From Blank Canvas to Biggest Hit: Mastering YouTube Thumbnail Sizes

Best YouTube Thumbnail Size You Should Know[The Ultimate Guide]

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Around 300 hours of video is uploaded to Youtube in every single minute. Then content creators need to be more innovative and creative than others in the market. A thumbnail is worth a thousand words that show its real meaning in the case where every month YouTube records a whopping 2 billion active users. To create an impressive and tempting thumbnail, you should set a perfect youtube thumbnail size first.

So you may be wondering what the best youtube thumbnail size is, and how to create a attractive thumbnail for your YouTube videos? Don’t worry I’ll explain everything here. You will learn:

Part 1: The Ultimate Guide of YouTube Thumbnail Size
Part 2: Upload and Change a Custom YouTube Thumbnail to Your Video
Part 3: Q&A– About Creating YouTube Thumbnails

Part 1: The Ultimate Guide of Youtube Thumbnail Size

Every content creator needs to select the right youtube thumbnail size for any given video.

1. What’s the Best YouTube Thumbnail Size(Dimensions)?

According to the YouTube guidelines , the best-suited youtube thumbnail size is 1280x720 pixels with a minimum pixel width of 640 pixels. Also, the custom thumbnail image must be as large as possible as it will be utilized as a preview image in the embedded player.

2. What Are the Compatible Formats for YouTube Thumbnail Image?

The recommended thumbnail image formats are .JPG, .PNG, .GIF, .BMP

3. What’s the Maximum YouTube Thumbnail Size?

The maximum YouTube thumbnail size must be below 2MB. Keeping the limit in mind design your thumbnail image as high-resolution as possible. This will ensure your custom thumbnail doesn’t get rejected by YouTube.

4. What’s the Recommended Aspect Ratio of YouTube Thumbnail?

Usually, the 16:9 ratio is deemed an ideal choice for any YouTube video aiming high view volume. As it is most widely used in YouTube players and previews.

Part 2: Upload and Change a Custom YouTube Thumbnail

With a verified account, you can upload custom thumbnail on new videos as well as change the thumbnail of uploaded videos.

1. For New Video

YouTube makes it very simple and easy for any content creator to publish custom YouTube thumbnail on their video while uploading the video onto the platform. Here’s the method to do so:

Upload your desired video to YouTube in the Upload section.

When your upload to the YouTube is completed a section will appear at the down portion of the browser screen showing Video Thumbnails. Here YouTube automatically creates some thumbnail images from your uploaded video and shows them here. These are the screenshots from your video, and you can select any one of them to be your thumbnail.

You will be able to see a button right next to the image – Custom thumbnail. Click on the button and you can upload a set of images of your choice as the thumbnail of your video.
Once done you can see the custom image just uploaded as the thumbnail of your video.

If you want to update the image or change it with another one you can just click on the same image in the video thumbnail section and swap it with any other image.

2. For Already Uploaded Video

To change the thumbnail on an already uploaded video you need to follow these steps:

Sign in to YouTube Studio associated with your YouTube channel.
From the menu go to Videos and then select the video you want to upload a custom thumbnail to via its title or thumbnail

Now in the thumbnail section if you already haven’t uploaded a custom thumbnail, click Custom thumbnail.
Select your intended thumbnail file and click Save.

Part 3: Q&A– About YouTube Thumbnail Images

You may want to know:

Question 1: How do I make my youtube thumbnail less than 2mb?
Question 2: How can I create an attractive youtube thumbnail?

1. How do I make my youtube thumbnail less than 2mb?

YouTube will not allow you to upload a custom thumbnail image if it is bigger than the 2MB limit. So, you need to make sure the file size is below the limit to be able to successfully upload a custom thumbnail. To reduce the image size you can follow the steps below:

1. Open Microsoft Paint and open the thumbnail image that is above 2MB size
2. Now go to the File menu and click Save as then select JPEG picture
3. Select the location you want the file to be saved to
4. The thumbnail picture will be reduced to Kilobytes only while maintaining the image quality

2. How can I create an attractive youtube thumbnail?

Utilizing online platforms and software tools to make your thumbnail image informative and attractive can potentially increase your views and traffic. You can use any advanced tools like Wondershare Filmora, Wondershare PixStudio, or Canva to create an aspiring and luring image that will get more views on YouTube just because of the thumbnail image. Here we will show you how to do it with Wondershare Filmora, Wondershare PixStudio and Canva:

1. Try Wondershare Filmora>>

Wondershare Filmora is an outstanding tool if you want to make a perfect thumbnail image. Consider and optimize your thumbnail for mobile devices to offer the best experience to your users on every possible device. Make it stand out as the thumbnail can be the very first thing that might attract a viewer.

