Unlocking YouTube Potential with Best Thumbnail Dimensions

Best YouTube Thumbnail Size You Should Know[The Ultimate Guide]

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Around 300 hours of video is uploaded to Youtube in every single minute. Then content creators need to be more innovative and creative than others in the market. A thumbnail is worth a thousand words that show its real meaning in the case where every month YouTube records a whopping 2 billion active users. To create an impressive and tempting thumbnail, you should set a perfect youtube thumbnail size first.

So you may be wondering what the best youtube thumbnail size is, and how to create a attractive thumbnail for your YouTube videos? Don’t worry I’ll explain everything here. You will learn:

Part 1: The Ultimate Guide of YouTube Thumbnail Size
Part 2: Upload and Change a Custom YouTube Thumbnail to Your Video
Part 3: Q&A– About Creating YouTube Thumbnails

Part 1: The Ultimate Guide of Youtube Thumbnail Size

Every content creator needs to select the right youtube thumbnail size for any given video.

1. What’s the Best YouTube Thumbnail Size(Dimensions)?

According to the YouTube guidelines , the best-suited youtube thumbnail size is 1280x720 pixels with a minimum pixel width of 640 pixels. Also, the custom thumbnail image must be as large as possible as it will be utilized as a preview image in the embedded player.

2. What Are the Compatible Formats for YouTube Thumbnail Image?

The recommended thumbnail image formats are .JPG, .PNG, .GIF, .BMP

3. What’s the Maximum YouTube Thumbnail Size?

The maximum YouTube thumbnail size must be below 2MB. Keeping the limit in mind design your thumbnail image as high-resolution as possible. This will ensure your custom thumbnail doesn’t get rejected by YouTube.

4. What’s the Recommended Aspect Ratio of YouTube Thumbnail?

Usually, the 16:9 ratio is deemed an ideal choice for any YouTube video aiming high view volume. As it is most widely used in YouTube players and previews.

Part 2: Upload and Change a Custom YouTube Thumbnail

With a verified account, you can upload custom thumbnail on new videos as well as change the thumbnail of uploaded videos.

1. For New Video

YouTube makes it very simple and easy for any content creator to publish custom YouTube thumbnail on their video while uploading the video onto the platform. Here’s the method to do so:

Upload your desired video to YouTube in the Upload section.

When your upload to the YouTube is completed a section will appear at the down portion of the browser screen showing Video Thumbnails. Here YouTube automatically creates some thumbnail images from your uploaded video and shows them here. These are the screenshots from your video, and you can select any one of them to be your thumbnail.

You will be able to see a button right next to the image – Custom thumbnail. Click on the button and you can upload a set of images of your choice as the thumbnail of your video.
Once done you can see the custom image just uploaded as the thumbnail of your video.

If you want to update the image or change it with another one you can just click on the same image in the video thumbnail section and swap it with any other image.

2. For Already Uploaded Video

To change the thumbnail on an already uploaded video you need to follow these steps:

Sign in to YouTube Studio associated with your YouTube channel.
From the menu go to Videos and then select the video you want to upload a custom thumbnail to via its title or thumbnail

Now in the thumbnail section if you already haven’t uploaded a custom thumbnail, click Custom thumbnail.
Select your intended thumbnail file and click Save.

Part 3: Q&A– About YouTube Thumbnail Images

You may want to know:

Question 1: How do I make my youtube thumbnail less than 2mb?
Question 2: How can I create an attractive youtube thumbnail?

1. How do I make my youtube thumbnail less than 2mb?

YouTube will not allow you to upload a custom thumbnail image if it is bigger than the 2MB limit. So, you need to make sure the file size is below the limit to be able to successfully upload a custom thumbnail. To reduce the image size you can follow the steps below:

1. Open Microsoft Paint and open the thumbnail image that is above 2MB size
2. Now go to the File menu and click Save as then select JPEG picture
3. Select the location you want the file to be saved to
4. The thumbnail picture will be reduced to Kilobytes only while maintaining the image quality

2. How can I create an attractive youtube thumbnail?

Utilizing online platforms and software tools to make your thumbnail image informative and attractive can potentially increase your views and traffic. You can use any advanced tools like Wondershare Filmora, Wondershare PixStudio, or Canva to create an aspiring and luring image that will get more views on YouTube just because of the thumbnail image. Here we will show you how to do it with Wondershare Filmora, Wondershare PixStudio and Canva:

1. Try Wondershare Filmora>>

Wondershare Filmora is an outstanding tool if you want to make a perfect thumbnail image. Consider and optimize your thumbnail for mobile devices to offer the best experience to your users on every possible device. Make it stand out as the thumbnail can be the very first thing that might attract a viewer.

