Fuel the Spark: Essential Themes for YouTube Success

Best YouTube Video Ideas to Spark Inspiration

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

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Ideas are the fuel for your YouTube channel, and you are running on empty. Out of video ideas or in need of fresh new ideas? No worries. This article is truly a definitive list of YouTube video ideas.

Bookmark this post, so whenever you need a content idea, you can quickly reference it. After you finish reading, you will be ready to make your next video.

Make Creative YouTube Videos with Wondershare Filmora

Wondershare Filmora is a great tool and known for its creativity in video files. You can always make use of features on Filmora that would help you to tweak your videos in any way. Be it the effects, overlays, or transitions, Filmora has all the tools and features available to make creative content for your YouTube channel. The best advantage of having Filmora in the tool list is that it has some inbuilt templates which are easy enough to be implemented and embed on the YouTube Videos.

1. Content Idea Resources

Before we go deeper into the search to find you the best topics for YouTube, let’s take a quick look at some tools that may help you warm up and get your creative juices flowing.

Portent’s Content Title Idea Generator: Put in one of your keywords in this content idea generator and it will come up with an interesting title for you.

We The Unicorn’s Video Idea Generator Quiz: Answer this multiple-choice quiz and allow the algorithm to suggest a YouTube video idea that best suits your style.

701 YouTube Video Ideas [eBook]: You’ll save time brainstorming, be able to post consistently, and grow your YouTube channel faster with this book of ideas.

As you can see, coming up with ideas doesn’t have to be an agonizing drag. It’s all about flexing your creativity muscle and we are here to help you do it. Are you ready to be inspired? Great! Let’s begin this list:

2. Showcase Who You Are

Talk About Yourself: Introduce yourself to the world. You can answer 10 of the most common ice breaker questions you get at social gatherings: “Who are you?” “What do you do for a living?” “What are your hobbies?” In this video, you get to decide how you want to showcase yourself to your audience.

Reviews: Do you have opinions? Of course, you do. Movie trailers, popular YouTube videos, products such as makeup, gadgets, and toys, you have thoughts on everything. It’s more than content creation, it’s critical thinking. Understanding why you like or dislike something is not only helpful for other people like you, but it’s also helpful for you to know your own preferences. It’s a little exercise in self-discovery.

Day in a Life: Bring the audience with you on a day of your life. Show people what it is like to walk in your shoes from morning to night. How do you commute to school or work? What do you have for lunch? What obstacles do you encounter throughout the day? You’ll be surprised what will happen as your day unfolds.

Top 10: People love lists because it’s a simple rundown. When you set your video as a list, the viewer knows exactly what they are getting, and familiarity with the format will make it more likely to be clicked. While you can make a top 12 or top 16 list, it is shown that picking a number ending on “0” will yield the best results .

Routines: What do you do when you get ready for school or work? What do you do before bed? Discussing your routine can inspire people to lead the life you have. A routine does not mean going to an office every day , it can mean eating a new restaurant every month, doing something impulsive once a week, or appreciating what you have on a daily basis.

Reflection: You’ve come a long way and you don’t always acknowledge it. Were there a few pivotal milestones in the last five years? Were there new friends you made or new places you’ve been to? Can’t think of anything? Well, pull out your calendar and flip back a few months and a few years. Was there something you scheduled that you’ve forgotten? It was important enough for you to mark it down at the time, reflect on how it went, and what you got out of it.

Favorites: Game, food, or sports team: when you talk about your favorite things, you allow people to take a peek into the history of you. It’s easier to get people excited when you talk about something you are passionate about, so do it! Also, talking about your favorite thing allow other people who like those things to find you. This is a great way to find and build your own community

Relatonships: Your parents, your partner, your teachers, or your friends, your relationship with each of those people are different, even though you are the same person. That’s the beauty of a relationship. This makes it a great topic to share on YouTube because it shows a unique side of who you are every time you speak about another relationship you have.

Rant: The world is out to get you… not really, but there are enough annoying situations during the week to fill a weekly rant segment for your channel. Here’s a tip about ranting that you should use to avoid sounding whiny: offer a solution at the end or be funny .

Show and Tell: Like the elementary school exercise, show and tell is a terrific way to show off something interesting you have and talk about the significance of it. An old childhood toy, a new gadget, a gift from a friend: every item has a story, show and tell it.

