Formats
JPG, GIF, PNG
YouTube thumbnail size
As of July 27, 2026, the YouTube thumbnail is 3840 by 2160 pixels (16:9). Below is the full spec, then a resizer already set to that size so you can export a perfectly fitted image.
YouTubeThumbnailDocumented by YouTubeLast verified July 27, 2026
Recommended size3840x2160 px
Aspect ratio16:9
Long-standing 16:9 baseline1280 x 720
Safe zone: Keep faces and text out of the bottom-right corner; the video duration badge sits there.
Resize to 3840x2160 now
Preloaded to the YouTube thumbnail size. Drop an image and download it ready to post. It never leaves your browser.
About the YouTube thumbnail size
YouTube's own documentation now asks for a thumbnail at 3840 by 2160 pixels, 16:9, with a minimum width of 640 pixels. That is a change from the 1280 by 720 that every guide (including this one, until July 2026) quoted for years. 1280 by 720 is not wrong, it is the same shape and still uploads fine, but a thumbnail stretched across a 4K television is where the extra resolution earns its keep, and TV is now a large slice of YouTube watch time. The file-size limit depends on where you upload from: 2 MB in the mobile app, 50 MB on desktop. The single most common mistake is text that vanishes at small sizes, so design your title to be readable at 210px wide, and keep the bottom-right corner clear for the duration badge.
Where a 3840x2160 thumbnail gets cropped
The size you upload is not always the size people see. Each surface below re-frames the same file, so the safest layout is the one that survives every row.
| Where it appears | Shape | What happens to your image |
|---|---|---|
| Search, home and suggested cards | 16:9 | Shown in full at the ratio you uploaded, scaled anywhere from a 168px search row to a full-width TV card. |
| Vertical videos on mobile home, Explore and Subscriptions | 4:5 | YouTube documents that a 16:9 custom thumbnail on a vertical video is replaced by an auto-generated 4:5 thumbnail on those surfaces. Your custom thumbnail still shows in watch feeds and on non-mobile platforms. |
File size and format limits: YouTube thumbnail
| Limit | Value |
|---|---|
| Documented resolution | 3840 by 2160 px |
| Minimum width | 640 px |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9 (podcast playlists use 1:1 instead) |
| Max file size, mobile | 2 MB for video thumbnails, 10 MB for podcasts |
| Max file size, desktop | 50 MB for both video and podcast thumbnails |
| Formats | JPG, GIF or PNG |
Quick tips
- 013840 by 2160 (16:9) is the resolution YouTube documents; 1280 by 720 is the same ratio and still accepted.
- 02Upload from desktop if the file is large: mobile caps thumbnails at 2 MB, desktop at 50 MB.
- 03The minimum accepted width is 640 pixels; anything narrower is rejected.
- 04JPG, GIF and PNG are the accepted formats. WebP is not on YouTube's list, so convert before uploading.
- 05Test your thumbnail at 210px wide; if the text is unreadable there, simplify it.
Frequently asked questions
What are the dimensions of a YouTube thumbnail?
YouTube documents 3840 by 2160 pixels at 16:9, with a minimum width of 640 pixels. The older 1280 by 720 is the same ratio and still uploads fine.
What is the YouTube thumbnail file size limit?
It depends on where you upload from. YouTube documents 2 MB for video thumbnails in the mobile app (10 MB for podcasts) and 50 MB on desktop for both.
Is 1280x720 still an acceptable YouTube thumbnail?
Yes. It is 16:9 and comfortably above the 640 pixel minimum width. It just has less detail to give when YouTube renders it on a 4K television, which is why the documented target is now 3840 by 2160.
Can I upload a WebP thumbnail to YouTube?
No. YouTube lists JPG, GIF and PNG. WebP is not among them, so convert the file first.
Why is my YouTube thumbnail blurry?
Usually the source is small and gets upscaled, or the file was compressed too hard to fit the 2 MB mobile cap. Export at a higher resolution and upload from desktop, where the limit is 50 MB.
What aspect ratio is the YouTube thumbnail?
The YouTube thumbnail uses a 16:9 aspect ratio at 3840 by 2160 pixels.
16:9 is a shape, not just this size. See every image size that uses the 16:9 aspect ratio, where it comes from, and how to crop into it.
Related sizes
How this spec was checked
Platform sizes change without notice, so this entry records what it was verified against rather than stating a number and hoping it holds. Last checked July 27, 2026.
DocumentedYouTube publishes this size itself, and the page it was read from is linked below.
YouTube's own Help article states the resolution (3840 x 2160), the 640 px minimum width, the accepted formats (JPG, GIF, PNG) and both file-size ceilings. Note the caps are per device: 2 MB from the mobile app, 50 MB from desktop.
What changed on this spec
- : YouTube thumbnail: the documented resolution is 3840 by 2160 with a 640 px minimum width, the accepted formats are JPG, GIF and PNG (WebP is not accepted, and GIF was missing here), and the file limit is 2 MB from the mobile app but 50 MB from desktop. This page previously showed a flat 2 MB and listed WebP.
Every spec on this site carries one of those two labels. See the cheat sheet for the full split, and the changelog for every correction with the date it happened.
See all YouTube sizes, the full cheat sheet, or grab this spec from the JSON API.