Add video thumbnails on YouTube

Video thumbnails permit viewers see a quick snapshot of your video as they're browsing YouTube. After your video is finished uploading, you tin can cull a thumbnail from the three options YouTube automatically generates, or upload your own if your account is verified.

Add or change a video thumbnail

  1. Sign in to YouTube Studio.
  2. From the left carte du jour, select Content.
  3. Select a video by clicking its thumbnail.
  4. Choose an auto-generated thumbnail and select Salvage.

Note: It may have fourth dimension for your thumbnail changes to appear on YouTube.

Create a custom video thumbnail

To upload custom thumbnails on YouTube, y'all must take a verified account.

New videos

Uploaded videos

  1. Sign in to YouTube Studio.
  2. From the left menu, select Content.
  3. Select a video by clicking its thumbnail.
  4. Nether "Thumbnail", select Upload thumbnail.
  5. Cull the file you'd like to use equally your custom thumbnail.
  6. Select Save.

Once you've added a custom thumbnail, point to it and click More  to download or edit the thumbnail.

Watch how to add a custom video thumbnail

Picket the following video from the YouTube Creators channel if you'd similar a tutorial on how to add together a custom video thumbnail on YouTube.

How to Add Custom Thumbnails to Your YouTube Videos

Custom thumbnail best practices

Paradigm size & resolution

Your custom thumbnail image should exist as large as possible. Information technology will be used as the preview epitome in the embedded player. We recommend your custom thumbnails:

  • Have a resolution of 1280x720 (with minimum width of 640 pixels).
  • Be uploaded in image formats such equally JPG, GIF, or PNG.
  • Remain under the 2MB limit.
  • Try to use a xvi:9 attribute ratio as it'south the most used in YouTube players and previews.

Thumbnail policies

All custom thumbnail images must follow our Community Guidelines. Your thumbnails may be rejected and a strike on your business relationship when it contains:

  • Nudity or sexually provocative content
  • Detest Speech
  • Violence
  • Harmful or dangerous content

If a strike is issued, you'll get an e-mail and see an alert in your Channel Settings the adjacent time yous sign in to YouTube. Yous can appeal the strike if you call back your thumbnails don't violate the YouTube Community Guidelines. If your entreatment is approved and you oasis't already replaced the thumbnail, we may restore it.

Custom thumbnail limits

There's a limit to how many custom thumbnails a channel tin can upload each 24-hour interval. If yous become an fault saying "Daily custom thumbnail limit reached" when trying to upload a thumbnail, try again in 24 hours.

Limits may vary by country/region or channel history. Copyright strikes may impact channel history eligibility. Customs Guidelines strikes volition affect how many custom thumbnails you can upload.

Why are my custom thumbnails turned off?

YouTube may turn off custom thumbnails for certain search results when they're considered inappropriate for viewers.

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