3. Challenge Yourself

Leave Your Comfort Zone: Do something that you didn’t think you can do and film it. It might end up being a Fail, but that is how you learn. Learn a new language and talk to a native speaker. Go bungee jumping. Offer free hugs in public. Do something that makes your heart beat faster everyday and film it.

Live On A Budget: Reduce your weekly budget to $50, can you do it? How about $10? This YouTube video idea gives you perspective into your life. How will your lifestyle change when you vastly reduce your expenses? Knowing this can actually help us prepare for the worst-case scenario.

30 Day Challenge: Usually a 30-day challenge is associated with partaking in a healthy activity such as exercise or giving up a bad habit. But all that has been done, why not challenge yourself to do something different? Cook all your meals for 30 days. Take a different route to work every day for 30 days. Have a 10-minute long conversation with someone new for 30 days.

Speed Round: You think you are good at something? Well, why not try to do it as quickly as possible? Complete a round of video games as quickly as you can. Do a MasterChef mystery box challenge in your kitchen. Run from one subway station to the next , beating the tube itself.

4. Show Your Talent

Make Music: An original song, a cover, or a remix, YouTube is a fantastic platform to showcase your musical talents. Don’t forget, some of the world’s top artists began their journey on YouTube. You might be next to join the discovered on YouTube list .

Creating: Are you an artist? Show your process in making a piece. Depending on the speed in which your project takes, use a timelapse to present what you did in the most effective way.

Unusual skill: Do you have a party trick that you would love to show everyone, but don’t have a party to go to? YouTube is the place for you. Juggle, do a magic trick, dance like Christopher Walkens, whatever unusual skill you have, share it on camera, and get the accolades you so deserve.

Click here

## **5\. Explore Your Surroundings**

Tour: Your home, your office, your city. Bring your camera and take your audience on a tour of a place you know well. Show them all the hidden gems, tell them a story about the history, and be spontaneous and discover along the way.

Special Event: In any community, there is always a special event taking place, whether it be a concert, a festival, or a conference. Film the environment, interview attendees, and share the experience.

Travel: Go on a trip and bring your camera with you. Create drama by documenting all the things that didn’t go as planned… and any memorable trip will have hiccups along the way. Discover things along the way and vocalize your thoughts through the trip.

Discuss Current Events: As the environmental climate, there is also a social and political climate. Address the current state of events in your city. Are there plans to build new infrastructure? Is there a social injustice that the public should know about? You can discuss international affairs, national politics, or keep it local to start.

6. Be An Educator

Advice: Have you been through a trying experience? Do you have advice for other people setting off on the same path? Whether it’s graduating school, starting a new job, losing weight, or practicing a new skill, creating content that offers helpful advice for those seeking it will give you credibility to speak about the topic since you have gone through the situation yourself.

How to Plan Something: Did you plan a camping trip that went really well? Did you throw a surprise birthday party that went without a hitch? It doesn’t have to be anything grand but think back to something you followed successfully and explain what you did to achieve it.

Lifehacks: Do you have lifehacks? This may be the most generous gift you can share with your audience. You can save them time, energy, and a whole lot of headaches. If you have an engineering spirit, then consider how you can simplify all the little activities that make up a day. No engineering spirit? Start with these lifehacks instead.

Time Management: The responsibility of every person is slightly different, but how you manage your daily schedule. Do you write tasks down on an agenda? Do you have a calendar? What do you do when you get distracted? What is your schedule like? Do you create your own bullet journal or use a productivity app? If so, share it!

Guided Activities: For beginners, some activities are better with a guide. If the audience is unable to join an in-person class, YouTube is a wonderful online alternative for guided activities such as yoga, meditation, and other exercise or relaxation activities.

Tutorial: Is there software you use particularly well? Are you skilled in the kitchen or the garage? Can you install appliances without reading the instructions? Give a step-by-step tutorial in completing a project.

7. Share Your Beliefs and Lifestyle

Motivation: Whatever you are pursuing, know that there are many on the same path as you. If you are an aspiring dancer create content for those that are with you on the journey. Encourage them and speak authentically about the accomplishments to come. Motivation is the energy that is in circulation. The more you send out into the universe, the more will come back to you.

Pets: If you share your home with animals, then you have no shortage of content. Point the camera at your dogs, cats, and ferrets for a while and see what ridiculous scenarios they get up to.

