YouTube asks for custom thumbnails at 1280x720 pixels with a minimum width of 640 pixels. Upload your image below, crop it to 16:9, and download a thumbnail that will be accepted without a warning and stay sharp on every device.
| Recommended size | 1280 x 720 pixels |
|---|---|
| Aspect ratio | 16:9 |
| Minimum width | 640 pixels |
| Supported formats | JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP |
| Maximum file size | 2 MB |
| Duration badge | Bottom right corner is covered by the timestamp |
The thumbnail is the single biggest factor in whether someone clicks. YouTube displays it everywhere from a tiny sidebar strip to a full width home page card, so a correctly sized 16:9 image at 1280 pixels wide scales cleanly across all of them.
YouTube recommends 1280 x 720 pixels in a 16:9 ratio, with a minimum width of 640 pixels and a file no larger than 2 MB.
The two most common reasons are a file larger than 2 MB or an image narrower than 640 pixels. Resize to 1280 x 720 and compress the file if needed.
The timestamp sits in the bottom right corner, so avoid placing faces or important text there.
PNG keeps text and graphics crisper, but the file is larger. If a PNG exceeds the 2 MB limit, export as JPG instead.