Let’s see how you can create your thumbnail using Wondershare Filmora:

2. Try Wondershare PixStudio>>

Wondershare PixStudio provides you massive pre-designed templates which help you to create attractive YouTube Thumbnail. Let’s see the video below and see how you can design your YouTube Thumbnail easily.

3. Try Canva>>

With Canva you can make a distinct and stand-out YouTube thumbnail image. Canva hosts a number of readymade designs that you can use to design and customize it for your use.

Note:

To download the image without the watermark you’ll need to sign-up for a premium account on the Canva.

To sum up

YouTube thumbnail plays an important part for the audience’s first impression on your video. And it is of essential essence as it can attract more viewers to your content. So you should get the right youtube thumbnail size before you start customing your thumbnail. We’ve gone through all the detailed requirements of youtube thumbnail size and how to make the best thumbnail by using the best software solutions. Please leave your comments below if any suggestions. We’d love to hear them!

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

So you may be wondering what the best youtube thumbnail size is, and how to create a attractive thumbnail for your YouTube videos? Don’t worry I’ll explain everything here. You will learn:

Part 1: The Ultimate Guide of YouTube Thumbnail Size
Part 2: Upload and Change a Custom YouTube Thumbnail to Your Video
Part 3: Q&A– About Creating YouTube Thumbnails

Part 1: The Ultimate Guide of Youtube Thumbnail Size

Every content creator needs to select the right youtube thumbnail size for any given video.

1. What’s the Best YouTube Thumbnail Size(Dimensions)?

2. What Are the Compatible Formats for YouTube Thumbnail Image?

The recommended thumbnail image formats are .JPG, .PNG, .GIF, .BMP

3. What’s the Maximum YouTube Thumbnail Size?

4. What’s the Recommended Aspect Ratio of YouTube Thumbnail?

Usually, the 16:9 ratio is deemed an ideal choice for any YouTube video aiming high view volume. As it is most widely used in YouTube players and previews.

Part 2: Upload and Change a Custom YouTube Thumbnail

With a verified account, you can upload custom thumbnail on new videos as well as change the thumbnail of uploaded videos.

1. For New Video

YouTube makes it very simple and easy for any content creator to publish custom YouTube thumbnail on their video while uploading the video onto the platform. Here’s the method to do so:

Upload your desired video to YouTube in the Upload section.

When your upload to the YouTube is completed a section will appear at the down portion of the browser screen showing Video Thumbnails. Here YouTube automatically creates some thumbnail images from your uploaded video and shows them here. These are the screenshots from your video, and you can select any one of them to be your thumbnail.

You will be able to see a button right next to the image – Custom thumbnail. Click on the button and you can upload a set of images of your choice as the thumbnail of your video.
Once done you can see the custom image just uploaded as the thumbnail of your video.

If you want to update the image or change it with another one you can just click on the same image in the video thumbnail section and swap it with any other image.

2. For Already Uploaded Video

To change the thumbnail on an already uploaded video you need to follow these steps:

Sign in to YouTube Studio associated with your YouTube channel.
From the menu go to Videos and then select the video you want to upload a custom thumbnail to via its title or thumbnail

Now in the thumbnail section if you already haven’t uploaded a custom thumbnail, click Custom thumbnail.
Select your intended thumbnail file and click Save.

Part 3: Q&A– About YouTube Thumbnail Images

You may want to know:

Question 1: How do I make my youtube thumbnail less than 2mb?
Question 2: How can I create an attractive youtube thumbnail?

1. How do I make my youtube thumbnail less than 2mb?

1. Open Microsoft Paint and open the thumbnail image that is above 2MB size
2. Now go to the File menu and click Save as then select JPEG picture
3. Select the location you want the file to be saved to
4. The thumbnail picture will be reduced to Kilobytes only while maintaining the image quality

2. How can I create an attractive youtube thumbnail?

1. Try Wondershare Filmora>>

Let’s see how you can create your thumbnail using Wondershare Filmora:

2. Try Wondershare PixStudio>>

3. Try Canva>>

With Canva you can make a distinct and stand-out YouTube thumbnail image. Canva hosts a number of readymade designs that you can use to design and customize it for your use.

Note:

To download the image without the watermark you’ll need to sign-up for a premium account on the Canva.

