From Zero to Hero: Your First Time Streaming to Youtube

Live stream to youtube with OBS step by step guide for beginners

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

• Part1. Stream Now set up
• Part2. Set up Your Live Streaming Encoder
• Part3. Youtube Events set up
• Part4. Video tutorial

1. Stream Now set up

Follow these steps to live stream your impressive videos to YouTube using Stream Now tool:

Step 1: First of all you need to login with your account and then move to Creator Studio option directly.

Step 2: Choose the Video Manager option from top most toolbar.

Step 3: From the drop down menu, simply select Live Streaming option to begin with.

Step 4: Now hot the steam now option on your screen.

Step 5: Change or Upload your thumbnail as per need.

Step 6: It is time to provide an eye catching title to your video, add description and finally choose category from the drop down menu.

Step 7: While using stream option, never forget to click on ‘make archive unlisted when complete’ option so that you can save as well as watch your content on YouTube at later stage.

Step 8: You can monetize your ads as per need.

Step 9: It also provides options to add cards.

Step 10: Now move to encoder setup and then simply copy and paste these details to your streaming software.

Step 11: Now you can set your live chat option as per your requirement.

Step 12: The analysis window will help you to know about how many viewers are connected to your video as well as the message updates will be reflected.

Step 13: Stream health can be monitored directly.

Step 14: One can also use the social media button for live shares.

2.Set up Your Live Streaming Encoder

As soon as you have completed the above set up then next task is to adjust settings of your streaming encoder. It is possible to make easy selection out of wide range of live streaming encoders. The details below are provided with reference to OBS too that is open source type free to access software.

Step 1: First of all you need to visit official website of OBS and get your software tool installed on your system.

Step 2: Now launch OBS on your device and directly go to settings option.

Step 3: It is time to copy the stream key from YouTube and then paste it directly in the specified field of OBS.

Step 4: Users can now add their sources and scenes.

Step 5: Once all these settings are done then you can simply hit the option for start streaming and it will bring your content to YouTube directly.

3. Youtube Events set up

Live stream is little different from Stream Now platform as it allows users to schedule the streams as well as a connectivity to Google Hangouts is provided. These easy to follow steps will assist you to handle all settings for your events using Live Stream tool:

Step 1: Simply click on the schedule event option on screen.

Step 2: It is much easier to make settings for basic information as well as audience type. Make some desired changes to SNS platform. If you select the Quick type then it will directly select your webcam and you need not to make additional complicated settings whereas the custom type option provides easy set up options with OBS.

Step 3: The advance settings option works same as that of stream now features and users can adjust most of these settings as per their streaming needs.

Step 4: Users can turn monetization On or Off as per their preferences.

Step 5: As soon as you finish all above settings then simply click on the create event option.

Step 6: One more window will appear on your screen and here you can make adjustment for preferred bit rate. Also put your dedicated stream key with encoder.

Step 7: When all above steps are completed then you need to hit the option for save changes so that your tool can act accordingly.

Step 8: Now click on events and here you will be able to find your event. Move to live control room if you want to access complete details about this event and you can easily delete it.

Step 9: Users can set privacy terms or simple delete the event that is currently in action.

Video tutorial

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

• Part1. Stream Now set up
• Part2. Set up Your Live Streaming Encoder
• Part3. Youtube Events set up
• Part4. Video tutorial

1. Stream Now set up

Follow these steps to live stream your impressive videos to YouTube using Stream Now tool:

Step 1: First of all you need to login with your account and then move to Creator Studio option directly.

Step 2: Choose the Video Manager option from top most toolbar.

Step 3: From the drop down menu, simply select Live Streaming option to begin with.

Step 4: Now hot the steam now option on your screen.

Step 5: Change or Upload your thumbnail as per need.

Step 6: It is time to provide an eye catching title to your video, add description and finally choose category from the drop down menu.

Step 7: While using stream option, never forget to click on ‘make archive unlisted when complete’ option so that you can save as well as watch your content on YouTube at later stage.

Step 8: You can monetize your ads as per need.

Step 9: It also provides options to add cards.

Step 10: Now move to encoder setup and then simply copy and paste these details to your streaming software.

Step 11: Now you can set your live chat option as per your requirement.

Step 12: The analysis window will help you to know about how many viewers are connected to your video as well as the message updates will be reflected.

Step 13: Stream health can be monitored directly.

Step 14: One can also use the social media button for live shares.

2.Set up Your Live Streaming Encoder

As soon as you have completed the above set up then next task is to adjust settings of your streaming encoder. It is possible to make easy selection out of wide range of live streaming encoders. The details below are provided with reference to OBS too that is open source type free to access software.

Step 1: First of all you need to visit official website of OBS and get your software tool installed on your system.

Step 2: Now launch OBS on your device and directly go to settings option.

