Artist release guide | checked October 8, 2026

Make a short vertical visual, inspect the exported file, then add it to the correct track in Spotify for Artists. Your square release cover and your Canvas are separate files. A Canvas is not a replacement for the artwork you submit through your distributor.

Check the Canvas file first

Spotify's current guidelines list a vertical 9:16 file, MP4 or JPG, and a height of 720-1080 pixels. A video should run for 3-8 seconds. These are Canvas specifications, not album-cover specifications; do not automatically reuse a social-video export preset.

Inspect the actual download in your media tool for dimensions and duration. A JPG has no video duration; use MP4 for motion. Keep the important subject away from the edges, omit unnecessary artist/title lettering, and avoid flashing cuts or lip-synced footage. Spotify may crop the edges on phones.

Work through one simple loop

Here is a fictional brief you can make with footage you own: a key resting on a blue tabletop, warm light crossing it, and the key remaining still. The same blue and warm gold could appear in the release cover without copying the square layout into a vertical frame.

1. Choose one action. Try a slow lighting change, rather than several unrelated shots.
2. Keep the subject central. Leave breathing room around the key and preview a narrower crop.
3. Check the join. Play the clip repeatedly. If the light jumps at the end, adjust the edit or choose a deliberate cut; a reverse-and-return edit is another option.
4. Export and inspect. Check the final file's ratio, pixel height and duration against the current guidance. Renaming an extension does not convert the file.

This is a design exercise, not footage produced by Covermatic or a promise of more streams. You can apply it in a video editor you already use; no new image generation is required.

Add it to the track

Spotify's upload instructions require an Admin or Editor role and the stated main-artist eligibility. On the web, sign into Spotify for Artists, open Music, select the track and choose Add Canvas. In its mobile app, open Music, select the track and tap Canvas. Upcoming tracks can also have a Canvas.

If the upload fails

Recheck the exported dimensions and duration before repeating the upload. Spotify's error guide also suggests its mobile app and contacting support if the issue persists. A technically accepted file still needs a rights and visual review.

Keep the release assets consistent

Reuse a palette, subject or lighting idea across the cover and loop. Keep each destination's file requirements separate. Our single-to-EP worked example shows which visual elements can carry across a release.

If you need to explore a cover-image direction, Covermatic Studio is optional. A generation attempt uses 5 credits; an edit uses another 5. This does not include a Canvas video or guarantee an accepted finished cover. Inspect permissions and the final export before use.