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The length in the corner covers the bottom right of every video card. Keep faces and words clear of it.
Schedule this with FlaghandYouTube’s rules.
- Size
- 3840 × 2160 for a video, 2160 × 3840 for a Short. At least 640 wide for a video, 640 tall for a Short.
- Shape
- 16:9 for a video, 9:16 for a Short, 1:1 for a podcast playlist.
- File
- JPG or PNG. Under 2 MB from the phone app, 50 MB from a computer.
- Who
- A verified channel. A Short’s thumbnail is added in YouTube Studio on a computer.
Every rule with its source, and how a thumbnail shows on phones, computers and TVs: YouTube thumbnail size.
Questions.
What size is a YouTube thumbnail?
YouTube recommends 3840 × 2160 pixels for a video (16:9) and 2160 × 3840 for a Short (9:16). A video’s thumbnail must be at least 640 pixels wide, a Short’s at least 640 tall.
How big can the file be?
Under 2 MB when you upload from the phone app, and under 50 MB from YouTube Studio on a computer. Use a JPG or PNG.
What covers part of my thumbnail?
The video’s length, in the bottom right corner of every card: 20 pixels tall, 8 in from the edges on home and in search, 4 in Up next, as Flaghand measured them on YouTube’s pages.
Who can add a custom thumbnail?
A channel that has verified its account. A Short’s custom thumbnail can be added only in YouTube Studio on a computer.
Is my image uploaded?
No. It is opened and drawn in your browser. Nothing is sent anywhere or stored, and the page sets no cookies.