Steam Capsule Sizes and Dimensions
Every dimension Steam asks you to upload, where each one renders, and what your capsule is actually judged on once Steam scales it down to thumbnail size.
TL;DR. Every size at a glance
| Capsule | Source size | Used on |
|---|---|---|
| Header | 920 × 430 | Store page hero, library, recommended |
| Small | 462 × 174 | Search, top sellers, browse, queues |
| Main | 1232 × 706 | Front page carousel, featured |
| Vertical | 748 × 896 | Homepage vertical promos, sale grids |
| Library Capsule | 600 × 900 | Library grid (installed games) |
| Library Hero | 3840 × 1240 | Library top strip |
| Library Logo | 1280 × 720 | Library hero overlay (PNG) |
| Page Background | 1438 × 810 | Store page background (optional) |
| Screenshots | 1920 × 1080 | Store page gallery (≥5 required) |
Steam scales the small capsule down to 184×69 and 120×45 for the home page rails. Those rendered sizes, not your source PNG, are what discoverability hangs on. Source the artwork for the smallest stress test, not the largest viewing context.
Store capsules: the four every game uploads
These are the four capsule sizes you upload through Steamworks and that surface across the public store. The header is what most players see first. The small capsule is what Steam scales down to thumbnail size and pipes through search, top-sellers, queues, and almost every browse page. The main and vertical capsules are reserved for sale pages and front-page promotions you may never get featured on, but you upload them anyway because Valve uses them automatically when surfaces open up.
| Capsule | Source size | Rendered size | Surfaces |
|---|---|---|---|
| Header Capsule | 920 × 430 | Up to full size on store page hero | Store page header, library, 'More Like This', Daily Deals |
| Small Capsule | 462 × 174 | 120 × 45 and 184 × 69 (auto-generated) | Search results, top sellers, new releases, browse pages, recommendation queues |
| Main Capsule | 1232 × 706 | Up to full size in featured carousel | Main store carousel, sale event hero, featured promotions |
| Vertical Capsule | 748 × 896 | Up to full size in vertical promotions | Homepage vertical promos, seasonal sale grids |
| Page Background | 1438 × 810 | Behind store page content (optional) | Store page background (auto-cropped on mobile) |
Asset rules and dimensions come from Steam's official Graphical Assets documentation. Dimensions are stable but Valve has tightened the rules twice in recent years (September 2022 and August 2024); check the source if you're shipping in 2027 or later.
Library assets: the four players see after they own you
Library capsules surface inside the Steam client once a player owns the game. Different surfaces, different aspect ratios, and a different design constraint. The library is portrait-grid heavy, where the store is landscape-rail heavy. The library logo is uploaded as a transparent PNG and overlaid on the library hero, so design those two together.
| Asset | Source size | Rendered size | Surfaces |
|---|---|---|---|
| Library Capsule | 600 × 900 | Up to full size in library grid | Steam library grid view (the player's installed games) |
| Library Hero | 3840 × 1240 | Top of selected-game view | Library hero strip when a game is selected |
| Library Logo | 1280 × 720 | Overlaid on library hero | Library hero overlay (transparent PNG required) |
| Client Icon | 32 × 32 | 32 × 32 | Windows taskbar, Mac dock, file association icon |
Screenshots and trailer: the after-the-click work
Once your capsule wins the click, screenshots and the trailer do the rest. Steam mandates at least five screenshots at 1920 × 1080 minimum, widescreen, and (under the rule update) in-game gameplay only. No concept art, no pre-rendered cinematics, no awards bug, no marketing text laid over the image.
The trailer renders at the top of the gallery before the first screenshot. Standard YouTube/MP4 specs apply (1080p recommended, 60fps if the genre warrants it). Lead with gameplay in the first three seconds. The trailer's drop-off curve is steeper than the capsule's.
We don't go deep on screenshots here. There's a dedicated Steam screenshots guide.
The thumbnail test: design for 120×45 first
Steam auto-generates a 120 × 45 thumbnail from your 462 × 174 small capsule. That thumbnail is what appears in the home page rails, the search auto-suggest, the recommendation popovers, and most of the discovery surfaces Steam shows pre-purchase shoppers. It's roughly the size of a postage stamp. Most capsules collapse at that size.
The thumbnail test is simple: render your capsule at 120 × 45 in your browser dev tools or design tool. Then ask three questions:
- 1Can a stranger tell what kind of game this is?
- 2Can they read the title?
- 3Does it stand out against the capsules around it on the Steam dark background (#1b2838)?
If any answer is no, the capsule fails the test. Iterate until all three are yes. Then scale up. A capsule that works at 120 × 45 also works at 920 × 430. The reverse is almost never true.