Step 3: It is time to copy the stream key from YouTube and then paste it directly in the specified field of OBS.

Step 4: Users can now add their sources and scenes.

Step 5: Once all these settings are done then you can simply hit the option for start streaming and it will bring your content to YouTube directly.

3. Youtube Events set up

Live stream is little different from Stream Now platform as it allows users to schedule the streams as well as a connectivity to Google Hangouts is provided. These easy to follow steps will assist you to handle all settings for your events using Live Stream tool:

Step 1: Simply click on the schedule event option on screen.

Step 2: It is much easier to make settings for basic information as well as audience type. Make some desired changes to SNS platform. If you select the Quick type then it will directly select your webcam and you need not to make additional complicated settings whereas the custom type option provides easy set up options with OBS.

Step 3: The advance settings option works same as that of stream now features and users can adjust most of these settings as per their streaming needs.

Step 4: Users can turn monetization On or Off as per their preferences.

Step 5: As soon as you finish all above settings then simply click on the create event option.

Step 6: One more window will appear on your screen and here you can make adjustment for preferred bit rate. Also put your dedicated stream key with encoder.

Step 7: When all above steps are completed then you need to hit the option for save changes so that your tool can act accordingly.

Step 8: Now click on events and here you will be able to find your event. Move to live control room if you want to access complete details about this event and you can easily delete it.

Step 9: Users can set privacy terms or simple delete the event that is currently in action.

Video tutorial

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

• Part1. Stream Now set up
• Part2. Set up Your Live Streaming Encoder
• Part3. Youtube Events set up
• Part4. Video tutorial

1. Stream Now set up

Follow these steps to live stream your impressive videos to YouTube using Stream Now tool:

Step 1: First of all you need to login with your account and then move to Creator Studio option directly.

Step 2: Choose the Video Manager option from top most toolbar.

Step 3: From the drop down menu, simply select Live Streaming option to begin with.

Step 4: Now hot the steam now option on your screen.

Step 5: Change or Upload your thumbnail as per need.

Step 6: It is time to provide an eye catching title to your video, add description and finally choose category from the drop down menu.

Step 7: While using stream option, never forget to click on ‘make archive unlisted when complete’ option so that you can save as well as watch your content on YouTube at later stage.

Step 8: You can monetize your ads as per need.

Step 9: It also provides options to add cards.

Step 10: Now move to encoder setup and then simply copy and paste these details to your streaming software.

Step 11: Now you can set your live chat option as per your requirement.

Step 12: The analysis window will help you to know about how many viewers are connected to your video as well as the message updates will be reflected.

Step 13: Stream health can be monitored directly.

Step 14: One can also use the social media button for live shares.

2.Set up Your Live Streaming Encoder

As soon as you have completed the above set up then next task is to adjust settings of your streaming encoder. It is possible to make easy selection out of wide range of live streaming encoders. The details below are provided with reference to OBS too that is open source type free to access software.

Step 1: First of all you need to visit official website of OBS and get your software tool installed on your system.

Step 2: Now launch OBS on your device and directly go to settings option.

Step 3: It is time to copy the stream key from YouTube and then paste it directly in the specified field of OBS.

Step 4: Users can now add their sources and scenes.

Step 5: Once all these settings are done then you can simply hit the option for start streaming and it will bring your content to YouTube directly.

3. Youtube Events set up

Live stream is little different from Stream Now platform as it allows users to schedule the streams as well as a connectivity to Google Hangouts is provided. These easy to follow steps will assist you to handle all settings for your events using Live Stream tool:

Step 1: Simply click on the schedule event option on screen.

Step 2: It is much easier to make settings for basic information as well as audience type. Make some desired changes to SNS platform. If you select the Quick type then it will directly select your webcam and you need not to make additional complicated settings whereas the custom type option provides easy set up options with OBS.

Step 3: The advance settings option works same as that of stream now features and users can adjust most of these settings as per their streaming needs.

Step 4: Users can turn monetization On or Off as per their preferences.

Step 5: As soon as you finish all above settings then simply click on the create event option.

Step 6: One more window will appear on your screen and here you can make adjustment for preferred bit rate. Also put your dedicated stream key with encoder.

Step 7: When all above steps are completed then you need to hit the option for save changes so that your tool can act accordingly.

Step 8: Now click on events and here you will be able to find your event. Move to live control room if you want to access complete details about this event and you can easily delete it.

Step 9: Users can set privacy terms or simple delete the event that is currently in action.

Video tutorial

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

• Part1. Stream Now set up
• Part2. Set up Your Live Streaming Encoder
• Part3. Youtube Events set up
• Part4. Video tutorial

1. Stream Now set up

Follow these steps to live stream your impressive videos to YouTube using Stream Now tool:

Step 1: First of all you need to login with your account and then move to Creator Studio option directly.

