YouTube thumbnail size and resizer
Resize any image to the thumbnail size YouTube recommends, free and in your browser. Load your image, pick video or Shorts, adjust the crop and download a JPG or PNG that respects YouTube’s published file limits. Nothing is uploaded.
Figures from YouTube Help, checked on 2 November 2026.
YouTube recommends custom thumbnails of 3840 x 2160 pixels for videos (16:9) and 2160 x 3840 pixels for Shorts (9:16), with a minimum width of 640 pixels for videos, as JPG or PNG. The file must stay under 2 MB when you upload from a mobile device and under 50 MB from a desktop.
Resize your image
Choose an image, set the crop and download it at the exact size. Everything happens in your browser.
Drag the image to move it, use the arrow keys for small moves.
Your image is resized with your browser’s canvas and is never uploaded.
How to resize a YouTube thumbnail
- Choose your image, or drop it on the tool. It stays in your browser.
- Pick Video or Shorts. Drag the image to reposition it, zoom, or switch to Fit inside to keep the whole image and add bars.
- Choose JPG or PNG and a maximum size, check the file size, then download. The file is exactly 3840 x 2160 pixels for a video and 2160 x 3840 for a Short.
What YouTube publishes
These are the thumbnail requirements and recommendations on the YouTube Help page.
| Video thumbnail resolution | 3840 x 2160 pixels recommended |
|---|---|
| Video thumbnail aspect ratio | 16:9 |
| Video thumbnail minimum | Width of 640 pixels |
| Shorts thumbnail resolution | 2160 x 3840 pixels recommended |
| Shorts thumbnail aspect ratio | 9:16 for uploaded files |
| Shorts thumbnail minimum | Height of 640 pixels |
| File format | Image formats such as JPG or PNG |
| Maximum file size | 2 MB for video thumbnails uploaded from a mobile device, 50 MB from a desktop (video and Shorts) |
| Podcast playlists | 1:1 aspect ratio, 10 MB on mobile and 50 MB on desktop |
| Where to upload | YouTube Studio. Uploading your own thumbnail needs a verified account, and Shorts thumbnails can currently only be added on a computer. |
Good to know
- YouTube says to make the thumbnail as large as possible, because it is also used as the preview image in the embedded player.
- Vertical videos with a 16:9 custom thumbnail get an auto-generated 4:5 thumbnail on the home, explore and subscription pages. Your custom thumbnail still shows on the watch feed, in watch history and on non-mobile platforms.
- A channel can only upload a limited number of custom thumbnails per day, and the limit varies by country or region and by channel history.
Sources
Every figure on this page comes from these official pages, read on the date shown. If a page and this one disagree, trust the platform’s page.
- YouTube Help: Add custom thumbnails on YouTubeChecked on 2 November 2026
YouTube thumbnail FAQ
What size should a YouTube thumbnail be?
YouTube Help recommends 3840 x 2160 pixels for video thumbnails, with a minimum width of 640 pixels, and 2160 x 3840 pixels for Shorts thumbnails, with a minimum height of 640 pixels. Use JPG or PNG and keep the file under 2 MB when you upload from a phone, or 50 MB from a computer.
Is 1280 x 720 still a good YouTube thumbnail size?
1280 x 720 pixels is a 16:9 image wider than the 640 pixel minimum, so it fits the published ratio and minimum. The help page we checked on 2 November 2026 recommends 3840 x 2160 pixels, so that is the size this tool exports.
What aspect ratio is a YouTube thumbnail?
16:9 for videos. YouTube Help gives 9:16 for Shorts thumbnails uploaded as files and 1:1 for podcast playlists.
What is the maximum file size for a YouTube thumbnail?
2 MB for video thumbnails uploaded from a mobile device, and 50 MB from a desktop. The same 50 MB applies to Shorts and podcast thumbnails. Choose a maximum in the tool and it lowers the JPG quality until the file fits.
Can I upload a PNG thumbnail?
Yes, YouTube Help lists image formats such as JPG or PNG. PNG files are usually larger than JPG files, which matters against the 2 MB limit on mobile.
Does this resizer upload my image?
No. Your browser reads and resizes the image, and nothing is sent to Cascads or to any other server.
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