YouTube Thumbnail Maker
Make a 1280 by 720 thumbnail with big, clear text.
- Free
- No sign-up
- Runs in your browser
Loading the design editor… It needs JavaScript. Everything runs in your browser and nothing is uploaded.
A thumbnail is the first thing a viewer sees, so it needs a clear picture and a few huge words. This editor opens at the standard 1280 by 720 pixels with templates for tutorials, challenge videos and bold text-only designs.
Add your face or a screenshot, cut the background out first with our background remover if you like, then export. YouTube accepts thumbnails up to 2 MB as JPG, PNG or GIF; export a JPG if a PNG comes out larger.
How to use YouTube Thumbnail Maker
- Pick Tutorial thumbnail, Big text thumbnail or YouTube thumbnail from Templates.
- Replace the headline with two to four short words. Keep each line large enough to read at thumbnail size.
- Add your photo or a screenshot with Image and place it on the right, away from the corner where the video length is shown.
- Export JPG or PNG and upload it in YouTube Studio. If the file is over 2 MB, export JPG.
Features
The size YouTube recommends, in the 16:9 ratio.
Heavy headline fonts with strong contrast for small screens.
Remove a background with our free tool, then drop the PNG in as your subject.
JPG export keeps most thumbnails well under the 2 MB limit.
No sign-up, no watermark and no limit on exports.
Your images are not uploaded.
What makes a thumbnail work
One subject, one idea and very few words. A clear face or object on one side and three or four large words on the other is a layout that holds up when the thumbnail is small.
Use a bright background that stands out from YouTube's white or dark page, and do not repeat the exact title: add a new hook instead.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a YouTube thumbnail?
YouTube recommends 1280 by 720 pixels (16:9), at least 640 pixels wide, and a file up to 2 MB in JPG, GIF or PNG.
Where should I keep text?
Avoid the bottom right corner, where YouTube overlays the video length, and keep text away from the very edge. Check the design shrunk to about the size of a postage stamp: if you cannot read it, make it bigger.
Can I add a face cut-out?
Yes. Use the background remover to get a transparent PNG of yourself, then add it with Image and place it on one side of the frame.
Is my design uploaded or stored on your server?
No. The editor runs in your browser and your design is autosaved on your own device only. Images you add are not uploaded. Clearing site data removes the autosave, so use Save file to keep a copy.
