Resize Image for YouTube Thumbnail
Create YouTube thumbnails at the recommended 1280×720 pixels (16:9). Custom thumbnails with bold text and high-contrast imagery dramatically improve click-through rates.
1280 × 720
pixels
16:9
aspect ratio
How to Resize for YouTube Video Thumbnail
- 1Open the Social Media Resizer
- 2Upload your image (drag-and-drop or click to browse)
- 3Select the YouTube — Video Thumbnail preset (1280×720)
- 4Download your perfectly sized image
YouTube Video Thumbnail Tips
- •YouTube requires minimum 1280×720 with a 2MB file size limit
- •Thumbnails display as small as 168×94px in suggestions — ensure text is large and readable
- •Use bold, contrasting colors and large faces for higher CTR
- •Keep text to 3-5 words maximum — it needs to be readable at tiny sizes
- •JPG format under 2MB is required by YouTube
FAQ
What size should YouTube video thumbnail images be?
1280×720 pixels (16:9 aspect ratio). This is the recommended size for optimal quality.
How do I resize for YouTube without losing quality?
Use theimgapp's social resizer — it resizes to exact dimensions with high-quality interpolation. Upload at the platform's recommended size to avoid re-compression.