To sum up

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

So you may be wondering what the best youtube thumbnail size is, and how to create a attractive thumbnail for your YouTube videos? Don’t worry I’ll explain everything here. You will learn:

Part 1: The Ultimate Guide of YouTube Thumbnail Size
Part 2: Upload and Change a Custom YouTube Thumbnail to Your Video
Part 3: Q&A– About Creating YouTube Thumbnails

Part 1: The Ultimate Guide of Youtube Thumbnail Size

Every content creator needs to select the right youtube thumbnail size for any given video.

1. What’s the Best YouTube Thumbnail Size(Dimensions)?

2. What Are the Compatible Formats for YouTube Thumbnail Image?

The recommended thumbnail image formats are .JPG, .PNG, .GIF, .BMP

3. What’s the Maximum YouTube Thumbnail Size?

4. What’s the Recommended Aspect Ratio of YouTube Thumbnail?

Usually, the 16:9 ratio is deemed an ideal choice for any YouTube video aiming high view volume. As it is most widely used in YouTube players and previews.

Part 2: Upload and Change a Custom YouTube Thumbnail

With a verified account, you can upload custom thumbnail on new videos as well as change the thumbnail of uploaded videos.

1. For New Video

YouTube makes it very simple and easy for any content creator to publish custom YouTube thumbnail on their video while uploading the video onto the platform. Here’s the method to do so:

Upload your desired video to YouTube in the Upload section.

When your upload to the YouTube is completed a section will appear at the down portion of the browser screen showing Video Thumbnails. Here YouTube automatically creates some thumbnail images from your uploaded video and shows them here. These are the screenshots from your video, and you can select any one of them to be your thumbnail.

You will be able to see a button right next to the image – Custom thumbnail. Click on the button and you can upload a set of images of your choice as the thumbnail of your video.
Once done you can see the custom image just uploaded as the thumbnail of your video.

If you want to update the image or change it with another one you can just click on the same image in the video thumbnail section and swap it with any other image.

2. For Already Uploaded Video

To change the thumbnail on an already uploaded video you need to follow these steps:

Sign in to YouTube Studio associated with your YouTube channel.
From the menu go to Videos and then select the video you want to upload a custom thumbnail to via its title or thumbnail

Now in the thumbnail section if you already haven’t uploaded a custom thumbnail, click Custom thumbnail.
Select your intended thumbnail file and click Save.

Part 3: Q&A– About YouTube Thumbnail Images

You may want to know:

Question 1: How do I make my youtube thumbnail less than 2mb?
Question 2: How can I create an attractive youtube thumbnail?

1. How do I make my youtube thumbnail less than 2mb?

1. Open Microsoft Paint and open the thumbnail image that is above 2MB size
2. Now go to the File menu and click Save as then select JPEG picture
3. Select the location you want the file to be saved to
4. The thumbnail picture will be reduced to Kilobytes only while maintaining the image quality

2. How can I create an attractive youtube thumbnail?

1. Try Wondershare Filmora>>

Let’s see how you can create your thumbnail using Wondershare Filmora:

2. Try Wondershare PixStudio>>

3. Try Canva>>

With Canva you can make a distinct and stand-out YouTube thumbnail image. Canva hosts a number of readymade designs that you can use to design and customize it for your use.

Note:

To download the image without the watermark you’ll need to sign-up for a premium account on the Canva.

To sum up

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

So you may be wondering what the best youtube thumbnail size is, and how to create a attractive thumbnail for your YouTube videos? Don’t worry I’ll explain everything here. You will learn:

Part 1: The Ultimate Guide of YouTube Thumbnail Size
Part 2: Upload and Change a Custom YouTube Thumbnail to Your Video
Part 3: Q&A– About Creating YouTube Thumbnails

Part 1: The Ultimate Guide of Youtube Thumbnail Size

Every content creator needs to select the right youtube thumbnail size for any given video.

1. What’s the Best YouTube Thumbnail Size(Dimensions)?

2. What Are the Compatible Formats for YouTube Thumbnail Image?

The recommended thumbnail image formats are .JPG, .PNG, .GIF, .BMP

3. What’s the Maximum YouTube Thumbnail Size?

4. What’s the Recommended Aspect Ratio of YouTube Thumbnail?

Usually, the 16:9 ratio is deemed an ideal choice for any YouTube video aiming high view volume. As it is most widely used in YouTube players and previews.

Part 2: Upload and Change a Custom YouTube Thumbnail

With a verified account, you can upload custom thumbnail on new videos as well as change the thumbnail of uploaded videos.

