YouTube Thumbnail Size
Resize an image to the recommended YouTube thumbnail size, 1280 by 720 pixels at 16:9. The size is already selected below, so just choose your image.
Images never leave your device
What size should a YouTube thumbnail be?
YouTube recommends 1280 by 720 pixels, a 16:9 ratio, with a minimum width of 640 pixels and a file no larger than 2 MB. That is the same shape as the video player, so a 1280 by 720 thumbnail fills the frame at every size YouTube shows it, from a small suggestion tile to a full width banner on a TV.
How to resize your thumbnail
Choose your image above. The 1280 by 720 preset is already applied and the tool crops to fit, so an image of a different shape is centred and trimmed instead of stretched. Download the result and upload it as a custom thumbnail.
Keeping it under 2 MB
A detailed 1280 by 720 image can exceed the 2 MB limit, especially as PNG. Choose JPG output here, and if it is still too large put it through the image compressor, where you can watch the file size drop as you lower the quality.
Design tips that survive the small sizes
Most viewers see the thumbnail as a small tile, so use few words in a large bold font, keep faces and text away from the bottom right corner where the duration badge sits, and check that it still reads at about a quarter of its size.
Other ready-made sizes
Passport photoPAN card photoInstagram profileWhatsApp DPAll preset sizes
More image tools
Frequently asked questions
What is the YouTube thumbnail size?
1280 by 720 pixels at a 16:9 ratio, which is what YouTube recommends. The minimum accepted width is 640 pixels.
What is the maximum thumbnail file size?
2 MB. If your image is larger, save it as JPG and compress it a little; at this resolution that easily fits.
Which format should I use?
JPG for photographs, since it stays well under the size limit. PNG is fine for graphics with flat colour or sharp text, as long as the file stays under 2 MB.
Is my image uploaded to a server?
No. The resize runs in your browser on your own device and nothing is sent anywhere.