Step 2: Choose the Video Manager option from top most toolbar.

Step 3: From the drop down menu, simply select Live Streaming option to begin with.

Step 4: Now hot the steam now option on your screen.

Step 5: Change or Upload your thumbnail as per need.

Step 6: It is time to provide an eye catching title to your video, add description and finally choose category from the drop down menu.

Step 7: While using stream option, never forget to click on ‘make archive unlisted when complete’ option so that you can save as well as watch your content on YouTube at later stage.

Step 8: You can monetize your ads as per need.

Step 9: It also provides options to add cards.

Step 10: Now move to encoder setup and then simply copy and paste these details to your streaming software.

Step 11: Now you can set your live chat option as per your requirement.

Step 12: The analysis window will help you to know about how many viewers are connected to your video as well as the message updates will be reflected.

Step 13: Stream health can be monitored directly.

Step 14: One can also use the social media button for live shares.

2.Set up Your Live Streaming Encoder

As soon as you have completed the above set up then next task is to adjust settings of your streaming encoder. It is possible to make easy selection out of wide range of live streaming encoders. The details below are provided with reference to OBS too that is open source type free to access software.

Step 1: First of all you need to visit official website of OBS and get your software tool installed on your system.

Step 2: Now launch OBS on your device and directly go to settings option.

Step 3: It is time to copy the stream key from YouTube and then paste it directly in the specified field of OBS.

Step 4: Users can now add their sources and scenes.

Step 5: Once all these settings are done then you can simply hit the option for start streaming and it will bring your content to YouTube directly.

3. Youtube Events set up

Live stream is little different from Stream Now platform as it allows users to schedule the streams as well as a connectivity to Google Hangouts is provided. These easy to follow steps will assist you to handle all settings for your events using Live Stream tool:

Step 1: Simply click on the schedule event option on screen.

Step 2: It is much easier to make settings for basic information as well as audience type. Make some desired changes to SNS platform. If you select the Quick type then it will directly select your webcam and you need not to make additional complicated settings whereas the custom type option provides easy set up options with OBS.

Step 3: The advance settings option works same as that of stream now features and users can adjust most of these settings as per their streaming needs.

Step 4: Users can turn monetization On or Off as per their preferences.

Step 5: As soon as you finish all above settings then simply click on the create event option.

Step 6: One more window will appear on your screen and here you can make adjustment for preferred bit rate. Also put your dedicated stream key with encoder.

Step 7: When all above steps are completed then you need to hit the option for save changes so that your tool can act accordingly.

Step 8: Now click on events and here you will be able to find your event. Move to live control room if you want to access complete details about this event and you can easily delete it.

Step 9: Users can set privacy terms or simple delete the event that is currently in action.

Video tutorial

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Creative Backgrounds for Engaging Thumbnails

YouTube is a platform where you can make money from videos. But in order to earn, your videos should get lots of views. The thing is that YouTube is a competitive space. So many others are trying to do the same. Thus, you’ll be competing for viewers’ time and attention. How can you win that battle? One way is to add eye-catching YouTube thumbnail backgrounds.

The video thumbnail will leave an impression on viewers looking for something to watch. So ensuring it is high-quality is crucial. In this article, you’ll learn where to find amazing thumbnail backgrounds and how to add them to your thumbnails.

Why Change YouTube Thumbnail Background?

When people are searching for something to watch on YouTube, they’ll look at two (2) things:

1. They’ll check the title to see how relevant it is to what they’re looking for.
2. Two, they’ll check the video thumbnail.

Thumbnail helps them determine off the bat if the video is high quality or not. A poor thumbnail will push them away, while a good one will encourage them to click.

That said, YouTubers should ensure their thumbnails are on point. Your thumbnails should be visually striking. One way to achieve that is by changing the thumbnail background. It allows you to remove unnecessary objects from the image. Additionally, it lets you improve the aesthetic of the thumbnail.

Now the question is: how do you change a YouTube thumbnail background?

Where To Find a New YouTube Thumbnail Background?

Thanks to the resource sites on the Internet, you can always find kickass backgrounds to create an attractive YouTube Thumbnail. Here, we recommend five (5) powerful apps/websites to help you easily find ideal thumbnail backgrounds.

1. Search for Numerous YouTube Thumbnail Backgrounds in Filmora

Pros

• Get access to YouTube Thumbnail Backgrounds within the video editing tool.
• Provides you with millions of stock images to choose from.
• The collection of stock media is constantly updated, giving you more and more options for your thumbnail background.

Cons

• The software itself is not totally free.

Wondershare Filmora is one of the leading video editors in the world. And it does not stop at enabling you to make amazing videos. Filmora also helps you make that video succeed. It provides you with over 4 million stock media! That includes gorgeous photos that you can use as YouTube thumbnail backgrounds.