1. For New Video

YouTube makes it very simple and easy for any content creator to publish custom YouTube thumbnail on their video while uploading the video onto the platform. Here’s the method to do so:

Upload your desired video to YouTube in the Upload section.

When your upload to the YouTube is completed a section will appear at the down portion of the browser screen showing Video Thumbnails. Here YouTube automatically creates some thumbnail images from your uploaded video and shows them here. These are the screenshots from your video, and you can select any one of them to be your thumbnail.

You will be able to see a button right next to the image – Custom thumbnail. Click on the button and you can upload a set of images of your choice as the thumbnail of your video.
Once done you can see the custom image just uploaded as the thumbnail of your video.

If you want to update the image or change it with another one you can just click on the same image in the video thumbnail section and swap it with any other image.

2. For Already Uploaded Video

To change the thumbnail on an already uploaded video you need to follow these steps:

Sign in to YouTube Studio associated with your YouTube channel.
From the menu go to Videos and then select the video you want to upload a custom thumbnail to via its title or thumbnail

Now in the thumbnail section if you already haven’t uploaded a custom thumbnail, click Custom thumbnail.
Select your intended thumbnail file and click Save.

Part 3: Q&A– About YouTube Thumbnail Images

You may want to know:

Question 1: How do I make my youtube thumbnail less than 2mb?
Question 2: How can I create an attractive youtube thumbnail?

1. How do I make my youtube thumbnail less than 2mb?

1. Open Microsoft Paint and open the thumbnail image that is above 2MB size
2. Now go to the File menu and click Save as then select JPEG picture
3. Select the location you want the file to be saved to
4. The thumbnail picture will be reduced to Kilobytes only while maintaining the image quality

2. How can I create an attractive youtube thumbnail?

1. Try Wondershare Filmora>>

Let’s see how you can create your thumbnail using Wondershare Filmora:

2. Try Wondershare PixStudio>>

3. Try Canva>>

With Canva you can make a distinct and stand-out YouTube thumbnail image. Canva hosts a number of readymade designs that you can use to design and customize it for your use.

Note:

To download the image without the watermark you’ll need to sign-up for a premium account on the Canva.

To sum up

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Efficient Processes for Uploading Videos From iOS Gadgets

Create High-Quality Video - Wondershare Filmora

An easy and powerful YouTube video editor

Numerous video and audio effects to choose from

Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel

Try It Free Try It Free

Initially, iOS users had the option to load videos directly to YouTube via the tap-to-upload feature. However, this option is missing in the recent iOS devices versions. Therefore, many users search for possible ways to post a video on YouTube from iPhone. For this, you have to put some considerations into place before moving on. The video title length should not exceed 100 characters, while the description is maintained at 5,000 characters. Also, ensure the video length doesn’t exceed 15 minutes. Let’s roll out the best ways to upload your videos and make that big catch on subscribers.

How to upload a video to YouTube from iPhone or iPad

Are you ready to start on that big adventure and share your videos on YouTube? Follow these steps to learn how to upload a video to YouTube from your iPhone.

Method 1: Upload using the YouTube iOS app

Using the YouTube app is the simplest way to upload your YouTube videos. The YouTube app should be installed on your iOS device.

Step 1. Launch the YouTube app on your device, then sign in to your account. If you don’t have an account yet, you will need to “Sign up” for a new one before continuing the upload process.

Step 2. Click on the “+” icon found at the bottom of the screen.

Step 3. Then choose the “Upload a video” option from the populated list of options.

Step 4. Check out the pop-up that appears and “Allow access” to it.

Step 5. Edit your video to your preference by trimming or cropping as you desire. Then click on the “Next” option.

Step 6. Add “title and description” to your video. Remember, the title should contain less than 100 characters and the description no more than 500 characters.

Step 7. Then set the visibility mode as “Public” to enable you to share your video over the internet.

Step 8. Click on the “Upload” button to finally upload your video to YouTube.

Method 2: Upload using Photo App

The Photo App has a “Share” option that you can use to upload your videos to YouTube. Here is the guide.

Step 1. Go to your iOS device and tap on the “Photos” app.

Step 2. Then tap on the “Videos Folder” to locate the video you wish to upload to YouTube.

Step 3. Next, tap on the video that you want to upload.

Step 4. Then tap on the “Share” icon located at the bottom left of your iOS device screen.

Step 5. You’ll then access a “Share” menu from where you have various share options for your video.

Step 6. Choose the “YouTube” option to continue to share your video there. At this juncture, ensure you have logged in to your Google Account.

Step 7. You need to provide a “Title” and “Description” of your video. Then go to the “Privacy” Options and make your video “Public.”

