YouTube thumbnail size

How to make a YouTube thumbnail the right size

1. Choose a screenshot, photo or design.
2. Keep Video thumbnail selected, or pick Shorts thumbnail.
3. Move the box to frame the part that tells the story.
4. Download it at 1280 x 720 and upload it in YouTube Studio.

The rules YouTube sets

• Size: 1280 x 720 pixels is the standard. YouTube accepts larger, up to 4K, but 1280 x 720 is sharp on every screen.

• Shape: 16:9. Other shapes get black bars or are cropped.

• Minimum width: 640 pixels.

• File: JPG or PNG. Uploads from the mobile app are limited to 2 MB, while YouTube Studio on a computer allows much larger files.

• Shorts: thumbnails are the tall 9:16 shape, which this tool saves at 1080 x 1920.

Making a thumbnail people click

Most people see your thumbnail small, in a list on a phone. A tight crop on one face or one object reads better than a wide scene. Leave the bottom right corner clear, because YouTube shows the video length there.

• Crop close: fill the frame with the subject.

• Use a still from the video that shows the payoff, not the introduction.

• If you add text, keep it to a few large words.

• Check it at the size of your thumb before you upload.

The image is cropped and resized in your browser. Nothing is uploaded until you add it to YouTube yourself.

If your image is the wrong shape

A photo from your phone is usually 4:3 or 3:4, not 16:9, so some of it has to go. Move the box to keep the subject and let the empty background be cut. If your picture is smaller than 1280 pixels wide, this tool enlarges it and tells you it may look soft; a still from a 1080p or 4K video is always big enough.

Questions people ask