Fitness and Food: Do you subscribe to a specific type of fitness and diet? Have you seen the results that you want to share? Yes, perfect! If no, then why not do a little experimentation. Try to include a fitness and diet regimen in your daily life and vlog about it. Who knows, it might become a healthy change.

Tattoos, Piercing, or Scars: Every tattoo, piercing, and a scar on your body probably have an interesting story behind it. Whether it is something you are proud of or something you may prefer to hide, recognizing the different marks on your body and how they represent your history is a great way to reflect and get inspired.

Document Your Journey: It’s important to set achievable goals for yourself. That’s how you can encourage progress within yourself. With a goal and a timeline in mind, it can be as simple as documenting your journey towards it. If you are working on your novel, you can do a vlog updating the viewers on your process and word count or even bringing a camera with you as your piece gets workshopped.

Holiday: We all share memories of that wonderful time of year. For some it’s a spectacle for others it’s a modest affair. How do you celebrate the holidays and is there a story to that tradition?

Career: So much of our identity is related to what we do for a living. Talking about your day job on YouTube can be tricky. Be authentic, but also use your discretion, because you don’t want to misrepresent yourself professionally to the world.

Philosophy: What is your relationship with money, weekends, and your extended family? Thinking about your values can help you explore life philosophically, thus encouraging you to live the best life possible. As you speak about your philosophy, you are bound to experience alternative views, and that is where great content materializes.

Haul: If you have some money to spend, create a haul YouTube video. Haul video involves you going on a shopping spree and bringing home a big “haul.” In essence, it is an unboxing video on steroids. This type of video generally involves fashion or groceries, but it can be related to anything in large quantity. It’s all about showing off your new stuff to the audience.

Unboxing: Got something new from Amazon? Before you open it, turn on your camera. Unboxing is an easy YouTube video idea that allows your viewers who are considering buying the item to better understand whether it is in fact the right purchase for them.

8. Nurture Your Curiosity

Build Something: IKEA furniture, a website, a LEGO miniature, a business plan. The best way to get better at something is to just do it. Use your hands and build something and capture it for YouTube.

Behind the Scenes: It’s not only the entertainment industry that offers behind the scenes content, but many businesses offer tours and open houses. Reach out to any business or organization you are curious about the inner workings and odds are there will be a day where you can pop in and have a look at what it makes the wheels turn.

Jargon and Slang: From fashion to baseball to dentistry, everything has its own set of jargon or slang. What’s a galloon? What does it mean to win the pennant? What is 3MOD? If you are interested in languages, then diving into the world of jargon and slang is an interesting one.

Deconstruct a Process: Be like Tim Ferriss by breaking down a process into parts enabling you to learn a new skill faster, whether it be language or sports or coffee . Show your viewer how to properly learn how to improve performance by simplifying.

Languages: We all want to learn a new language, but it isn’t easy. If you have a knack for languages, show it off as a skill. Help new speakers avoid common mistakes, discuss the etymology of each word, and explore all the diverse dialects.

Accents: How accents derive is a fascinating topic to explore if you are seeking good ideas for YouTube. Why do some accents sound like music while other sound abrasive? Why different neighborhoods in the same city have different accents? There are endless questions to explore. Even constructed languages can be analyzed for their accents.

History: Are you interested in your city, your school, or the land your office is built upon? What was it like ten years ago? A hundred years ago? An exploration of history does not have to be about Rome or Mesopotamia, it can be about your backyard
Debunking Myths: Before every MythBusters episode they warn you not to attempt any of their experiments, and we are not encouraging you to either. At least, not to their scale. There is a multitude of myths out there that can use your expert eye to explore. In your city itself, there are stories worth debunking or at least learning more about.

Compare Two Things: Need something to do on YouTube? Why not compare diets such as Paleo vs Keto, devices such as Android vs iPhone, or a remake vs an original?

Opposing Opinions: Do you have a friend who always has to argue with you about everything: films, values, politics? Well, don’t just save those conversations for private, invite him or her over and film a debate.

Deep Dive: Go down the rabbit hole on a topic you are really fascinated about. Dissect every song from an artist, read every book by an author, or learn about a different type of plant growing in your community. Everywhere you look, you should see opportunities to get obsessed over a topic.

