The exact size
- Pixels
- 1,280 × 720
- Aspect ratio
- 16:9
- Megapixels
- 0.9
YouTube asks for 1280 × 720 and under 2 MB, so JPG at quality 85 is a safe output.
Crop or upscale first?
What to do with common source sizes so the thumbnail stays sharp. Upscaling happens before the crop, so the crop has enough pixels to fill the box.
| Your image | What to do | Size before crop |
|---|---|---|
| 640 × 480 | Upscale 2×, then crop | 1,280 × 960 |
| 1,280 × 720 | Crop only | 1,280 × 720 |
| 1,920 × 1,080 | Crop only | 1,920 × 1,080 |
| 4,032 × 3,024 | Crop only | 4,032 × 3,024 |
How to make a YouTube thumbnail
- Check your image size. If it is smaller than 1,280 × 720 on either side, upscale it first: anything from 640 × 360 up only needs the free 2×.
- Crop to 16:9 at exactly 1,280 × 720 with Make thumbnails, which centre-crops a whole batch in one pass.
- Download as JPG and upload to YouTube.
Need to enlarge first? Upscale 2× for free.
Other YouTube sizes
| Asset | Pixels | Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube channel banner | 2,560 × 1,440 | 16:9 |
Questions
What size is a YouTube thumbnail?
1,280 × 720 pixels. YouTube asks for 1280 × 720 and under 2 MB, so JPG at quality 85 is a safe output.
What aspect ratio is that?
16:9. Crop to this shape before uploading so YouTube does not crop it for you.
What if my image is smaller than 1,280 × 720?
Upscale it first so both sides cover the box, then crop. 2× is free and runs on your device, and is enough for anything at least half the target size.
Which file format should I upload?
JPG at quality 85 to 90. It keeps uploads small, and most platforms recompress images anyway.
Does the crop keep the centre of my image?
Yes. Make thumbnails crops from the centre to the exact box, the same way across a whole batch. Use the crop tool if the subject is off-centre.