Let’s see how you can create your thumbnail using Wondershare Filmora:

2. Try Wondershare PixStudio>>

Wondershare PixStudio provides you massive pre-designed templates which help you to create attractive YouTube Thumbnail. Let’s see the video below and see how you can design your YouTube Thumbnail easily.

3. Try Canva>>

With Canva you can make a distinct and stand-out YouTube thumbnail image. Canva hosts a number of readymade designs that you can use to design and customize it for your use.

Note:

To download the image without the watermark you’ll need to sign-up for a premium account on the Canva.

To sum up

YouTube thumbnail plays an important part for the audience’s first impression on your video. And it is of essential essence as it can attract more viewers to your content. So you should get the right youtube thumbnail size before you start customing your thumbnail. We’ve gone through all the detailed requirements of youtube thumbnail size and how to make the best thumbnail by using the best software solutions. Please leave your comments below if any suggestions. We’d love to hear them!

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Create High-Quality Video - Wondershare Filmora

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Building a YouTube channel isn’t a walk-in-the-park. As a content creator, you go toiling several processes to ensure its success. More so, you are probably building a brand and want people to know about your product or services. What about one easy way to remember the URL and share it with your potential subscribers? Besides sending such links to people, you’ll be reminding them to subscribe with just a click. And that’s YouTube auto-subscribe link. It is a more effective way than asking or directing to check your YouTube channel. They’ll probably not find it easy, maneuvering around numbers of other channels that bear names close to your channel. A visitor will quickly give up. You can save them the crap and engage more effectively.

Using a phone

First, open the YouTube app. Look for it on your phone’s home screen or search through apps.
Then sign in to your “Google” account for you to be able to subscribe to YouTube channels.
Next, locate the channel that you want to subscribe to. You can either subscribe from the channel home page or watch the channel video.
Tap on the “Subscribe” button. The text on the “Subscribe” button will immediately change to “Subscribed” once you hit the subscribe tab.
Finally, hit the “Subscriptions” tab to manage your channel subscriptions. You’ll also manage to see other latest updates from your subscription.
You can now easily manage your notifications. You now start to receive notifications of other new channels by default. It is possible to modify this by choosing “All,” “None,” or “Personalized” to determine how to get notifications.

Using a computer

First, visit the YouTube web page https://www.youtube.com in a web browser. The YouTube website will then be open.
Then sign in to your YT account. Remember, you must also be signed in to a Google account to subscribe to YouTube channels.
Browse for a channel and find what’s trending in the left-side panel of the screen.
Hit the “Subscribe” button to subscribe to a channel. Once you are subscribed, the Subscribe text button will turn grey and change to “Subscribed.”
View subscriptions by clicking the “three horizontal lines” found at the top-left corner of YouTube. You can also adjust your notification preferences to receive more or fewer updates from a channel.

1. Links will auto-prompt visitors to subscribe to your YouTube channel.

2. You can use the link anywhere and reach very many visitors.

3. It works automatically to boost your subscriber count.

Here are the steps to create YouTube auto subscribers’ links on your computer and mobile device.

Step 1. First, go to your YouTube Channel URL.
Step 2. Press on your “Profile,” then click on the “Settings” option in the drop-down menu.
Step 3. Next, click on the “Profile” picture and copy the URL link.
Step 4. Add your “YouTube” channel URL with an “Auto Subscribe Tag.” “YouTube channel URL + ?sub_confirmation=1 Then remove the Plus Sign in between to get a YouTube subscribe link.

