SizeKitSizeKit reference
YouTube Thumbnail Size
Recommended pixel dimensions, aspect ratio, and copyable output for YouTube thumbnail.
Immediate answer
YouTube Thumbnail default
YouTube Help recommends 1280 x 720 with minimum width 640.
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Recommended size cards
Use this as the working export size before upload.
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Upload requirements and warnings
YouTube applies file size and format limits to thumbnails. Mistakes here cause silent failures.
- File size limit: 2 MB. If the upload silently fails or reverts to the default frame, the file is over 2 MB. Re-export with lower JPEG quality or use PNG only when needed.
- Format: JPG, GIF, or PNG. WebP and AVIF are not accepted. Convert before upload.
- Aspect ratio must be 16:9. Other ratios are accepted but the player crops or letterboxes them. Keep the safe content centered.
- Minimum width: 640 px. Below 640 px the image is rejected even if the ratio is correct.
- Preview cropping in mobile feed. The thumbnail may be cropped to a different ratio in some feed contexts. Keep the title text and face centered, away from edges.
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Related tasks
Tools and reference pages commonly used with YouTube thumbnails.
Aspect ratio calculator
Scale your source image to 16:9 without cropping. Find the matching height for any width.
Open Graph image size
If you share the video on Facebook, X, or LinkedIn, the OG image is 1200 x 630, not the YouTube thumbnail.
All social and web sizes
Other YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, X, and platform sizes.
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Source and calculation method
Where these values come from and when they were checked.
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More social size pages
Browse the rest of the social and web image size directory.
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FAQ
Quick answers for this asset.
What is the size of a YouTube thumbnail?
A YouTube thumbnail should be 1280 x 720 pixels with a 16:9 aspect ratio. Minimum width is 640 px. File size must be under 2 MB. Format: JPG, GIF, or PNG.
What is the aspect ratio of a YouTube thumbnail?
16:9. This matches the video player. Other ratios will be letterboxed or cropped in feed.
What if my thumbnail is too large?
YouTube rejects thumbnails over 2 MB. Re-export at JPEG quality 80-90, or convert PNG to JPG if it has no transparency.
Why is my YouTube thumbnail blurry?
The source is under 1280 px wide, or your video is being viewed at a smaller player size. Always export at 1280 x 720 or higher (e.g. 1920 x 1080 cropped to 16:9 works).