The best thing is that you can access those images within the video editor. Meaning there’s a streamlined workflow that makes things more convenient.

Where Do the Photos Come From? Wondershare Filmora takes images from the websites Pexels, GIPHY, Pixabay, and Unsplash. Besides those, Filmora also has its own stock media library - Filmstock.

Filmstock was previously known as Filmora Store. It is the effect store for Filmora version 9.1.0 and above. From there, you can find stock media, including videos, images that you can use for your thumbnails, and royalty-free music and sound effects. You can download these resources to turn your videos into art.

2. Use Freepik To Find YouTube Thumbnail Background Images

Pros

• With over 22 million stock media resources, it offers a significant amount of photos, vectors, and graphic resources.
• The website is well-designed and void of pop-ups, making it very easy to search for specific photos.

Cons

• The free version has lots of limitations.
• The premium version is expensive.
• Download times can sometimes be slow.

Freepik is one of the largest image bank websites. It has over 22 million stock media that you can choose from to be your YouTube thumbnail backgrounds. And that collection grows further every day. Therefore, it’s highly likely to have the image you are looking for.

Not just that. Freepik has a special section containing only YouTube thumbnail backgrounds. That expedites your search. Then, you can use the filters to show only the thumbnail background designs that match your vision.

3. Find YouTube Thumbnail Background on Shutterstock for Free

Pros

• One of the largest libraries of stock photos.
• Gives a 30-day free trial that lets you make 10 downloads totally free of charge.
• Includes free images.

Cons

• The free trial lasts only 30 days. It becomes very expensive after that has expired.

Shutterstock is probably the biggest website that offers stock images. It’s so popular Shutterstock is what many people first think of when they need to find stock images.

Shutterstock has been around since 2003. As such, its collection consists of over 200 million stock photos. From that many resources, you’ll surely be able to find something to use for your YouTube thumbnail background. Even after the free trial expires, you can find some free photos from the website.

4. Download Thumbnail Background Images for YouTube in Vecteezy

Pros

• Millions of free resources.
• Cheaper than alternatives.

Cons

• The free version does not give you full commercial rights and requires you to add attribution.
• The free version allows you to download only 10 files a day.

Vecteezy allows you to download stock images for free. However, if you are serious about your YouTubing career, you must upgrade to Pro for full commercial rights. The good thing is that Vecteezy is very affordable. It costs only $7 per month! And that already gives you unlimited downloads.

Now the question is, does it have YouTube thumbnail backgrounds? Yes, it does! Whether you prefer vectors or images, Vecteezy has you covered.

5. Attractive Backgrounds for YouTube Thumbnail – NegativeSpace

Pros

• Photos downloaded from the website are free to use
• NegativeSpace encourages attribution, though, to thank the photographer that took the photo.

Cons

• The collection includes mostly photographs with just a few vectors here and there.
• The website can sometimes be slow to load.

NegativeSpace is the perfect place to get your YouTube thumbnail background if you are on a tight budget. It allows you not only to download the photos but also to use them commercially! And the photos are high-quality too, and they’re meant to be used as backgrounds.

Please note, however, that if you’re looking for vector illustrations, you’d better be on another site. NegativeSpace is built by a community of photographers. So, most of the resources you can download from this website are photos captured by a camera.

How To Change YouTube Thumbnail Background?

Suppose you have downloaded a high-quality image that will work great as a thumbnail background for your YouTube video. What shall you do next? Of course, the next step is to make the actual thumbnail.

Choosing the background image from Filmora is great because it saves you lots of time and resources. The program allows you to select from millions of high-quality options. After selecting, you can use Filmora’s native features to edit the thumbnail. You can even resize the thumbnail background to 1280x720 - YouTube’s suggested thumbnail size.

It is more convenient than you may initially think. Yes, it saves you time and effort because you don’t have to switch to another program to edit the thumbnail. But it also makes the workload easier for your computer. Opening another program will eat more RAM and will slow down the computer.

Filmora’s tools for editing the video thumbnail aren’t too shabby, either. Suppose you have a great image with the main subject where exactly you want it to be. However, you want to change the background to make the subject stand out more. You can use Wondershare Filmora’s AI Portrait feature to easily change it.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

What is Filmora’s AI Portrait Feature?

Wondershare Filmora’s AI Portrait feature allows you to quickly remove and change the background of an image.

Normally, you would need a green screen or chroma key to do that. Another method is to manually erase the background using an eraser. The AI Portrait feature has an effect called “human segmentation.” It separates the humans in an image from the background. Then, you can delete or change the background with the thumbnail background that you have downloaded. It’s really convenient!

Here is a guide on changing a YouTube thumbnail background using Wondershare Filmora.

