YouTube Thumbnail Size: Optimal Dimensions

Keynote

The exact YouTube thumbnail size

For optimal YouTube thumbnails, use dimensions of 1280×720 pixels, adhering to a 16:9 ratio. Ensure the width is no less than 640 pixels and the file size remains below 2MB.

Youtubers make cover photos before publishing their content. These cover photos are called Thumbnail. A thumbnail is a small image identifying a file or piece of content. By clicking on the thumbnail, the user opens the file or information. A thumbnail is an option that is available on all operating systems. It is pretty beneficial for analyzing many files at the same time. YouTube thumbnails provide your content an extra boost in clicks, which is crucial for gaining success on YouTube.

It requires specific visual dimensions to be adhered to in the posts on YouTube. So, to become successful, create an eye-catching and appealing thumbnail since a YouTube thumbnail image is the key to more engagement.

Your videos must also adhere to the platform’s ideal YouTube thumbnail size to stand out. Let’s learn them together!

What is the Best YouTube Thumbnail Size?

You should follow some rules to create a YouTube thumbnail and upload it. You can follow a guide for your YouTube thumbnail dimensions. There are some rules for size, aspect ratio, and file size.

What you need for a perfect YouTube thumbnail size is a larger image size that can be scaled down since it is small when displayed in searches and will expand to a full video size. So, please create a YouTube thumbnail according to these standards. Remember these YouTube thumbnail best practices to guarantee your YouTube thumbnail strategy.

Thumbnail Size

According to the YouTube thumbnail size guide, your image should have a 1280 x 720 pixels resolution.

As you know, YouTube is not only watched on computers. When creating a YouTube channel banner, it is necessary to consider smart TVs and mobile devices. You must provide important information within 1280 x 720 pixels so that the logo and text in the prepared YouTube custom thumbnail are not split on devices.

You can create great thumbnails if you follow the 1280 pixels wide and 720 pixels tall.

Minimum Width

Also, make sure your thumbnail is 640 pixels wide or larger. According to the YouTube thumbnail size guide, to attain the highest level of clarity, YouTube thumbnail images should have a minimum width of 640 pixels. You can make high-quality video thumbnail images that are ideal for YouTube. So, you will draw visitors’ attention by utilizing these suggested YouTube thumbnail dimensions.

Aspect Ratio

The appropriate aspect ratio is 16:9 for thumbnails on YouTube, according to the YouTube thumbnail size guide, because YouTube players and previews almost always use this format. You should create your YouTube thumbnail images in a 16:9 ratio.

File Size

The maximum file size for YouTube thumbnail images is a 2 MB limit.

Image File Formats

According to the YouTube thumbnail size guide, the ideal image formats for your video’s thumbnail are JPG, GIF, or PNG.

How Does YouTube Thumbnail Size Affect Your Ranking?

The first impression is made with your YouTube thumbnail image. So, to reach more people and get more views on your YouTube channel, pay attention to your YouTube thumbnail.

Therefore, you should follow the right size for YouTube thumbnails. As we stated, YouTube thumbnail best practices for your video thumbnail is an aspect ratio of 16:9, 1280 pixels by 720 pixels, minimum of 640 pixels. Create your custom thumbnail images according to that.

When creating your custom YouTube thumbnails, remember the importance of YouTube thumbnails and follow the suitable YouTube sizes.

FAQ

How can a YouTube thumbnail size be reduced?

It is easy to reduce the size of your YouTube thumbnail image with an online image resizer. Using image resizers, you can reduce YouTube thumbnail sizes of various sorts of custom thumbnail images. All you have to do is upload your photo and select “resize” from the menu.

Can a YouTube thumbnail be 1920×1080?

Yes, you can upload a 1920×1080 YouTube thumbnail, but your image can appear pixelated in a low quality, which could interrupt how well your video plays on YouTube. Therefore, we recommend to continue with the 1280x720p resolution.

What are YouTube thumbnail mistakes?

Too long text
Small text
Choosing the wrong image
Wrong dimension size.

Can I make changes to the thumbnail size on YouTube?

Unfortunately, you cannot directly change thumbnails because YouTube controls how it shows. However, you can add a new thumbnail on YouTube with a new size dimension.

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Written by
Daisy Hoda

As a senior editor, Daisy Hoda creates well-structured website content, combining her knowledge and skills of digital media and writing in a pot. Her expertise extends to various platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

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