (Spotify may reject them), and skip footage of singing or talking since the loop isn’t synced to the audio. Aim for a clean, seamless loop — test it by watching it repeat several times.
Quick FAQ
- Does every track need its own Canvas? You can use one per track; a unique Canvas per single gives each release its own identity.
- Is Canvas free? Yes — it’s available to every artist with a Spotify for Artists account.