Biography of Someone: It could be a famous person or it can be someone from your family. Tell their story in a way that only you can. Get interviews, do research, and find a personal connection. Every life is significant, now it is your chance to honor that.

Fun Facts: Grab a deck of questions from Trivial Pursuit and pick a fun fact to explore. Use it as a jumping-off point for exploring an interesting topic. Share it with viewers who might not have known that they were interested in this fact.

Timeline of a Topic: Pick any topic and trace the lineage and better understand how it has gotten to this point. Where did it begin, has it hit critical mass, and how has it evolved over the years?

9. Be a Fan and a Critic

Fanfiction: Continue a story of one of your favorite movie characters or explore the life of some secondary character in a television show that you enjoy. Use their existing storyline to guide where you toward an interesting YouTube video about how they could have evolved.

Re-edit: Use your editing skills to recreate a classic movie scene, allowing it to have a completely different tone. Or mashup footage from a variety of sources to create an original piece of video content.

Speculation of Unreleased Entertainment: There are always rumors of upcoming movies, music, and books from famous filmmakers, musicians, and authors. Speculate on what the new release can possibly be about. Generate buzz and excitement and consider what you would do if you were put into the shoes of those famous creators.

Spotlight on the Best: In every field, there are those that are considered world-class. How did they get there, what support did they get, and how are they working to stay at the top? Highlight their achievements and see what we can anticipate from them in the future.

Commentary: Can you offer insights into a particular piece of work? Share it with the world and add another dimension to what the viewers have already seen.

Spotlight on Something Not So Popular: Is there something you adore that nobody really knows about? You can be the one to help this become mainstream.

Tribute: Pay tribute to a personality or an event from the past. Help people remember the significance of what happened from the past through your YouTube video.

Shoutout: Like sending out a thank you card, use YouTube to publicly thank someone for doing something awesome! It’s like you are giving a toast to someone in front of the whole Internet, what an honor.

Summarize a Book, Movie, or TV Show: Give the Coles note summary of a book, a movie, or TV show. Challenge yourself to make a summary that is as interesting as the actual source material.

“Best of” Video: Select the best scenes from your favorite actor or the best plays from your favorite athlete and compile it into a video that highlights all the best moments.

10. Create Entertainment

Fails: Don’t get embarrassed, get views. Embrace your shortcomings and accept that everybody has failed at something. Be careful and don’t get hurt too bad though.

Parody: Channel your Key of Awesome and create your own parody of something from pop culture. If you parody something trending, it can help you catch the wave of popularity and bring in views as all eyes are currently on that topic.

Break Something: There is nothing like watching something get destroyed. Maybe that’s why the Will it Blend videos got so popular. No matter how we resist it, we enjoy seeing the destruction.

Time Lapse: The growth of a plant, the flow of traffic, the rise and fall of the sun through your eyes. In this fast pace world, it’s fun to see organized chaos at a rapid rate.

Screen Sharing: Let people watch you play a video game or give a tour of your desktop. Share your screen as you write a poem.

Cinematography: There is always a place for beautiful cinematography on YouTube. Tell a great story about your life or your city with great moving images.

Short subject documentary: Pick a topic that matters and explore in through the structure of a documentary. Remember that when making a documentary, think about it as making a movie – you are not there to lecture them. Can you get people riled up as Michael Moore does? Can you encourage people to take action? If yes, then you are ready to start making documentary-style YouTube videos.

Lip-sync: Can’t sing but feel you have a musical gift to give to the world, well, they will never put you on the billboards for what you can do lip-syncing, but you can make a pretty entertaining YouTube video through this medium. It doesn’t even have to be music either, take Bad Lip Reading .

Impressions: A good impression is always worth a good laugh, and a bad one is almost as good. Give it a shot, pull up videos of some of your favorite celebrities, and film yourself attempting to mimic their voice, characteristics and expressions.

Sketch Comedy, Short Film, or Role Play: Do you have characters and scenes in mind that will be perfect for SNL? Well, instead of having to go through Lorne Michaels, create the character yourself and publish your comedy sketch on YouTube.

Interview: Find a subject matter experts and ask them interesting questions about their profession and areas of interest.

Games: Play a game with your friends or other YouTubers and allow the competitiveness, frustration, and hilarity to ensue.

Okay! How do you feel?

I bet you are bursting and ready to create your next video. Onwards! Remember, whatever idea you pick, be sure to give it your own flair. That is what YouTube is all about. Got another YouTube video idea you want to share? Let the Filmora.io community know in the comments.