What's banned on a capsule
Steam tightened capsule content rules in September 2022 and again in August 2024. The base capsule is now strictly artwork + game name + subtitle. Valve will reject submissions that cross the line, and games with non-compliant capsules can be removed from promotional surfaces.
| Element | Status |
|---|---|
| Game artwork, the game name, and official subtitle | Allowed. These are the only required elements |
| Review scores, percentages, or 'Overwhelmingly Positive' badges | Banned on the base capsule |
| Award logos (BAFTA, IGF, Steam Awards, etc.) | Banned on the base capsule |
| 'NEW', 'COMING SOON', sale percentages, discount copy | Banned on the base capsule |
| Cross-promotional logos (publisher, console, other games) | Banned on the base capsule |
| Marketing taglines, feature lists, generic copy | Banned. Capsules are art, not ad copy |
| Temporary promotional text (sale, demo announce, award win) | Allowed via Artwork Overrides only. Must be localised. Must expire within 30 days |
Full rules: Graphical Asset Rules (Steamworks). The Artwork Overrides system is the proper place to add temporary promotional text. It's localised, expires automatically, and stays compliant.
What your capsule is judged on
Sizes are the trivial part. The hard part is making each size actually work. The Steam Analyser scoring rubric breaks capsules down into six dimensions. Every dimension is scored at full size, then re-scored at the small (231 × 87) and tiny (120 × 45) stress tests. A capsule that scores 9 at full size but 4 at tiny size is a capsule that fails in production.
Genre Clarity
Can a player name the genre at tiny size (120×45)? Rewards theme-specific cues, familiar iconography, and clear gameplay signals. Penalises mixed or misleading messaging.
Title Readability
Judges letterforms, spacing, contrast, and legibility at both full and tiny sizes. Rewards titles placed on a clean background zone. Penalises decorative fonts that collapse small.
Contrast & Color
Does the capsule pop against Steam's dark #1b2838 background in a quick scroll? Focuses on value separation and silhouette clarity, checked in grayscale. Penalises muddy mid-tones.
Uniqueness & Polish
How premium and distinct does it feel vs. other genre capsules? Rewards a clear visual hook, clean craft, and intentional design. Penalises generic or template-looking art.
Brand Consistency
Scored on internal cohesion only: consistent style, palette, and recognisable identity cues. Rewards a signature motif or character that could be recognised across a game's library.
Composition
Checks focal point, hierarchy, balance, and crop resilience across all sizes. One clear primary subject at small size. Penalises clutter, edge-hugging titles, and awkward empty space.
FAQ
What is the Steam capsule size?
There are several. The four store capsule sizes are: Header Capsule 920×430, Small Capsule 462×174, Main Capsule 1232×706, and Vertical Capsule 748×896. Steam auto-generates two smaller sizes from the small capsule (184×69 and 120×45) for the home page and search rails. That 120×45 thumbnail is the size your capsule actually has to win.
What is the Steam header capsule size?
920×430 pixels. The header capsule appears at the top of your store page, in the Steam library, in 'More Like This' rails, and in 'Recommended For You' modules. It's the second-largest store-page capsule and the one most players see first when they land on your page.
What is the Steam small capsule size?
462×174 pixels. The small capsule is the workhorse. It appears in search results, top-sellers, new releases, browse pages, and recommendation queues. Steam auto-generates 184×69 and 120×45 versions from this file. Your title has to read at 120×45 or it doesn't read at all.
What is the Steam main capsule size?
1232×706 pixels. The main capsule appears in the main carousel on the Steam store homepage and in featured promotions. Most games will never have one shown (Valve curates this surface), but you must upload one anyway because Steam may auto-feature you during sales or genre events.
What is the Steam vertical capsule size?
748×896 pixels. The vertical capsule appears in the homepage's vertical promotions and seasonal sale grids. Different from the library capsule (600×900). They serve different surfaces and need different artwork.
Why does Steam capsule size matter?
Because Steam scales your capsule down to 120×45 in places where most discovery happens, and a capsule that looks good at 1232×706 often falls apart at 120×45. The smaller the rendered size, the more brutal the constraint. Designing for the 120×45 view first and scaling up is the correct order of operations.
Should I use the same artwork at every capsule size?
No. Steam explicitly recommends adapting your composition for each capsule's aspect ratio and rendered size. The vertical capsule (748×896) is portrait, so your wide hero shot won't work. The small capsule (462×174) is wide and tiny, so busy backgrounds collapse. Re-frame the subject, re-position the title, re-test at the rendered size.
What screenshots size does Steam require?
1920×1080 minimum, widescreen, in-game gameplay only. Steam mandates at least 5 screenshots and recently restricted them to actual in-game footage. No concept art, no pre-rendered cinematics, no awards or marketing copy laid over the image.
Last reviewed: 2026-05-08. Sourced from Steam's official Steamworks documentation and the Steam Analyser scoring methodology.