Step 8. Finally, tap on the “Publish” tab found at the top-right corner of your screen to make your video viewable by the public.

Method 3: Upload video to YouTube using Safari

Safari is another alternative method to upload a video to YouTube.

Step 1. First, go to “youtube.com” on Safari and sign in.

Step 2. Then tap on the “account” icon at the top right side of the screen.

Step 3. Hit on the “Upload” icon and wait to be redirected to the YouTube Studio desktop site.

Step 4. Click on the “Select Files” option.

Step 5. Choose the video you wish to add to YouTube from the “Photo” library and tap on the “Add” button.

Step 6. Add your video’s “title and description” and hit the “Next” button.

Step 7. Tap on the “Next” button once more to go to the “Visibility” page.

Step 8. Select the “Public” option to upload your video to the public.

Why your phone doesn’t post videos to YouTube

Despite learning how to upload to YouTube from iPhone, you may be perplexed to realize that your phone refuses to post videos to YouTube. What could be the reason?

1) YouTube issues

In most cases, the problem doesn’t arise from your phone but from YouTube. This streaming app may also experience some hitches along the way. Remember that even if your phone sync with your YouTube account to upload videos from the “Camera Roll,” YouTube isn’t managed from the Camera Roll but the YouTube app directly. You can solve the issue by signing out of your YouTube account and signing back in.

2) Connection Strength

Some videos may appear quite large and cause a time-out during the upload process. Check your Wi-Fi or internet connection strength to determine if it needs a boost or wait until the streaming strength is strong for a quick upload. Test your internet speed by searching “internet test speed” on Google. Then click the “Run Speed Test” in the search box. A window will open and give you an estimate of the Mbps that your connection is operating at. If too low, switch to other alternatives.

3) Verify your YouTube account

Verifying your account will help you to enjoy YouTube’s full features. It’s then that you’ll manage to upload videos without any drawbacks. Also, that’s when you’ll manage to upload longer videos that go beyond the 15-minute duration.

4) Pay attention to the video size

There is a limit for videos to post to YouTube. If it is too large or long, the upload will cancel before completion.

5) Be patient

YouTube can save your partial upload for 24 hours. So, you can continue to upload from where you left. Learn to be patient as there could be a surge of user traffic, especially during evenings.

Make your YouTube video better with Filmora

Good video quality will make you go miles ahead of your marketing gig. You can use Filmora mobile application to make your videos look better before uploading them to YouTube. This intuitive video editing app has advanced features and several ways to compose creative videos.

Stunning video effects that let you add animated text to video
Easily record your voice-overs with its perfect sound effects
Split functionality that allows you to slice your video footage into two or more separate video clips
Playback your clips in reverse and adjust the speed for fast or slow motion
Select the best aspect ratio for your video
Advanced camera to create emoji selfies and other video beautification
Directly share your videos to social media sites like YouTube and Facebook.

Check out the steps to edit your video with Filmora on your iOS device

Step 1. Download and install Filmora
For iOS devices, go to the “Apple Store” to download and install the app. Also, allow it to access your videos, camera, and pictures in the process.

Step 2. Import video
You may already have a video in your library that you wish to upload to YouTube. Nonetheless, you can shoot a video afresh to add. To shoot one, you need to settle on a topic before recording and downloading other images you may need. Ensure you watch what you are filming and use adequate lighting during the shooting process.

Next, begin to import your video file. Just open the application and select the “Create new video” option. Then choose the “Video” icon and select a folder that contains the video to be added. Hit the “Add” button from the bottom right corner.

Step 3. Edit video
Filmora has several editing features to make your video better. Use the “Edit tools” feature to turn your video into an impeccable piece. Easily add filters, adjust the speed, or create subtitles, among other functions. You can also split, trim, or delete the unwanted clip parts.

It is important to add a title and description to your video. Just use the “Titles” button to add the title. Other precepts that you can add include transitions, sound like voice-over,

Step 4. Export and share
You’ve just finished creating and editing your video. Click on the “Save” tab and let the application export your video. Then select the “Save to Camera Roll” option to save the video to your iPhone. Finally, you can upload and share the video directly to your YouTube account.

Conclusion

● However, it appears to be a difficult task; you must have found relief after going through these procedures. You don’t need prior knowledge on how to upload a video to YouTube from your iPhone. Several options are at your disposal. You can use the Safari, YouTube app, or the Photo app to upload your videos. The better part is that you can create top-notch videos with Filmora. This mobile video editing app has a lot to offer, ensuring quality content.