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Enhance Video Visibility with Effective Thumbnail Scaling

There is a saying that first impressions last, and this is proven true, especially when it comes to YouTube video viewership. For sure, you have experienced watching a video out of curiosity because of its thumbnail. That is why content creators take time to resize YouTube thumbnails or use a YouTube thumbnail size converter to customize the preview images that represent their videos.

This technique not only attract viewers to watch your video, but it also gives a glimpse of your content. In this article, we will provide you with a quick tutorial on how to resize a YouTube thumbnail and suggest handy tools you can use to create the perfect YouTube video thumbnail!

Best YouTube Thumbnail Size

According to YouTube’s help center, there are some things to remember when creating a thumbnail for your YouTube videos.

• First, make sure that the thumbnail size is 1280 pixels by 720 pixels and 640 pixels wide. It is the best YouTube thumbnail size.
• When it comes to the thumbnail dimension, make sure to use an aspect ratio of 16:9.
• Also, your YouTube thumbnail image should not exceed 2MB and is in either JPG, GIF or PNG format.

How To Resize Your YouTube Thumbnail

The primary reason for changing the YouTube thumbnail size is to gain more audience. If you are a content creator, your main goal is to introduce your content to a wider range of viewers, right? So you have to pay attention to even the smallest detail, such as YouTube thumbnails to increase viewership and top YouTube SEO.

In fact, YouTube recommends this technique to get more viewers. Also, resizing your YouTube thumbnail will prevent you from getting the “file larger than 2MB error” which can cause your thumbnail to be discarded.

So, how can you use this technique? Check our tutorial below as we walk you through various recommended methods for resizing a YouTube thumbnail:

Method 1: Resize YouTube Thumbnail With Windows Default App

The easiest way to resize YouTube thumbnails is through the Windows default app. Within just a few modifications, you can resize your thumbnail to fit as a preview image for your YouTube video.

Please take note that your image should be at least 2 megabytes or less to achieve the perfect YouTube thumbnail fit. If your image exceeds the limit, your thumbnail will either be rejected, or your image will have a black screen around it-which is not ideal at all.

Now, let us start the tutorial.

Step1 Open an image you want to set as a thumbnail. Then, Right-click> Resize.

Step2 Select “Define custom dimensions.”

Step3 Set the width to 1280 and the height to 720. Then tick the box for “Maintain Aspect Ratio “and click “Save Resized Copy.”

Step4 Click the upload thumbnail button on YouTube and import your resized image.

Method 2. Online YouTube Thumbnail Size Converter

The second method you can use is the online YouTube thumbnail size converter. As it completely works in browsers, you do not need to worry about any app installation to access the feature. Furthermore, using online YouTube thumbnail size converters ensures you maintain your image resolution and prevents it from getting blurry or pixelated.

There are various YouTube thumbnail resizers available online. Some of the most popular are Fotor, Super Image Converter, Pixelied, Super Image Converter , Adobe Express , Newisty, and Promo . Let us focus on the last online tool and the steps on how to use it.

Promo is a free online software you can use to convert an image to a YouTube thumbnail. It is one of the best YouTube Thumbnail tools as it uses simple operation steps and automatically resizes your image without losing its quality.

Here are the steps on how to use the Promo YouTube thumbnail size converter:

Step1 Go to Promo’s official website and import your image

Step2 Scroll down and find the YouTube thumbnail size where your resized image is displayed. Then, click “Download.”

Method 3: Convert the Image to YouTube Thumbnail Using Wondershare Filmora

It is without a doubt that online YouTube thumbnail resizers are great tools for converting your image to an ideal YouTube thumbnail. But it would be much better if you resize your video using the same app you use for editing. That way, you will save time using two separate apps, and your task will be much more efficient using an all-in-one video editing tool.

Wondershare Filmora , one of the most well-known software for creating high-quality and compelling videos, combines these functions in one app. Filmora is not just an excellent software for crafting YouTube videos but also a reliable tool you can use in creating and resizing YouTube thumbnails.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Here is the step-by-step tutorial on how to use Filmora in resizing your YouTube thumbnail. It is divided into two parts:

1. Take a Snapshot as the Thumbnail with Filmora

Step1 Open the video in the timeline, click the play icon in the player window, and pause when you reach the desired frame for the YouTube thumbnail. Click the camera icon to take a snapshot.

