YouTube Thumbnail Size, Limits and Readable Text
Make it 16:9 and at least 640 px wide. 1280 × 720 px is the size most creators use; YouTube now asks for up to 3840 × 2160 px. Most people see it far smaller, as little as 160 px wide, so build it to read at that size.
Checked against each platform's help pages on .
The short answer
- Usual size
- 1280 × 720 px (16:9)
- YouTube recommends
- Up to 3840 × 2160 px
- Minimum width
- 640 px
- File types
- JPG or PNG
- Max file size (computer)
- 50 MB
- Max file size (phone app)
- 2 MB
- To upload one
- Verify your account
YouTube thumbnail size and file rules
For a normal video, upload a 16:9 image at least 640 px wide. 1280 × 720 px has been the standard size for years and still works. YouTube's help page now asks for thumbnails "as large as possible", up to 3840 × 2160 px, which looks sharper on TVs and large screens.
The file limit depends on where you upload from. YouTube Studio on a computer takes up to 50 MB. The YouTube app on a phone takes 2 MB at most, which a 3840 × 2160 px PNG will easily go over, so save phone uploads as JPG.
| Requirement | Video thumbnail |
|---|---|
| Usual size | 1280 × 720 px |
| Largest YouTube asks for | 3840 × 2160 px |
| Minimum width | 640 px |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9 |
| File types | JPG or PNG (GIF and BMP: see note) |
| Max file size from a computer | 50 MB |
| Max file size from the phone app | 2 MB |
Why you can't upload a custom thumbnail yet
Custom thumbnails are locked until your account is verified. Verification is a one-off step at youtube.com/verify: you enter a phone number and type in the code YouTube sends by text or voice call.
Until then you can only pick one of the stills YouTube takes from your video. Once verified, the upload option appears in YouTube Studio and in the app.
How small thumbnails really show
You design at 1280 × 720 px, but nobody sees it that big. In the suggested sidebar beside a video it is about 168 px wide, and in compact phone search results about 160 px. That is around an eighth of the width you worked at.
The last column follows lettering 72 px tall on a 1280 × 720 px thumbnail (a tenth of its height) down to each layout. Anything much smaller than that will be hard to read in the sidebar and on phones.
| Where | Shown at | Share of 1280 px width | 72 px text shows as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home grid | 360 × 203 px | 28% | 20.3 px tall |
| Search results | 360 × 203 px | 28% | 20.3 px tall |
| Suggested sidebar | 168 × 95 px | 13% | 9.5 px tall |
| Phone feed | 390 × 219 px | 30% | 21.9 px tall |
| Phone search | 160 × 90 px | 13% | 9 px tall |
| TV | 368 × 207 px | 29% | 20.7 px tall |
Text that still reads when it's tiny
- Use three or four words at most. The title sits right next to the thumbnail, so don't repeat it.
- Make letters big: a tenth of the height (72 px on 1280 × 720 px) is a sensible floor, and bigger is better.
- Pick a heavy, plain typeface. Thin, script and condensed fonts fall apart at small sizes.
- Give text strong contrast with what's behind it: a dark outline, a shadow or a solid band. Check it in greyscale; if it vanishes, the contrast is too low.
- Keep one clear subject, such as a face or an object, large enough to recognise at sidebar size.
- Check it against both light and dark YouTube themes, so the edges don't disappear into the page.
Keep the bottom-right corner clear
YouTube puts a small box with the video's length over the bottom-right corner of every thumbnail, in every layout. Text, a logo or a face there will be partly covered. Videos people have started also get a red progress bar along the bottom edge.
Keep important detail out of the bottom right and away from the very bottom. YouTube doesn't publish the badge's size, and it is bigger relative to the thumbnail in small layouts than in large ones, so leave generous room.
Test before you upload, and after
Before you publish, look at the thumbnail at real sizes next to the videos it will compete with. Shrink it to sidebar size and check that the text reads and the subject is clear, in both light and dark mode.
After you publish, YouTube's own Test & compare lets you try up to three thumbnails and titles on one video. It shows each version to viewers and keeps the one with the highest watch time share. It works in YouTube Studio on a computer and needs advanced features turned on.
Getting a thumbnail back off YouTube
YouTube keeps several copies of every public video's thumbnail at fixed addresses. They're handy for checking what a published thumbnail actually looks like, or for getting your own back if you've lost the original. The HD copy only exists for videos uploaded in HD.
| Copy | Size | Shape |
|---|---|---|
| HD | 1280 × 720 px | 16:9 |
| SD | 640 × 480 px | 4:3, with black bars |
| High | 480 × 360 px | 4:3, with black bars |
| Medium | 320 × 180 px | 16:9 |
Frequently asked questions
What size should a YouTube thumbnail be?
16:9 and at least 640 px wide. 1280 × 720 px is the usual size; YouTube now recommends going larger, up to 3840 × 2160 px.
Why can't I add a custom thumbnail on YouTube?
Your account isn't verified yet. Verify it with a phone number at youtube.com/verify, and the option to upload your own thumbnail appears.
What is the maximum file size for a YouTube thumbnail?
50 MB when you upload from YouTube Studio on a computer, but only 2 MB from the YouTube app on a phone. Save it as a JPG if it's too big.
Can I use a GIF or BMP as a YouTube thumbnail?
YouTube's help page names JPG and PNG. Older versions also listed GIF and some guides add BMP, but to be safe, convert to JPG or PNG.
What size is a YouTube Shorts thumbnail?
Shorts use a vertical 9:16 thumbnail: YouTube asks for 2160 × 3840, at least 640 px tall. You can only add one in YouTube Studio on a computer, and your account must be verified.
Why does my thumbnail look blurry?
Usually because it was made smaller than 1280 × 720 px and scaled up, or saved with heavy compression. Start at 1280 × 720 px or larger and export at high quality.
Tools for this
- Thumbnail PreviewSee your thumbnail and title in YouTube-style home, search, sidebar, phone and TV layouts, next to other videos.
- YouTube ThumbnailGet any YouTube video's thumbnail in HD from its link.
- Image ResizerResize one photo or a whole batch for any post, story, banner or profile picture, with crop, blur or border.