YouTube Thumbnail Size Checker
Drop in your thumbnail to check it against YouTube's rules, see what the timestamp covers, and fix the size in one click.
YouTube requirements
Checked against YouTube's custom thumbnail rules.
See it where viewers will
Add your title and channel name to see the whole package in the home feed, search results, Up next and on a phone.
Neighbouring thumbnails are made up for comparison.
What size is a YouTube thumbnail?
YouTube recommends 3840 × 2160 pixels, a 16:9 aspect ratio, saved as a JPG or PNG. The image must be at least 640 pixels wide, and under 50 MB when you upload from a computer or 2 MB from the mobile app.
1280 × 720, the size most guides quote, is still accepted and looks sharp in the feed. The bigger size simply holds up better on TVs and large monitors. Upload your image above and we'll check every rule for you.
- Recommended
- 3840 × 2160 px
- Minimum width
- 640 px
- Formats
- JPG or PNG
- File size
- 50 MB desktop, 2 MB mobile
What does YouTube check when you upload a thumbnail?
YouTube's custom thumbnail requirements, and why each one matters.
| Check | YouTube's rule | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 3840 × 2160 pixels recommended, at least 640 pixels wide | Smaller images look soft on TVs and large screens. |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9 (9:16 for Shorts) | Other ratios are cropped or get black bars in the player and feed. |
| File size | Up to 50 MB from a computer, 2 MB on mobile | YouTube rejects larger files when you upload a custom thumbnail. |
| Format | JPG or PNG | These are the formats YouTube lists. Others, like WebP or HEIC, may not upload. |
| Bottom-right corner | Covered by the video length | Text or faces there are hidden in every feed. |
Is a YouTube thumbnail 16:9 or 4:3?
16:9. That's the shape of the YouTube player and every thumbnail slot in the feed. A 4:3 image, the shape of many phone photos and old TV, gets black bars on the sides or is trimmed to fit.
To fix a 4:3 or square image, use “Download fixed” above. It crops to 16:9 from the centre. To choose what stays in the frame, use the thumbnail resizer and tap your subject first.
What size is a YouTube Shorts thumbnail?
YouTube recommends 2160 × 3840 pixels for Shorts, a vertical 9:16 image. In the YouTube mobile app, you can also pick a frame from the Short to use as its cover.
Keep text and faces near the centre. When a Short plays, YouTube puts the title, channel name and buttons along the bottom and right edges.
What is a YouTube thumbnail size in inches, centimetres or Photoshop?
YouTube only counts pixels, so set your canvas in pixels: 3840 × 2160, or 1280 × 720. Inches and centimetres depend on the resolution (PPI) setting, which doesn't change how the thumbnail looks online.
| Where you're setting it up | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Photoshop | File › New. Width 3840 pixels, height 2160 pixels. Resolution 72 is fine. |
| Canva | Create a design › YouTube Thumbnail (1280 × 720), or Custom size 3840 × 2160 px. |
| Inches at 300 PPI | 12.8 × 7.2 in (1280 × 720 is about 4.27 × 2.4 in) |
| Centimetres at 300 PPI | 32.5 × 18.3 cm (1280 × 720 is about 10.8 × 6.1 cm) |
Why does my YouTube thumbnail look blurry or cut off?
It was made too small
An image under 1280 pixels wide gets stretched on big screens. Rebuild it at 3840 × 2160 rather than scaling the small one up.
It isn't 16:9
Square or 4:3 images are trimmed or letterboxed. The checker flags the ratio, and “Download fixed” crops it for you.
It was compressed too hard
Squeezing a detailed image under 2 MB for a phone upload can add blocky artefacts. Upload from a computer, where the limit is 50 MB.
YouTube is still processing
A new thumbnail can take a little while to replace the old one everywhere. Refresh after a few minutes before uploading again.
How do you change a thumbnail on YouTube?
Open YouTube Studio, go to Content, click the video, then choose Upload file under Thumbnail and save. Custom thumbnails need a verified account; until then, you can pick one of YouTube's auto-generated stills.
- Open YouTube StudioSign in at studio.youtube.com and choose Content from the menu on the left.
- Open the video's detailsClick the video's title or thumbnail to open its details page.
- Upload your thumbnailUnder Thumbnail, choose Upload file and select your image.
- SaveClick Save in the top right. The new thumbnail appears once YouTube has processed it.
Thumbnail size checker FAQ
Is 1280 × 720 still OK for a YouTube thumbnail?
What does “Download fixed” change?
Is my image uploaded anywhere?
Why can't I upload a custom thumbnail?
Finish your thumbnail
Size sorted. Now make it stand out.
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