1. Put the Thumbnail image in the timeline.

2. Select the thumbnail image. Click “Tools” > “Video” > “AI Portrait.”

3. The AI Portrait tool will remove the background automatically. Click “OK.”

4. Click “Stock Media” > “Photos.” Search for a background image that you like. Download the photo.

5. Drag the new background to the track below your thumbnail image.

6. Select your thumbnail image to adjust its size and position.

7. Click the camera icon to take a snapshot of the still frame you want to use as the YouTube video thumbnail.

8. Select the format and storage path.

9. Find the icon of the snapshot in the Media tab. Right-click and select “Reveal In Explorer” to open your local folder to find the new thumbnail.

The Bottom Line

Your YouTube video thumbnail is almost as important as the video content itself. So you must not neglect it. Ensuring it is high-quality is important. One big step in doing that is selecting a great thumbnail background image. You can find these in many places.

The video editor Wondershare Filmora even allows you to browse for some within the program! Furthermore, Filmora provides you with tools to edit the thumbnail. In turn, it streamlines the whole process. Give it a try to start creating video thumbnails that will make YouTube users click on your video easily.

Wondershare Filmora is one of the leading video editors in the world. And it does not stop at enabling you to make amazing videos. Filmora also helps you make that video succeed. It provides you with over 4 million stock media! That includes gorgeous photos that you can use as YouTube thumbnail backgrounds.

The best thing is that you can access those images within the video editor. Meaning there’s a streamlined workflow that makes things more convenient.

Where Do the Photos Come From? Wondershare Filmora takes images from the websites Pexels, GIPHY, Pixabay, and Unsplash. Besides those, Filmora also has its own stock media library - Filmstock.

Filmstock was previously known as Filmora Store. It is the effect store for Filmora version 9.1.0 and above. From there, you can find stock media, including videos, images that you can use for your thumbnails, and royalty-free music and sound effects. You can download these resources to turn your videos into art.

2. Use Freepik To Find YouTube Thumbnail Background Images

Pros

• With over 22 million stock media resources, it offers a significant amount of photos, vectors, and graphic resources.
• The website is well-designed and void of pop-ups, making it very easy to search for specific photos.

Cons

• The free version has lots of limitations.
• The premium version is expensive.
• Download times can sometimes be slow.

Freepik is one of the largest image bank websites. It has over 22 million stock media that you can choose from to be your YouTube thumbnail backgrounds. And that collection grows further every day. Therefore, it’s highly likely to have the image you are looking for.

Not just that. Freepik has a special section containing only YouTube thumbnail backgrounds. That expedites your search. Then, you can use the filters to show only the thumbnail background designs that match your vision.

3. Find YouTube Thumbnail Background on Shutterstock for Free

Pros

• One of the largest libraries of stock photos.
• Gives a 30-day free trial that lets you make 10 downloads totally free of charge.
• Includes free images.

Cons

• The free trial lasts only 30 days. It becomes very expensive after that has expired.

Shutterstock is probably the biggest website that offers stock images. It’s so popular Shutterstock is what many people first think of when they need to find stock images.

Shutterstock has been around since 2003. As such, its collection consists of over 200 million stock photos. From that many resources, you’ll surely be able to find something to use for your YouTube thumbnail background. Even after the free trial expires, you can find some free photos from the website.

4. Download Thumbnail Background Images for YouTube in Vecteezy

Pros

• Millions of free resources.
• Cheaper than alternatives.

Cons

• The free version does not give you full commercial rights and requires you to add attribution.
• The free version allows you to download only 10 files a day.

Vecteezy allows you to download stock images for free. However, if you are serious about your YouTubing career, you must upgrade to Pro for full commercial rights. The good thing is that Vecteezy is very affordable. It costs only $7 per month! And that already gives you unlimited downloads.

Now the question is, does it have YouTube thumbnail backgrounds? Yes, it does! Whether you prefer vectors or images, Vecteezy has you covered.

5. Attractive Backgrounds for YouTube Thumbnail – NegativeSpace

Pros

• Photos downloaded from the website are free to use
• NegativeSpace encourages attribution, though, to thank the photographer that took the photo.

Cons

• The collection includes mostly photographs with just a few vectors here and there.
• The website can sometimes be slow to load.

NegativeSpace is the perfect place to get your YouTube thumbnail background if you are on a tight budget. It allows you not only to download the photos but also to use them commercially! And the photos are high-quality too, and they’re meant to be used as backgrounds.

Please note, however, that if you’re looking for vector illustrations, you’d better be on another site. NegativeSpace is built by a community of photographers. So, most of the resources you can download from this website are photos captured by a camera.

How To Change YouTube Thumbnail Background?

Suppose you have downloaded a high-quality image that will work great as a thumbnail background for your YouTube video. What shall you do next? Of course, the next step is to make the actual thumbnail.

