Free cover art checker: Check your cover art before the stores reject it.
Drop in your single, EP or album cover to check it against the artwork rules of Spotify, Apple Music, JioSaavn, YouTube Music and the other stores: square, RGB colour, sharp at full size and no borders, at 3000 x 3000 pixels, the size SUF delivers to every store. It is the same check the SUF Digitals portal runs before a release can be submitted.
The check runs in your browser, so your image never leaves your device. If the file passes, download the store-ready 3000 x 3000 JPG and read the content rules below: those decide most rejections.
Drop your cover here, or choose a file
JPG or PNG. The check runs in your browser: your image is never uploaded.
The cover art rules every store uses
Any one of these gets a release sent back. The file rules are checked above; the content rules need your eye.
The file
- Square, exactly 3000 x 3000 px. A bigger square is resized for you; smaller is refused (stretching it makes it blurry).
- JPG or PNG in RGB colour. PNG, CMYK and greyscale are converted for you.
- Sharp and clear: no blur, pixelation or stretched low-resolution images.
- Full bleed: no borders, white frames or black bars at the edges.
Allowed on the cover
- The release title and the artist name, spelt as in your release details.
- Featured artists who are credited on the release.
- Your own label logo.
- A Parental Advisory logo, only if the release is marked explicit.
Rejected by the stores
- Promotional words: Out now, New, Exclusive, Limited edition, Coming soon, Available on, Free, prices or release dates.
- Links, @handles, emails, phone numbers, QR codes or barcodes.
- Store and app names or logos: Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, YouTube, JioSaavn, Gaana, Wynk, Amazon Music, Instagram, Facebook.
- Audio or physical formats: Dolby Atmos, Lossless, Hi-Res, 24-bit, CD, Vinyl, DVD.
- Names or faces of artists who are not on the release, "Dedicated to" or "Tribute to" lines naming other artists.
- Brand logos you do not own, stock photo watermarks, other labels' logos.
- Nudity or sexual content, graphic violence, hate symbols.
The covers that get rejected most, and the fix
What sends Indian releases back most often, from the covers the SUF Digitals team reviews.
| Problem | Why the store rejects it | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| Made from a WhatsApp or Instagram copy | A 1080 px image stretched to 3000 px is blurry at full size. | Export the original design file at 3000 x 3000. |
| "Out now", "New song" or a date | Promotional text dates the cover and breaks store style rules. | Keep only the title, the artist name and your logo. |
| @handle, link, phone number or QR code | Stores do not allow contact details or links on artwork. | Put them in your bio and smart link instead. |
| Spotify, JioSaavn, YouTube or Instagram logo | Store and app logos are trademarks and are refused. | Remove every store and app logo. |
| Border, white frame or black bars | The artwork must fill the whole square. | Crop or extend the design edge to edge. |
| Singer on the cover who is not credited | Names and faces must match the artists on the release. | Credit them as featured artists, or remove them. |
| Title on the cover does not match the release | Stores compare the artwork text with the metadata. | Spell the title and artist exactly as in your release details. |
Cover art questions
What size should cover art be for Spotify and Apple Music?
Use a square image of exactly 3000 x 3000 pixels, saved as a JPG (or PNG) in RGB colour, under 10 MB. Apple Music asks for 3000 x 3000, and distributors use the same file for Spotify, JioSaavn, YouTube Music, Amazon Music and every other store, so one 3000 px square covers them all.
Why was my cover art rejected?
The most common reasons are a small image stretched up to 3000 px (it looks blurry), words like Out now, New or a release date, @handles, links or QR codes, a Spotify, JioSaavn or Instagram logo, borders or black bars, and names or faces of artists who are not on the release. Fix the point and submit again.
Can I put my name and the song title on the cover?
Yes. The release title and the artist name are allowed, as long as they are spelt exactly as in your release details. Featured artists may appear if they are credited on the release, and your own label logo is fine.
Can I use a photo I found on Google or Instagram?
Only if you own it or have the right to use it. Stores reject covers with stock photo watermarks or other brands' logos, and a photo you do not have rights to can get the release taken down later even if it passed review.
Is this checker free, and is my image uploaded?
It is free and needs no account. The check runs in your browser and your image is never uploaded to SUF Digitals or anyone else. You can download the checked 3000 x 3000 JPG straight from the page.
If my cover passes here, will the stores accept it?
Passing means the file is the right size, shape and colour and is sharp, with no borders. What is in the picture (text, logos, links, people) is judged by store reviewers, so check those rules by eye. Inside the SUF Digitals portal the same check runs again with a content read before a release can be submitted.
Can I use a Parental Advisory logo?
Only when the release is marked explicit. A Parental Advisory logo on a clean release is a mismatch the stores reject.
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