Table of Contents
YouTube Thumbnail Size
The YouTube thumbnail size is the one thing that every YouTube content creator and thumbnail designer must take note of. Following the standard size is imperative to make sure that thumbnails look presentable on YouTube’s suggestion lists and search results page.
YouTube Thumbnail Size Standard
1280 x 720 Pixels
There’s only one standard size for YouTube thumbnails that must be followed if YouTube channel owners want the best possible quality for their precious thumbnails. A resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels is among the requirements for uploading a thumbnail on YouTube. Though it’s possible to upload thumbnails with lower resolution, it wouldn’t look as good and won’t be able to give a positive first impression to YouTube audiences.
YouTube Thumbnail Sizes for Digital
1280 x 720 Pixels
The standard resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels is the best size option for YouTube thumbnails regardless of how many graphical and visual elements they have. Thankfully, it’s quite easy to set up a custom 1280 x 720 dimension for thumbnail images with just about any functional thumbnail editor or photo editing software. In addition, the aspect ratio of 1280 x 720-pixel thumbnails is 16:9.
640 Pixels Width
YouTube thumbnails can have a minimum width size of 640 pixels and still look presentable. Anything below that would make the thumbnail look blurry and somewhat distorted which doesn’t look good on desktop and phone screens alike; the thumbnail’s text will likely be unreadable and the background images will be less impressive. The 640-pixel width is an excellent alternative if it’s not possible to customize a thumbnail image to have a width of 1280 pixels.
YouTube Thumbnail Sizes for Business
There are YouTube channels owned by small companies or major enterprises that focus on advertisement for their brands, products, and services. The videos of such channels have a uniform aesthetic and so are their thumbnails complete with icons, colors, and text that define the business profile. To impress their target market demographic and target audience, the thumbnails of business YouTube videos must strictly adhere to the standard of 1280 x 720 pixels.
YouTube Thumbnail Sizes for Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop has always been the top choice for enhancing the quality of images for many people. With that said, it’s clear that it’s an excellent program for designing YouTube thumbnails sprinkled with as many decorations as you want or need. Adobe Photoshop allows users to set up any custom resolution for their images; that means YouTube content creators and thumbnail designers can easily set a dimension of 1280 x 720 pixels for their amazing YouTube thumbnails.
YouTube Thumbnail Sizes for Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Illustrator can also work well as a YouTube Thumbnail editor or creator tool; it has all the things you need for optimizing the quality of a thumbnail and adding stunning visuals to make it appealing to YouTube audiences. Adobe Illustrator lets users set up the standard 1280 x 720 pixels dimension for YouTube thumbnails or any other custom size that content creators want. There are countless free guides online that you can explore detailing the process of designing YouTube thumbnails in Adobe Illustrator.
YouTube Thumbnail Size FAQs
What size is a YouTube thumbnail?
The universal standard size of YouTube thumbnails is 1280 x 720 pixels with a minimum width resolution of 640 pixels; also, their aspect ratio is 16:9.
What size is the average Youtube thumbnail?
The average size of YouTube thumbnails is 1280 x 720 pixels which is the standard size; some YouTube thumbnails only have 640 pixels in width which is the minimum.
Can I use 1920 x 1080 video thumbnails on YouTube?
Yes, you’re free to upload video thumbnails on YouTube with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels; however, there’s a chance that it’ll look pixelated which can affect video playback; that said, it would be best to stick to the standard of 1280 x 720 pixels.
How do I see a full-size thumbnail on YouTube?
To open and view a YouTube thumbnail in its full size, right-click on it and select the option “Open image in a new tab”; this opens a new tab in your browser displaying the YouTube thumbnail in its full size which you can zoom in and zoom out freely.
What is the aspect ratio of a YouTube thumbnail?
The aspect ratio of a YouTube thumbnail is 16:9.
How wide is a YouTube thumbnail?
Following the standard size, a YouTube thumbnail is 1280 pixels in width, but it can have a width size of 640 pixels—below 640 would adversely affect the thumbnail’s quality; that said, the width of YouTube thumbnails should be anything between 640 to 1280 pixels.
What is the max resolution for a YouTube thumbnail?
The max resolution for a YouTube thumbnail is 1280 x 720 pixels; you can upload thumbnails with resolutions that exceed the standard 1280 x 720 pixels, but there’s a possibility that they’ll appear pixelated.
Can YouTube thumbnails be 2560 x 1440 pixels?
A YouTube thumbnail can have 2560 x 1440 pixels but it’s not ideal which means it would be better to stick to the standard 1280 x 720 pixels; the YouTube images that ideally have a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels are YouTube banners.
What is the font size of YouTube thumbnails?
A font size of at least 75 is ideal for the text of YouTube thumbnails to ensure they’re readable for audiences at a glance.
How do I increase YouTube thumbnail quality?
To increase the quality of a YouTube thumbnail, you need to make sure that it has 1280 x 720 pixels, an aspect ratio of 16:9, and a file size of 2MB; its format should also be JPG, PNG, GIF, or BMP.
What are the best image file formats for YouTube thumbnails?
The best and acceptable image file formats for YouTube thumbnails are JPG, GIF, PNG, and BMP.
Will YouTube thumbnails display on other platforms?
Yes, YouTube thumbnails will display on other platforms; for example, if you share a YouTube video on Facebook, its thumbnail will appear on the Facebook users’ feeds.
Does following the proper sizes matter for YouTube thumbnails?
Yes, following the standard size in designing a YouTube thumbnail is important to ensure the best quality; keep in mind that the best videos on YouTube have the best thumbnails and they aren’t popular by accident.
More in Graphic Design
