Supported files, sizes and limits

A quick reference for what you can upload and how Billboard handles it.

Image formats

You can upload JPG, PNG, WEBP and HEIC. HEIC is the format iPhones use. Billboard converts it to JPEG automatically in your browser, so you can upload straight from your phone without changing anything first.

Video formats

Video is uploaded as-is, no conversion. For the smoothest playback on Apple TV, stick to H.264 or HEVC (H.265) in an MP4 or MOV, the formats tvOS plays natively. See Customise the display for playing videos in full and with audio.

File size

Files can be up to 2 GB each, and you can add several at once. The real ceiling on how much you hold overall is your plan's storage allowance. See Storage and original photos and Plans, billing & screen limits.

What happens to your photos

Every photo is optimised for the screen when you upload it:

• It's cropped to your gallery's shape, 16:9 normally or 9:16 for a portrait gallery (you can change the framing any time, see Editing and cropping photos). If a photo's shape doesn't match the screen, each item can either Fill the screen or Show all of it.
• The on-screen frame is downscaled to at most 4K (3840×2160) and compressed, so it looks crisp without wasting space. A 48-megapixel phone photo doesn't need to sit at full size just to play on a TV.
• A full-resolution original is kept (when Keep original photos is on) so you can re-crop later without any loss.

Recommended resolution

Upload photos at 1920×1080 (Full HD) or higher for the sharpest result on a big screen. If a photo, or a crop of it, drops below Full HD, Billboard warns you, since it can look soft.

How many items per gallery?

There's no fixed limit on how many items a gallery holds. Your plan's storage allowance is the only thing that bounds it. A gallery plays its items in order, then loops.

Need a hand? Email support@getbillboard.app.