Step2 In the snapshot window, choose to save the snapshot as a PNG or JPG file.

Step3 Select the output storage location and click OK.

2. Resize the YouTube Thumbnail

Step1 Import the image into the app timeline.

Step2 Drag and drop the image into the timeline and click the green “Export“ button. In the popup Export window, select GIF. Next, click “Settings“ to adjust the resolution.

Step3 As the recommended size of a YouTube Thumbnail is 1280 * 720 pixels, you can set the resolution to 1280 * 720. Then click Apply and Export the GIF. You can now upload the GIF thumbnail to your YouTube account.

Method 4. Convert Images to YouTube Thumbnail Using Third-Party Software

In addition to using dedicated video editing software, several third-party image editing programs can be used to resize images for use as YouTube thumbnails. Programs like GIMP are popular for this purpose, as it offers a wide range of tools and features for editing and resizing images.

This program allows you to import an image, resize it to the dimensions required for a YouTube thumbnail (typically 1280 x 720 pixels), and save the edited version to your desired location. Using an image editing program can be a good option if you need more control over the appearance of your thumbnail or if you want to make more extensive edits beyond simply resizing the image.

To resize an image using an image editing program like GIMP, follow these steps:

Step1 Install and launch GIMP on your computer.

Step2 Click on “File“ > “Open,” then search for the file you want to resize.

Step3 Click on “Image“ > “Scale Image“ and make sure that the resolution is 1920 by 1080.

Step4 Click on “File“ > “Export As“ and toggle the “Select File Type (By Extension)“ option. Choose JPG/JPEG format because it can compress the thumbnail enough to stay within the limit of 2 megabytes.

Step5 You can change the quality of the image and click the “Export“ button to save the thumbnail.

Comparison of These 4 YouTube Thumbnail Resizing Methods

Now that we’ve explored the four methods for resizing YouTube thumbnails, it’s time to compare the pros and cons of each method. In this section, we’ll consider factors such as ease of use, speed, quality, cost, and compatibility to help you determine the best option for your needs.

Take a look at the table below for a more detailed comparison.

| | Windows Default App | Online YouTube Thumbnail Size Converter | Wondershare Filmora | Third-Party Software | |
| ————————————————– | ——————————————- | ———————– | ———————— | ——– |
| Other Software Required or Not | No | Yes (Internet Browser) | Yes | Yes |
| Internet Connection Required | No | Yes | No | No |
| Complexity of Operations | Easy | Easy | Easy | Moderate |
| Support Other Editing of the YouTube Thumbnail | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| File Size Limit | None | 25MB | None | None |

Resizing YouTube thumbnails using the Windows default app is a quick and easy method that requires no additional software or tools. However, the quality of the resized thumbnail may improve if the original image is low resolution, and this method is only suitable for users on Windows operating systems.

Online YouTube thumbnail size converters are convenient and easy to use, and they can be accessed from any device with an internet connection. They also typically preserve the quality of the original image. However, some online converters may have size limits or require a subscription to unlock all features, and using an online converter can be slower than using a dedicated software tool.

Using Wondershare Filmora allows you to create and edit YouTube thumbnails within a single application, which can be a time-saving advantage if you’re already using Filmora for other video editing tasks. However, Filmora is a paid software, so there is a cost associated with using it, and it may have a steeper learning curve for users new to video editing.

Image editing programs like GIMP offer many features and tools for customizing your thumbnail, including adding text, applying filters, and making more extensive edits beyond simply resizing the image. They also typically offer more control over the quality and appearance of the resized thumbnail.

However, using a third-party image editing program may require a learning curve and maybe more time-consuming than other methods, and there may be a cost associated with purchasing the software.

Each of the four methods for resizing YouTube thumbnails has its pros and cons, and the best method will depend on the user’s specific needs and preferences.

Conclusion

This article explored four methods for resizing YouTube thumbnails: using the Windows default app, online converters, Wondershare Filmora, and image editing programs like GIMP. Each method has advantages and disadvantages; the best one depends on your specific needs and preferences. No matter your chosen method, you can resize YouTube thumbnails confidently with these tools and techniques.