Choosing the background image from Filmora is great because it saves you lots of time and resources. The program allows you to select from millions of high-quality options. After selecting, you can use Filmora’s native features to edit the thumbnail. You can even resize the thumbnail background to 1280x720 - YouTube’s suggested thumbnail size.

It is more convenient than you may initially think. Yes, it saves you time and effort because you don’t have to switch to another program to edit the thumbnail. But it also makes the workload easier for your computer. Opening another program will eat more RAM and will slow down the computer.

Filmora’s tools for editing the video thumbnail aren’t too shabby, either. Suppose you have a great image with the main subject where exactly you want it to be. However, you want to change the background to make the subject stand out more. You can use Wondershare Filmora’s AI Portrait feature to easily change it.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

What is Filmora’s AI Portrait Feature?

Wondershare Filmora’s AI Portrait feature allows you to quickly remove and change the background of an image.

Normally, you would need a green screen or chroma key to do that. Another method is to manually erase the background using an eraser. The AI Portrait feature has an effect called “human segmentation.” It separates the humans in an image from the background. Then, you can delete or change the background with the thumbnail background that you have downloaded. It’s really convenient!

Here is a guide on changing a YouTube thumbnail background using Wondershare Filmora.

1. Put the Thumbnail image in the timeline.

2. Select the thumbnail image. Click “Tools” > “Video” > “AI Portrait.”

3. The AI Portrait tool will remove the background automatically. Click “OK.”

4. Click “Stock Media” > “Photos.” Search for a background image that you like. Download the photo.

5. Drag the new background to the track below your thumbnail image.

6. Select your thumbnail image to adjust its size and position.

7. Click the camera icon to take a snapshot of the still frame you want to use as the YouTube video thumbnail.

8. Select the format and storage path.

9. Find the icon of the snapshot in the Media tab. Right-click and select “Reveal In Explorer” to open your local folder to find the new thumbnail.

The Bottom Line

Your YouTube video thumbnail is almost as important as the video content itself. So you must not neglect it. Ensuring it is high-quality is important. One big step in doing that is selecting a great thumbnail background image. You can find these in many places.

The video editor Wondershare Filmora even allows you to browse for some within the program! Furthermore, Filmora provides you with tools to edit the thumbnail. In turn, it streamlines the whole process. Give it a try to start creating video thumbnails that will make YouTube users click on your video easily.

Wondershare Filmora is one of the leading video editors in the world. And it does not stop at enabling you to make amazing videos. Filmora also helps you make that video succeed. It provides you with over 4 million stock media! That includes gorgeous photos that you can use as YouTube thumbnail backgrounds.

The best thing is that you can access those images within the video editor. Meaning there’s a streamlined workflow that makes things more convenient.

Where Do the Photos Come From? Wondershare Filmora takes images from the websites Pexels, GIPHY, Pixabay, and Unsplash. Besides those, Filmora also has its own stock media library - Filmstock.

Filmstock was previously known as Filmora Store. It is the effect store for Filmora version 9.1.0 and above. From there, you can find stock media, including videos, images that you can use for your thumbnails, and royalty-free music and sound effects. You can download these resources to turn your videos into art.

2. Use Freepik To Find YouTube Thumbnail Background Images

Pros

• With over 22 million stock media resources, it offers a significant amount of photos, vectors, and graphic resources.
• The website is well-designed and void of pop-ups, making it very easy to search for specific photos.

Cons

• The free version has lots of limitations.
• The premium version is expensive.
• Download times can sometimes be slow.

Freepik is one of the largest image bank websites. It has over 22 million stock media that you can choose from to be your YouTube thumbnail backgrounds. And that collection grows further every day. Therefore, it’s highly likely to have the image you are looking for.

Not just that. Freepik has a special section containing only YouTube thumbnail backgrounds. That expedites your search. Then, you can use the filters to show only the thumbnail background designs that match your vision.

3. Find YouTube Thumbnail Background on Shutterstock for Free

Pros

• One of the largest libraries of stock photos.
• Gives a 30-day free trial that lets you make 10 downloads totally free of charge.
• Includes free images.

Cons

• The free trial lasts only 30 days. It becomes very expensive after that has expired.

Shutterstock is probably the biggest website that offers stock images. It’s so popular Shutterstock is what many people first think of when they need to find stock images.

Shutterstock has been around since 2003. As such, its collection consists of over 200 million stock photos. From that many resources, you’ll surely be able to find something to use for your YouTube thumbnail background. Even after the free trial expires, you can find some free photos from the website.

4. Download Thumbnail Background Images for YouTube in Vecteezy

Pros

• Millions of free resources.
• Cheaper than alternatives.

Cons

• The free version does not give you full commercial rights and requires you to add attribution.
• The free version allows you to download only 10 files a day.

