Platform sizes
YouTube thumbnail size
By Suprabhat Updated How we write these
2 min read
The short answer
Make YouTube thumbnails 1280 × 720 pixels or larger, in 16:9, as a JPG or PNG. YouTube now recommends 3840 × 2160 for 4K screens. From a computer the file can be up to 50 MB; from the YouTube phone app it must still be under 2 MB.
Video thumbnails
| Thumbnail (recommended) | 3840 × 2160 px (16:9); 1280 × 720 at least |
|---|---|
| Thumbnail upload, desktop | up to 50 MB, JPG or PNG |
| Thumbnail upload, phone app | up to 2 MB |
| Minimum width | 640 px |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9 |
Shorts thumbnails
| Shorts thumbnail | 2160 × 3840 px (9:16), 640 px wide at least |
|---|
Why most guides still say 2 MB
For years the limit was 2 MB, and nearly every size guide still says so. In 2026 YouTube raised it to 50 MB for uploads from a computer, so that thumbnails can be 4K for the growing number of people watching on TVs. The YouTube phone app didn’t change: it still refuses anything over 2 MB. If you upload from your phone, or aren’t sure, a 1280 × 720 JPG under 2 MB is accepted everywhere.
A thumbnail that works at the size people see it
Most people see a thumbnail at the size of a large stamp on a phone. Big shapes, a readable face and three or four words at most carry; small text and fine detail don’t. Keep the important part away from the bottom-right corner, where YouTube draws the video length, and check it at 25% zoom before you upload.
A JPG at quality 85–90 is the usual choice: small, sharp and accepted everywhere. PNG suits thumbnails that are mostly flat color and text.
Questions
What size is a YouTube thumbnail?
1280 × 720 pixels at least, in a 16:9 shape; YouTube recommends 3840 × 2160 for 4K. Shorts use a vertical 9:16 thumbnail, 2160 × 3840 recommended.
Why won’t YouTube accept my thumbnail?
The usual reasons: it’s over 2 MB and you’re uploading from the phone app; it isn’t a JPG or PNG (iPhone HEIC and WebP images are refused); or your account isn’t verified yet, which custom thumbnails require. Compress it under 2 MB and save it as a JPG.
How do I make a thumbnail from my video?
Save the best frame with Video to Images — it takes the frame at the video’s full resolution — then resize it to 1280 × 720 and add your text in any editor.
Can a YouTube thumbnail be 4K?
Yes, from a computer: YouTube now recommends 3840 × 2160 and accepts files up to 50 MB there. From the phone app the 2 MB limit still applies, which a 4K image rarely fits.
Where these numbers come from
Checked against these sources on 2026-09-28. Platforms change their rules; if one has, the upload limits page changelog says so.
Other platform sizes
Make a file fit
- Resize Image Exact pixels for passports, profiles, banners and print.
- Compress Image Get a photo under any KB or MB limit without guessing at quality.
- Video to Images Export frames as JPG or PNG, one a second or every single one.
- Crop Image Crop to a square, a circle, a ratio or free-form with a drag.