# FiveM server banners: banner_detail and banner_connecting

> Add FiveM server list banners with sets banner_detail and sets banner_connecting: what each one shows, the real (unofficial) sizes that work, safe areas, hosting rules and why banners disappear.

Source: https://fam-tools.com/guides/fivem-server-banner-detail-connecting · FAM Tools · published 2026-09-11 · updated 2026-09-11 · about 9 min

**Short answer.** Set `sets banner_detail "https://…"` and `sets banner_connecting "https://…"` in server.cfg with direct HTTPS image links. There is no official Cfx size; design a wide, short strip (1865×108 and 1920×200 are both common), keep text and logos in the central third, and host the file somewhere permanent.

## Key points

- `banner_detail` shows on the server’s detail page; `banner_connecting` shows while connecting.
- Both are **URLs** set with `sets`, so the image must be hosted on the web.
- No official size exists — design for the **shape** (a wide strip) and a centred safe area.
- Use a **direct HTTPS link** that never expires; Discord attachment links expire.

Banners are the widest billboard your server gets in the FiveM client: one on the server’s detail page, one while a player connects. They take two lines of config, but the size question trips up almost everyone because the internet is full of confident, contradictory “official” numbers. Here is what is actually true, and how to make a banner that looks right everywhere.

## What the two banners are

| Variable | Where players see it | Best use |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `banner_detail` | The server’s detail page in the server browser | Selling the server: name, style, key features |
| `banner_connecting` | The connecting screen while the player joins | Reassurance: name, Discord invite, “welcome” |

Both are server variables set with `sets`, which publishes them to the server list. They are optional; without them FiveM shows its default layout.

*server.cfg*

```cfg
sets banner_detail "https://cdn.example.com/myserver/banner-detail-v1.png"
sets banner_connecting "https://cdn.example.com/myserver/banner-connecting-v1.png"
```

## The size question, answered honestly

Search for “FiveM banner size” and you will find 1920×480, 512×128, 620×260 and 1865×108, each described as official. None of them come from Cfx documentation, which does not specify a banner size. The banner is displayed as a wide strip and scaled to the space the client gives it, so an image of any size is shown — the question is only whether yours looks good once scaled.

| Size | Where it comes from | Verdict |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1865×108 | The long-standing “Connecting Banner Tutorial with Template” on the Cfx forum | A safe, proven strip shape. |
| 1920×200 | Widely used by large servers | Slightly taller; gives room for a logo. |
| 1920×480, 620×260 | Various store blogs | Much taller shapes — expect cropping or large empty bars. |

> **Design for the safe area** — Whatever canvas you use, put your name, logo and call to action in the middle third horizontally and the middle 70% vertically. Fill the rest with background art that can be cropped without losing anything.

## What makes a banner work

- **One message.** Your name plus one line: “Serious RP · Custom jobs · Whitelisted”. Nobody reads a paragraph on a banner.
- **High contrast text** with a subtle dark gradient behind it, so it reads on bright artwork.
- **Brand consistency.** The same colours, font and logo as your loading screen and Discord.
- **A clear Discord line on the connecting banner.** Players who fail to connect can still find you.
- **Light files.** Keep each banner well under 1 MB; the client downloads it on demand.

For a full brand system — palette, type and templates — see the [server branding kit](https://fam-tools.com/guides/fivem-server-branding-kit).

## Hosting: the reason most banners “break”

A banner that works for a week and then disappears is almost always a hosting problem, not a FiveM one. You can design one in the browser and watch it redraw at the real strip ratio on [FAM Tools](https://fam-tools.com/graphics/studio).

1. The URL must return the image itself. Paste it into a browser tab: you should see only the image, not a page around it.
2. Use HTTPS.
3. Avoid Discord attachment links — since late 2023 they are signed with an expiry and stop working.
4. Avoid free hosts that delete inactive images or hotlink-protect them.
5. Put a version in the file name (`-v2`) when you change the art, so cached copies refresh.

> **Changing the banner** — The server list and the client cache images. After changing the file, change the URL (a new file name) and restart the server so the new value is published.

## Troubleshooting

| Symptom | Likely cause |
| --- | --- |
| No banner at all | Typo in the variable name, missing `sets`, or the URL is not a direct image. |
| Banner worked, then vanished | Expiring link (Discord) or the host deleted the file. |
| Old banner still shows | Cached — change the file name and restart. |
| Banner looks stretched or cropped | Your canvas is far from a wide strip; redesign at 1865×108 or 1920×200. |

## Questions

### What size should a FiveM banner be?

There is no official size. Use a wide strip — 1865×108 or 1920×200 are the common choices — and keep important content in the centre so scaling never cuts it off.

### What is the difference between banner_detail and banner_connecting?

`banner_detail` appears on your server’s page in the server browser; `banner_connecting` appears on the screen shown while a player connects.

### Can I use a GIF as my FiveM banner?

The banner is loaded as an ordinary web image, so a GIF URL is accepted, but a large animated file slows the page it appears on. A crisp static PNG is the safer, lighter choice.

### Why did my banner disappear after a few days?

Almost always because the link expired or the host removed the file. Discord attachment links expire; host the banner on your own site or a permanent image host.

### Do I use set or sets for the banner?

Use `sets`. It publishes the variable to the server list, which is where the client reads it.

### Do banners help my server rank higher?

No, ranking depends on players and upvotes. A good banner increases how many people join after opening your page, which is what grows the player count.

## Related

- https://fam-tools.com/guides/fivem-image-sizes-assets-guide
- https://fam-tools.com/guides/fivem-server-icon
- https://fam-tools.com/guides/fivem-server-list-tags-locale
- https://fam-tools.com/guides/fivem-server-branding-kit