YouTube thumbnail size
A YouTube thumbnail should be 16:9. YouTube recommends 3840×2160 pixels, at least 640 pixels wide, as an image file (JPEG or PNG) of up to 50 MB from a computer or 2 MB from the YouTube app on a phone. Drop your image below to check it, crop it to 16:9 and export it under the limit.
Drag the frame, or use the slider.
Your image
- Size
- —
- Shape
- —
- File size
- —
- Type
- —
Checks
- Add an image to check it against YouTube’s sizes and limits.
Crop and resize
—
How it looks on YouTube
Approximate sizes: YouTube changes its layout with the screen.
Your image shows here.
Your image never leaves your browser: it’s read, cropped and saved on your device, and nothing is uploaded.
The specs, with their sources.
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Recommended size | 3840×2160 (16:9) |
| Smallest width | 640 pixels |
| Formats | JPEG, PNG |
| File size from a computer | Up to 50 MB |
| File size from the YouTube app on a phone | Up to 2 MB |
| Who can add one | Channels verified with a phone number |
Sources: YouTube Help: Add custom thumbnails on YouTube · YouTube Help: Learn about feature access for YouTube Creators
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Recommended size | 2160×3840 (9:16) |
| Smallest height | 640 pixels |
| Where to add one | YouTube Studio on a computer only |
| File size from a computer | Up to 50 MB |
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Thumbnail | The cover you pick in Refract’s video editor: a frame of the video or your own picture |
| File size | Up to 50 MB |
| Formats | JPEG, PNG |
| Resizing | None: Refract sends your picture as it is |
| If YouTube refuses it | The video still goes out, with a thumbnail YouTube makes |
Make videos and images in the right shape for every network in Studio.
Questions and answers.
Why won’t my YouTube thumbnail upload?
Check four things. Custom thumbnails are an intermediate feature, so your channel must be verified with a phone number. The file must be JPEG or PNG and within the size limit: 2 MB from the YouTube app on a phone, 50 MB from YouTube Studio on a computer. And a channel can upload only so many custom thumbnails a day: if YouTube says you’ve reached the daily limit, try again in 24 hours.
Can I use 1920×1080 for a YouTube thumbnail?
Yes. It’s 16:9 and well over the 640-pixel minimum width. YouTube recommends going as large as you can, up to 3840×2160, because the thumbnail is also the picture shown before an embedded video plays.
What is the best format for a YouTube thumbnail?
YouTube takes JPEG or PNG. A JPEG keeps a photo-like thumbnail small enough for the 2 MB phone limit; a PNG keeps flat colours and text crisp but makes a bigger file. The tool above exports either and shows the file size as you change the quality.
Why does my YouTube thumbnail look blurry?
Usually the image is smaller than the space it’s shown in, so it gets stretched, or it was saved at a low JPEG quality. Start from an image at 3840×2160 if you can, keep the text large, and check the previews above to see how it reads at the sizes YouTube shows it.
Can I add a custom thumbnail to a YouTube Short?
Yes, if your channel is verified, but only in YouTube Studio on a computer. YouTube recommends 2160×3840 pixels (9:16), at least 640 pixels tall. A vertical video with a 16:9 thumbnail gets an automatic 4:5 one on the home, Explore and Subscriptions pages instead.
Related
More free tools
YouTube Shorts size
Dimensions, length and file size for Shorts.
Open tool YouTube Shorts size
TikTok video size
Dimensions, length, file size and formats for TikTok.
Open tool TikTok video size
Pinterest pin size
Crop and resize a pin, then see it in a feed.
Open tool Pinterest pin sizeSocial media image sizes
The best image size for every network, with limits.
Open tool Social media image sizes
Write it once, native everywhere.
Write the point once in Refract and get a version for every network, each one within its limits. You approve, Refract schedules.