Resize a YouTube Thumbnail
Turn any image into a 1280 × 720 YouTube thumbnail, plus channel banner and profile picture sizes. Cropping and resizing happen in your browser, with no upload.
- On-device
- No sign-up
- Batch
- Free, no watermark
Drop images on the plate
or paste with Ctrl/⌘ V
Processed on this device
How it works
- 01Drop, choose or paste your thumbnail design or video still.
- 02Choose the thumbnail, channel banner or profile picture preset.
- 03Select Process to crop and resize to that size.
- 04Download the image, or use Download all if you resized several.
Why use this tool
Exact 16:9 thumbnail
1280 × 720 matches the 16:9 video player, so the thumbnail fills its slot with no black bars.
Banner and avatar too
Presets for the 2560 × 1440 channel banner and the 800 × 800 profile picture, both cropped to fill.
Private before publishing
Unreleased thumbnails and video stills are resized locally, so artwork for an upcoming video never sits on someone else's server.
Supported formats
Use cases
Thumbnail from a 4K frame
A still exported from 4K video is 3840 × 2160. Resize it to 1280 × 720 for a much lighter thumbnail with the same 16:9 framing.
Reuse a square graphic
A 1080 × 1080 promo image doesn't match 16:9. Crop to fill trims the top and bottom so it fills the thumbnail slot.
Channel art refresh
Resize new artwork to 2560 × 1440 for the banner and 800 × 800 for the profile picture, which YouTube displays as a circle.
Technical details
YouTube thumbnails are 16:9, the same shape as the player, and 1280 × 720 is the recommended size, with a minimum width of 640 px. In search results, feeds and suggestions, the video length is printed over the bottom-right corner, so keep titles, faces and logos away from that spot. Thumbnails are also shown very small on phones, so large text and one clear subject read better than fine detail.
The 2560 × 1440 channel banner is shown differently on TVs, desktops and phones. TVs show the full image, while other devices show only a strip across the middle, so place your channel name and key artwork inside the central safe area of about 1546 × 423 px. The profile picture is uploaded as an 800 × 800 square and shown as a circle. These sizes are current as of 2026, and YouTube may change them.
Your files stay with you
This tool runs entirely inside your browser using Web Workers and WebAssembly. Your images are never uploaded, never stored on a server and never used to train AI. Close the tab and they’re gone. Learn more
Frequently asked questions
What size is a YouTube thumbnail?
1280 × 720 pixels, a 16:9 ratio. That's the size YouTube recommends for custom thumbnails, and it matches the player so no bars appear. YouTube asks for at least 640 px wide, but smaller images look soft on large screens and TVs.
How do I make a YouTube thumbnail from a screenshot?
Paste the screenshot with Ctrl/Cmd+V, choose the thumbnail preset and select Process. If the screenshot isn't 16:9, Crop to fill trims the edges so it fits 1280 × 720. Download the result and upload it as a custom thumbnail.
Where should I avoid placing text on a thumbnail?
Keep the bottom-right corner clear, because YouTube overlays the video length there. Also avoid the very edges, which can be covered by hover buttons or cropped in some layouts. Center the subject and use large, short text.
What size is the YouTube channel banner?
Upload 2560 × 1440 pixels. TVs show the whole banner, but desktops and phones show a much narrower slice, so keep important text and logos inside the central safe area of roughly 1546 × 423 pixels.
Can I resize a thumbnail without uploading it anywhere?
Yes. Pixellin crops and resizes your thumbnail inside the browser tab. Artwork for an unannounced video never reaches a server, and the image is cleared from memory as soon as you close the tab.
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