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    YouTube Thumbnail Size

    YouTube recommends 3840 × 2160 pixels (16:9) for video thumbnails, at least 640 pixels wide, up to 2 MB from a phone or 50 MB from a computer. Shorts thumbnails are 2160 × 3840 (9:16).

    Specs checked: 6 October 2026

    YouTube's help page now asks for thumbnails as large as possible, with 3840 × 2160 as the recommended size. The 1280 × 720 size that many templates still use is 16:9 and well above the minimum, so it fits the frame, but it is a commonly recommended size rather than the one YouTube names today.

    Check your image below, then resize it to the exact size without leaving the page. The checker and the resizer run in your browser, so your image is not sent anywhere.

    Sizes, limits and sources

    YouTube Thumbnail Size specs in pixels, with whether each value is official and where it comes from. Specs checked: 6 October 2026.
    ImageSizeAspect ratioMinimumFile sizeFormatsStatusSource
    Video thumbnail3840 × 216016:9640 px wide2 MB for mobile uploads; 50 MB for desktop uploadsJPG, PNG (examples)OfficialYouTube Help: Add custom thumbnails
    Shorts thumbnail2160 × 38409:16640 px tall50 MB for desktop uploadsJPG, PNG (examples)OfficialYouTube Help: Add custom thumbnails
    Video thumbnail, smaller1280 × 72016:9640 px wide2 MB for mobile uploads; 50 MB for desktop uploadsJPG, PNG (examples)Commonly recommendedNo official source
    • Video thumbnail: YouTube says thumbnails should be as large as possible. The mobile limit is 2 MB for video thumbnails and 10 MB for podcasts.
    • Shorts thumbnail: Custom Shorts thumbnails can only be added in YouTube Studio on a computer, from a verified account.
    • Video thumbnail, smaller: The size most templates used before YouTube recommended 3840 × 2160. It is still 16:9 and above the 640 pixel minimum.

    Check your image

    See the dimensions, aspect ratio and file size of your image, and how it compares with the size above.

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    The matching preset is already selected. Fit adds padding, Fill crops to the exact shape, and the download has the exact pixel size.

    Size Preset

    Size from YouTube Help: Add custom thumbnails. Specs checked: 6 October 2026.

    Resize Mode

    Fits image inside bounds, adds padding if needed.

    Format
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    Video and Shorts thumbnail shapes

    Diagram: Video and Shorts thumbnail shapesVideo thumbnail3840 × 2160 (16:9)Shorts2160 × 3840(9:16)

    A video thumbnail is landscape (16:9) and a Shorts thumbnail is portrait (9:16). They are the same shape turned on its side, so one design rarely fits both without moving the text.

    YouTube does not publish a safe area for thumbnails. Thumbnails appear small in many places, so keep text large and away from the edges, and check the preview in YouTube Studio.

    4K or 1280 × 720?

    At 3840 × 2160 a thumbnail has room to stay sharp on large screens such as TVs. The cost is file size: a detailed 4K JPG can pass the 2 MB limit for uploads from a phone, while the 50 MB limit for uploads from a computer leaves plenty of room.

    If you upload from your phone, a smaller 16:9 size such as 1280 × 720 keeps the file light. Whichever you pick, keep the shape at 16:9 so nothing is cropped or padded.

    Custom thumbnails for Shorts

    YouTube recommends 2160 × 3840 for Shorts thumbnails. Its help page says custom Shorts thumbnails can only be added in YouTube Studio on a computer, from a verified account.

    Because the Shorts shape is tall and narrow, text that fits across a video thumbnail usually needs to be stacked or shortened.

    Tips

    • Design at 3840 × 2160, then export a smaller copy if the file is too big to upload from your phone.
    • Save photos as JPG and flat graphics with few colours as PNG; YouTube's help page names both as examples.
    • Look at the thumbnail at roughly the size of a fingernail before you upload. If the words are hard to read, use fewer of them.
    • Keep a layered source file so you can change the text later without rebuilding the image.

    Common mistakes

    • Using a 4:3 or square image, which is not 16:9 and so does not fill the thumbnail frame.
    • Exporting a 4K photo as PNG, which can be far over 2 MB, and then uploading it from a phone.
    • Reusing the video thumbnail for a Short without rearranging it for the 9:16 shape.
    • Going below 640 pixels wide, under YouTube's minimum.

    More size guides and tools

    Frequently asked questions

    What size is a YouTube thumbnail?

    YouTube's help page recommends 3840 × 2160 pixels, a 16:9 ratio. The minimum width is 640 pixels.

    Is 1280 × 720 still OK for a YouTube thumbnail?

    Yes, it is 16:9 and above the 640 pixel minimum, so it fits the frame. YouTube now recommends 3840 × 2160, which makes 1280 × 720 a smaller option rather than the recommended size.

    What is the YouTube thumbnail file size limit?

    According to YouTube's help page, 2 MB for video thumbnails uploaded on mobile, 10 MB for podcasts on mobile, and 50 MB on desktop.

    What size is a YouTube Shorts thumbnail?

    YouTube recommends 2160 × 3840 pixels, a 9:16 ratio. You add it in YouTube Studio on a computer.

    Should a thumbnail be JPG or PNG?

    YouTube's help page gives JPG and PNG as examples. JPG keeps photos small, and PNG keeps sharp text and flat colours clean.

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