Platform preset
YouTubeYouTube thumbnail resizer
YouTube asks for a 1280 × 720 thumbnail under 2 MB. Frame your image, check the estimated size, and download something that will upload first time.
Runs in your browser · nothing is uploaded
Ready when you are
Upload your image
Drop an image here
JPG · PNG · WebP · GIF · HEIC (where your browser supports it)
YouTube image sizes
These are the presets the tool above uses, taken from the same configuration.
| Image type | Recommended size | Aspect ratio | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube thumbnail | 1280 × 720 px | 16:9 | jpg |
| YouTube channel banner | 2560 × 1440 px | 16:9 | jpg |
Last verified 2026-01-15 · Source: YouTube Help — add video thumbnails
The 2 MB limit is a hard one
Custom thumbnails are rejected above 2 MB. If your export is close, drop JPG quality to around 0.8 — at 1280 × 720 that is usually a few hundred kilobytes with no visible difference.
Design for the small size
Most thumbnail impressions are far smaller than 1280 × 720 — sidebar and mobile placements can be a couple of hundred pixels wide. A single clear subject reads at that size; fine detail does not.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
- What size is a YouTube thumbnail?
- 1280 × 720 pixels, 16:9, and under 2 MB. JPG, PNG, GIF and BMP are accepted.
- Why won't YouTube accept my thumbnail?
- Usually the file exceeds 2 MB, or the account doesn't have custom thumbnails enabled yet. Compress and try again.
- What size is a YouTube channel banner?
- 2560 × 1440 uploaded, with the central 1546 × 423 area visible on every device.
- Are my images uploaded to a server?
- No. Every step — decoding, cropping, resizing and encoding — runs in your browser using the Canvas API. The image file never leaves your device, so nothing is stored or transmitted by us.
Related tools
- Compress an imageShrink JPG, PNG and WebP files in your browser. Adjust quality, see the estimated size before you download.
- Crop an image to any aspect ratioCrop photos to 1:1, 4:5, 16:9 or any custom ratio right in the browser. Drag to reposition, zoom, and download.
- Resize an image to exact dimensionsResize any JPG, PNG or WebP to exact pixel dimensions in your browser. No signup, no upload, no watermark.
Related guides
Sources & review
Last reviewed 2026-01-15.
- YouTube Help — add video thumbnails