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Here is the step-by-step tutorial on how to use Filmora in resizing your YouTube thumbnail. It is divided into two parts:

1. Take a Snapshot as the Thumbnail with Filmora

Step1 Open the video in the timeline, click the play icon in the player window, and pause when you reach the desired frame for the YouTube thumbnail. Click the camera icon to take a snapshot.

Step2 In the snapshot window, choose to save the snapshot as a PNG or JPG file.

Step3 Select the output storage location and click OK.

2. Resize the YouTube Thumbnail

Step1 Import the image into the app timeline.

Step2 Drag and drop the image into the timeline and click the green “Export“ button. In the popup Export window, select GIF. Next, click “Settings“ to adjust the resolution.

Step3 As the recommended size of a YouTube Thumbnail is 1280 * 720 pixels, you can set the resolution to 1280 * 720. Then click Apply and Export the GIF. You can now upload the GIF thumbnail to your YouTube account.

Method 4. Convert Images to YouTube Thumbnail Using Third-Party Software

In addition to using dedicated video editing software, several third-party image editing programs can be used to resize images for use as YouTube thumbnails. Programs like GIMP are popular for this purpose, as it offers a wide range of tools and features for editing and resizing images.

This program allows you to import an image, resize it to the dimensions required for a YouTube thumbnail (typically 1280 x 720 pixels), and save the edited version to your desired location. Using an image editing program can be a good option if you need more control over the appearance of your thumbnail or if you want to make more extensive edits beyond simply resizing the image.

To resize an image using an image editing program like GIMP, follow these steps:

Step1 Install and launch GIMP on your computer.

Step2 Click on “File“ > “Open,” then search for the file you want to resize.

Step3 Click on “Image“ > “Scale Image“ and make sure that the resolution is 1920 by 1080.

Step4 Click on “File“ > “Export As“ and toggle the “Select File Type (By Extension)“ option. Choose JPG/JPEG format because it can compress the thumbnail enough to stay within the limit of 2 megabytes.

Step5 You can change the quality of the image and click the “Export“ button to save the thumbnail.

Comparison of These 4 YouTube Thumbnail Resizing Methods

Now that we’ve explored the four methods for resizing YouTube thumbnails, it’s time to compare the pros and cons of each method. In this section, we’ll consider factors such as ease of use, speed, quality, cost, and compatibility to help you determine the best option for your needs.

Take a look at the table below for a more detailed comparison.

| | Windows Default App | Online YouTube Thumbnail Size Converter | Wondershare Filmora | Third-Party Software | |
| ————————————————– | ——————————————- | ———————– | ———————— | ——– |
| Other Software Required or Not | No | Yes (Internet Browser) | Yes | Yes |
| Internet Connection Required | No | Yes | No | No |
| Complexity of Operations | Easy | Easy | Easy | Moderate |
| Support Other Editing of the YouTube Thumbnail | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| File Size Limit | None | 25MB | None | None |

Resizing YouTube thumbnails using the Windows default app is a quick and easy method that requires no additional software or tools. However, the quality of the resized thumbnail may improve if the original image is low resolution, and this method is only suitable for users on Windows operating systems.

Online YouTube thumbnail size converters are convenient and easy to use, and they can be accessed from any device with an internet connection. They also typically preserve the quality of the original image. However, some online converters may have size limits or require a subscription to unlock all features, and using an online converter can be slower than using a dedicated software tool.

Using Wondershare Filmora allows you to create and edit YouTube thumbnails within a single application, which can be a time-saving advantage if you’re already using Filmora for other video editing tasks. However, Filmora is a paid software, so there is a cost associated with using it, and it may have a steeper learning curve for users new to video editing.

Image editing programs like GIMP offer many features and tools for customizing your thumbnail, including adding text, applying filters, and making more extensive edits beyond simply resizing the image. They also typically offer more control over the quality and appearance of the resized thumbnail.

However, using a third-party image editing program may require a learning curve and maybe more time-consuming than other methods, and there may be a cost associated with purchasing the software.

Each of the four methods for resizing YouTube thumbnails has its pros and cons, and the best method will depend on the user’s specific needs and preferences.

Conclusion

This article explored four methods for resizing YouTube thumbnails: using the Windows default app, online converters, Wondershare Filmora, and image editing programs like GIMP. Each method has advantages and disadvantages; the best one depends on your specific needs and preferences. No matter your chosen method, you can resize YouTube thumbnails confidently with these tools and techniques.