What is Spotify Canvas?
Spotify Canvas is the short, looping video that plays behind your song on the Now Playing screen in the Spotify mobile app. Instead of a static cover, listeners see a 3–8 second clip on repeat. Spotify has said Canvases lift saves, shares, playlist adds, and profile visits — one of the highest-leverage, lowest-effort assets you can add to a release.
The exact specs
- Aspect ratio: 9:16 vertical.
- Length: 3 to 8 seconds, looping seamlessly.
- Format: MP4 (video) or JPEG, uploaded in Spotify for Artists.
- No text, logos, or CTAs — Spotify rejects them.
Three ways to make a Canvas
1. A looping graphic
A simple moving cover — grain, light, subtle motion. Easy, but forgettable.
2. A clip from a real music video
The strongest option: pull a 3–8 second vertical moment from a finished music video so your Canvas matches the rest of your release. If you already have a 9:16 clip, you’re most of the way there.
3. Generate it from your song
No footage? Build a clean 16:9 music video from your song and one authorized artist image, then make a deliberate 9:16 crop from a strong 3–8 second moment — see how that works.
How to make one from a music-video clip
- Start from a 9:16 vertical video (the same shape you’d post to short-form).
- Find a 3–8 second stretch that loops cleanly — a held look, slow motion, a repeating gesture.
- Trim to that window, mute it (Canvas plays without its own audio), and export MP4.
- Upload in Spotify for Artists → your track → Canvas, a few days before release.
Why it’s worth it
A Canvas makes your song feel like a release, not an upload — and it’s the same vertical asset you can reuse for Reels and Shorts. When you’re planning the full rollout, our song-release checklist shows where Canvas fits.