Step 1. Launch the YouTube app on your mobile phone, then click on the “Profile” icon.
Step 2. Then go to the “Menu” tab and click on the “Your Channel” option.
Step 3. Select the “Share” option from the drop-down menu.
Step 4. Next, click on the “Copy link” of your YouTube Channel.
Step 5. Finally, add your “YouTube” channel URL with the Auto Subscribe Tag.

How to locate your YouTube Channel URL

Unfortunately, many people don’t know their YouTube Channel URL. Check out how to locate your URL.

Click on your “Profile” icon in the top-right corner of the YouTube page.
Choose the “Settings” option from the drop-down menu.
Next, hit the “Advanced” tab below your name.
Boom! You get your link.
Finally, combine your channel URL with the “Auto Subscribe” Tag.

● The formula: YouTube channel URL + “?sub_confirmation=1.” Remember to remove the parenthesis to get your auto-subscribe link.

As a content creator, you need to do more to add YouTube auto subscribers to your channel.

Use closed captions to improve accessibility

Including subtitles or closed captions can drive a larger audience to access your content. Some YouTube users have challenges, for example, the deaf or those with hearing problems. Creating a video and not considering this may limit such users from getting to your channel as they may not get all the needed information. Follow these steps to create subtitles or closed captions.

Sign in to YouTube Studio.
Then select the “Subtitles” option from the left menu.
Click on the video that you wish to edit.
Next, click on the “Add Language” button and select your language.
Go to the “Subtitles” section and select the “Add” button.
Finally, enter your captions as the video plays. It will enable viewers who find it challenging to understand your video in detail and probably hit the subscribe button.

Translate your video descriptions

YouTube is accessed worldwide and not necessarily by those who speak your language. You can increase the chances of subscribers by translating your video titles and descriptions to make them understandable to people from across the world. It will make your videos more discoverable and show that you care about those from other regions. Check out how to add translations to YouTube videos.

First, sign in to YouTube Studio.
Then go to the left menu and select the “Subtitles” option.
Choose the video in which you want to add the translations.
It would be best if you choose a language for your video. Click the “Confirm” button.
Then select the “Add language” option and choose the language you wish to translate your video into
Go to “Titles & descriptions” and select the “Add” tab.
Lastly, enter the translated description and hit the “Publish” button.

Use end screens for extra content promotion

An end screen call-to-action is essential in every video that you post on YouTube. They appear in the last 10 seconds and are useful in directing viewers to your chosen destination. Use them to direct a viewer to visit another channel, subscribe to your channel, or play another video. Here’s how to do it:

Firstly, sign in to YouTube Studio.
Then go to the “Videos” page and select a video to use.
Select the “Editor” tab from the left menu.
Next, choose the “Add an end screen” option to direct viewers appropriately.

Add a comment to your feed

This functionality is essential if many commenters repeatedly ask the same question. Besides, it will help you to boost engagement with a question.

Here are the simple steps on how to pin a comment to the top of your feed.

Go to your “Community” tab.
Then choose the comment that you wish to pin.
Click on the “More” tab > “Pin” option.

It is not necessarily true that YouTube auto-subscribe will subscribe to a new channel. However, some reasons may contribute to that. You may have realized that YouTube just subscribed you to random channels without asking you. Here are the possible reasons for that.

• Spinoff Channel
A content creator may decide to come up with a Spinoff channel. In this case, they may automatically subscribe you to their new channel. In most cases, such content creators want to promote their new channel.

• Check your extensions
One of your browsers may be playing tricks on your YouTube account. Extensions may change your browser’s settings and make the “Unsubscribe” option unavailable. Try disabling all of your browser extensions, then check back if YouTube still subscribes you to channels unknown to you. If so, solve the issue by uninstalling the specific extensions. These could be ad blockers or free VPN extensions.

• Someone else can hit the button
Do you share your computer with other fellows? The chances are that someone hit the “Subscribe” button without your consent. Just unsubscribe and keep watching next time.

Conclusion

● The internet arena is very competitive. It would be best if you did everything right to drive as many YouTube auto-subscribers as possible to your channel. And creating a YouTube auto-subscribe link is the first step to making things easier for your potential subscribers. We have covered how to create a YouTube subscribe link and shown other tricks to help you keep your viewers locked.

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