YouTube Thumbnail Size
Crop any image to 16:9 and size it for a YouTube thumbnail, under 2 MB so it uploads from the phone app too.
What this page is for
A thumbnail in the wrong shape gets letterboxed, and one that is too large will not upload from the phone app. This page center-crops to 16:9, resizes, and brings the file under the cap.
It is for creators uploading from a phone, where the limit is much lower than on a computer.
The rule: YouTube's thumbnail requirements
YouTube Help lists video thumbnails as 16:9, with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 and a minimum width of 640 px, as JPG or PNG. The file limit is 2 MB on mobile and 50 MB on desktop.
Older guides say 1280 x 720 and 2 MB everywhere. Those still work, but YouTube now accepts much larger thumbnails from a computer. Shorts use 9:16 and are not covered by this page.
Worked example
Phone photo, 4032 x 3024, 3.6 MB. The 1920 x 1080 preset crops the center 4032 x 2268 band and scales it down.
Result: a JPG of roughly 400 to 700 KB, well under the 2 MB mobile limit.
How to use it
- Pick 1920 x 1080 unless you have a reason not to.
- Leave the cap on 2 MB if you upload from the phone app.
- Tap Choose photos and select the image.
- Tap Make thumbnail.
- Download and set it in YouTube Studio.
Questions
Can I upload a custom thumbnail at all?
Custom thumbnails need a verified YouTube account. If the option is missing, verify the account first.
Why crop from the center?
It is the safest default. If your subject is off-center, crop roughly on the phone first, then run it here.
JPG or PNG?
The page makes JPG, which YouTube accepts and which stays small. Thumbnails have no transparency, so PNG gains nothing.
Is my image uploaded?
No.
Related tools
Nearlimit is not affiliated with YouTube or Google. Sizes and results are estimates produced by your own browser. A file that fits the cap is not a guarantee that the destination will accept it: services change their limits, and some check more than size. On iPhone and iPad, Safari limits memory and codecs, so large files can fail there that work on a computer. Keep your original file.