Vecteezy allows you to download stock images for free. However, if you are serious about your YouTubing career, you must upgrade to Pro for full commercial rights. The good thing is that Vecteezy is very affordable. It costs only $7 per month! And that already gives you unlimited downloads.

Now the question is, does it have YouTube thumbnail backgrounds? Yes, it does! Whether you prefer vectors or images, Vecteezy has you covered.

5. Attractive Backgrounds for YouTube Thumbnail – NegativeSpace

Pros

• Photos downloaded from the website are free to use
• NegativeSpace encourages attribution, though, to thank the photographer that took the photo.

Cons

• The collection includes mostly photographs with just a few vectors here and there.
• The website can sometimes be slow to load.

NegativeSpace is the perfect place to get your YouTube thumbnail background if you are on a tight budget. It allows you not only to download the photos but also to use them commercially! And the photos are high-quality too, and they’re meant to be used as backgrounds.

Please note, however, that if you’re looking for vector illustrations, you’d better be on another site. NegativeSpace is built by a community of photographers. So, most of the resources you can download from this website are photos captured by a camera.

How To Change YouTube Thumbnail Background?

Suppose you have downloaded a high-quality image that will work great as a thumbnail background for your YouTube video. What shall you do next? Of course, the next step is to make the actual thumbnail.

Choosing the background image from Filmora is great because it saves you lots of time and resources. The program allows you to select from millions of high-quality options. After selecting, you can use Filmora’s native features to edit the thumbnail. You can even resize the thumbnail background to 1280x720 - YouTube’s suggested thumbnail size.

It is more convenient than you may initially think. Yes, it saves you time and effort because you don’t have to switch to another program to edit the thumbnail. But it also makes the workload easier for your computer. Opening another program will eat more RAM and will slow down the computer.

Filmora’s tools for editing the video thumbnail aren’t too shabby, either. Suppose you have a great image with the main subject where exactly you want it to be. However, you want to change the background to make the subject stand out more. You can use Wondershare Filmora’s AI Portrait feature to easily change it.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

What is Filmora’s AI Portrait Feature?

Wondershare Filmora’s AI Portrait feature allows you to quickly remove and change the background of an image.

Normally, you would need a green screen or chroma key to do that. Another method is to manually erase the background using an eraser. The AI Portrait feature has an effect called “human segmentation.” It separates the humans in an image from the background. Then, you can delete or change the background with the thumbnail background that you have downloaded. It’s really convenient!

Here is a guide on changing a YouTube thumbnail background using Wondershare Filmora.

1. Put the Thumbnail image in the timeline.

2. Select the thumbnail image. Click “Tools” > “Video” > “AI Portrait.”

3. The AI Portrait tool will remove the background automatically. Click “OK.”

4. Click “Stock Media” > “Photos.” Search for a background image that you like. Download the photo.

5. Drag the new background to the track below your thumbnail image.

6. Select your thumbnail image to adjust its size and position.

7. Click the camera icon to take a snapshot of the still frame you want to use as the YouTube video thumbnail.

8. Select the format and storage path.

9. Find the icon of the snapshot in the Media tab. Right-click and select “Reveal In Explorer” to open your local folder to find the new thumbnail.

The Bottom Line

Your YouTube video thumbnail is almost as important as the video content itself. So you must not neglect it. Ensuring it is high-quality is important. One big step in doing that is selecting a great thumbnail background image. You can find these in many places.

The video editor Wondershare Filmora even allows you to browse for some within the program! Furthermore, Filmora provides you with tools to edit the thumbnail. In turn, it streamlines the whole process. Give it a try to start creating video thumbnails that will make YouTube users click on your video easily.

Wondershare Filmora is one of the leading video editors in the world. And it does not stop at enabling you to make amazing videos. Filmora also helps you make that video succeed. It provides you with over 4 million stock media! That includes gorgeous photos that you can use as YouTube thumbnail backgrounds.

The best thing is that you can access those images within the video editor. Meaning there’s a streamlined workflow that makes things more convenient.

Where Do the Photos Come From? Wondershare Filmora takes images from the websites Pexels, GIPHY, Pixabay, and Unsplash. Besides those, Filmora also has its own stock media library - Filmstock.

Filmstock was previously known as Filmora Store. It is the effect store for Filmora version 9.1.0 and above. From there, you can find stock media, including videos, images that you can use for your thumbnails, and royalty-free music and sound effects. You can download these resources to turn your videos into art.

2. Use Freepik To Find YouTube Thumbnail Background Images

Pros

• With over 22 million stock media resources, it offers a significant amount of photos, vectors, and graphic resources.
• The website is well-designed and void of pop-ups, making it very easy to search for specific photos.

Cons

• The free version has lots of limitations.
• The premium version is expensive.
• Download times can sometimes be slow.

Freepik is one of the largest image bank websites. It has over 22 million stock media that you can choose from to be your YouTube thumbnail backgrounds. And that collection grows further every day. Therefore, it’s highly likely to have the image you are looking for.

