YouTube thumbnail size: the exact spec
3840 x 2160 pixels at 16:9, minimum width 640 pixels, JPG or PNG, under 2 MB from mobile or 50 MB from desktop. Those are the numbers from YouTube Help. The rest of this page is what they mean in practice.
The spec
The numbers YouTube Help gives
Upload big and keep it 16:9. YouTube scales it down for every screen, so a larger source gives it more to work with.
| Recommended resolution | 3840 x 2160 pixels |
|---|---|
| Minimum width | 640 pixels |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9 |
| File types | JPG or PNG |
| File size limit | 2 MB uploading from mobile, 50 MB from desktop |
Where it shows
Where your thumbnail gets small
One image, several very different sizes. You design at full size, but most people see the small version first.
| Mobile home feed | Full width of the phone, but the duration badge covers the bottom-right corner |
|---|---|
| Search results | Medium size, sitting next to your title and channel name |
| Suggested sidebar | Small, next to the player on desktop. Fine detail disappears here |
| TV | Large, viewed from across the room. Text still needs to be bold |
| Embeds and shares | Shown wherever the link lands, sometimes cropped by the host app |
Safe zones
Keep the important stuff clear
The duration badge sits on the bottom-right corner of the image. Design around it, then check the result at sidebar size.
- +Keep faces, text and logos out of the bottom-right corner
- +Leave a small margin on every edge, since some surfaces round or crop the corners
- +Put your main subject on one side and your words on the other
- +Shrink your design to about the size of a sidebar thumbnail. If you can't read it, a viewer can't either
File tips
JPG, PNG and the 2 MB limit
Both formats work. The limit that trips people up is the 2 MB cap when you upload from mobile.
- +JPG for photos and gameplay. It stays small at high resolution
- +PNG for flat graphics and sharp text, but the files run bigger
- +From a phone, export under 2 MB. From desktop you have up to 50 MB
- +Export once at 16:9. Don't stretch a square or vertical image to fit
Common mistakes
What goes wrong most often
Most bad uploads are one of these. All of them are easy to catch before you hit publish.
- +Uploading a 4:3 or square image and letting YouTube letterbox it
- +Tiny text that looks fine on a monitor and vanishes on a phone
- +A face or word hidden behind the duration badge
- +Going under 640 pixels wide, which falls below the minimum
- +Exporting a huge PNG, then hitting the 2 MB mobile limit
Creator reviews
18,000+ creators have signed up and made 30,000+ thumbnails. Real reviews, collected through Senja.
"I used to spend 1 hour on thumbnails. Now with LaunchLens it takes 10 minutes. I love it. I recommend it for small creators just starting out."
"Good quality and fast. Does the job in seconds."
"It's so easy to use. Honestly, just really good."
Questions, answered straight.
What is the best YouTube thumbnail size?+
3840 x 2160 pixels at 16:9, per YouTube Help. The minimum width is 640 pixels, and the file should be JPG or PNG.
Is 1280x720 still OK?+
Yes. It's 16:9 and above the 640 pixel minimum width. YouTube recommends going larger when you can, up to 3840 x 2160.
What is the YouTube thumbnail aspect ratio?+
16:9. Anything else gets cropped or letterboxed, so design for 16:9 from the start.
What is the thumbnail file size limit?+
2 MB when you upload from mobile, and 50 MB from desktop. JPG usually keeps you comfortably under.
Where does the duration badge cover my thumbnail?+
On the bottom-right corner. Keep faces and text out of that corner.
Do I need a different size for Shorts?+
Shorts are vertical. YouTube Help recommends 2160 x 3840 pixels at 9:16 for a Shorts thumbnail.
Does the same size work for Roblox and other games?+
Yes for YouTube videos about any game. Roblox experiences have their own icon and thumbnail sizes inside Roblox, covered on the Roblox thumbnail size page.
Export at the right size, every time
Build the thumbnail in LaunchLens and download it at 16:9. Free to start.
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