Not just that. Freepik has a special section containing only YouTube thumbnail backgrounds. That expedites your search. Then, you can use the filters to show only the thumbnail background designs that match your vision.

3. Find YouTube Thumbnail Background on Shutterstock for Free

Pros

• One of the largest libraries of stock photos.
• Gives a 30-day free trial that lets you make 10 downloads totally free of charge.
• Includes free images.

Cons

• The free trial lasts only 30 days. It becomes very expensive after that has expired.

Shutterstock is probably the biggest website that offers stock images. It’s so popular Shutterstock is what many people first think of when they need to find stock images.

Shutterstock has been around since 2003. As such, its collection consists of over 200 million stock photos. From that many resources, you’ll surely be able to find something to use for your YouTube thumbnail background. Even after the free trial expires, you can find some free photos from the website.

4. Download Thumbnail Background Images for YouTube in Vecteezy

Pros

• Millions of free resources.
• Cheaper than alternatives.

Cons

• The free version does not give you full commercial rights and requires you to add attribution.
• The free version allows you to download only 10 files a day.

Vecteezy allows you to download stock images for free. However, if you are serious about your YouTubing career, you must upgrade to Pro for full commercial rights. The good thing is that Vecteezy is very affordable. It costs only $7 per month! And that already gives you unlimited downloads.

Now the question is, does it have YouTube thumbnail backgrounds? Yes, it does! Whether you prefer vectors or images, Vecteezy has you covered.

5. Attractive Backgrounds for YouTube Thumbnail – NegativeSpace

Pros

• Photos downloaded from the website are free to use
• NegativeSpace encourages attribution, though, to thank the photographer that took the photo.

Cons

• The collection includes mostly photographs with just a few vectors here and there.
• The website can sometimes be slow to load.

NegativeSpace is the perfect place to get your YouTube thumbnail background if you are on a tight budget. It allows you not only to download the photos but also to use them commercially! And the photos are high-quality too, and they’re meant to be used as backgrounds.

Please note, however, that if you’re looking for vector illustrations, you’d better be on another site. NegativeSpace is built by a community of photographers. So, most of the resources you can download from this website are photos captured by a camera.

How To Change YouTube Thumbnail Background?

Suppose you have downloaded a high-quality image that will work great as a thumbnail background for your YouTube video. What shall you do next? Of course, the next step is to make the actual thumbnail.

Choosing the background image from Filmora is great because it saves you lots of time and resources. The program allows you to select from millions of high-quality options. After selecting, you can use Filmora’s native features to edit the thumbnail. You can even resize the thumbnail background to 1280x720 - YouTube’s suggested thumbnail size.

It is more convenient than you may initially think. Yes, it saves you time and effort because you don’t have to switch to another program to edit the thumbnail. But it also makes the workload easier for your computer. Opening another program will eat more RAM and will slow down the computer.

Filmora’s tools for editing the video thumbnail aren’t too shabby, either. Suppose you have a great image with the main subject where exactly you want it to be. However, you want to change the background to make the subject stand out more. You can use Wondershare Filmora’s AI Portrait feature to easily change it.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

What is Filmora’s AI Portrait Feature?

Wondershare Filmora’s AI Portrait feature allows you to quickly remove and change the background of an image.

Normally, you would need a green screen or chroma key to do that. Another method is to manually erase the background using an eraser. The AI Portrait feature has an effect called “human segmentation.” It separates the humans in an image from the background. Then, you can delete or change the background with the thumbnail background that you have downloaded. It’s really convenient!

Here is a guide on changing a YouTube thumbnail background using Wondershare Filmora.

1. Put the Thumbnail image in the timeline.

2. Select the thumbnail image. Click “Tools” > “Video” > “AI Portrait.”

3. The AI Portrait tool will remove the background automatically. Click “OK.”

4. Click “Stock Media” > “Photos.” Search for a background image that you like. Download the photo.

5. Drag the new background to the track below your thumbnail image.

6. Select your thumbnail image to adjust its size and position.

7. Click the camera icon to take a snapshot of the still frame you want to use as the YouTube video thumbnail.

8. Select the format and storage path.

9. Find the icon of the snapshot in the Media tab. Right-click and select “Reveal In Explorer” to open your local folder to find the new thumbnail.

The Bottom Line

Your YouTube video thumbnail is almost as important as the video content itself. So you must not neglect it. Ensuring it is high-quality is important. One big step in doing that is selecting a great thumbnail background image. You can find these in many places.

The video editor Wondershare Filmora even allows you to browse for some within the program! Furthermore, Filmora provides you with tools to edit the thumbnail. In turn, it streamlines the whole process. Give it a try to start creating video thumbnails that will make YouTube users click on your video easily.