#Custom video shorts how to

On the bottom right-hand side of the screen there’s the option to upload your custom YouTube thumbnail. In the video’s settings, you’ll see three automatically generated thumbnails at the bottom of the screen. Then click on the video to edit its settings. To add a custom thumbnail to a video that you’ve already uploaded, head to your videos in the YouTube Studio dashboard. To start, head to and click the camera-plus icon to upload a new video.

#Custom video shorts how to

Let’s run through how to upload your custom thumbnail image. How to Add a Custom YouTube Thumbnail to Your Video Lastly, your custom YT thumbnail size must be under the 2MB limit. You must also upload your thumbnail in one of the following image formats: JPG, GIF, BMP, or PNG. You can use both the images above as custom YouTube video thumbnail resolution templates. The YouTube thumbnail ratio for these dimensions is 16:9. However, the image also needs to be big enough to look good when displayed the same size as the video player:

It’s called a “thumbnail” because it’s often displayed small: Google explains why : “Your custom thumbnail image should be as large as possible, as the image will also be used as the preview image in the embedded player.” In other words, the ideal custom YouTube thumbnail size is big. Your image should also have a minimum width of 640 pixels. Google recommends that your custom YouTube video thumbnail size is 1280 pixels wide by 720 pixels tall. What is the YouTube Thumbnail Size?īefore you begin, it’s helpful to know the ideal size for your YouTube thumbnail. Plus, thumbnail images don’t take much time to create.Īfter the time you’ve spent planning, organizing, filming, and editing the perfect YouTube video, what’s another 10-15 minutes?Įnsure your video’s success when you create a compelling custom YouTube thumbnail. In fact, Wistia found that using video thumbnails instead of images in emails can increase clicks by more than 21 percent. You can even use a custom YouTube video thumbnail to increase your email marketing click-through rate. They’re also a great opportunity to develop your brand aesthetic.īut that’s not all. When you upload a video, YouTube will automatically pull three still images from your video that you can use as thumbnails.Īlthough there’s that easy option, it’s always best to create custom YouTube thumbnails.Ĭompare these two images from one of our YouTube videos – which do you think is most likely to catch people’s attention?Ĭustom thumbnails help your videos stand out from the crowd and can have a massive impact on the growth of your audience. Thankfully, YouTube allows you to customize your video thumbnails. A bad one will ensure your video stays unseen. This means that thumbnail images can make or break your videos.Ī good thumbnail can help you to rack up thousands of views. However, in reality, most people do, and the same holds true for YouTube thumbnails. They say “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” They’re miniature representations of the video content designed to stimulate interest and curiosity. Think of YouTube thumbnails like book covers. Here are some examples of custom thumbnails from Shopify's YouTube channel : Their job is to attract people’s attention and convince them to watch the video.

YouTube thumbnails are the small preview images used to represent videos.

Make sure your thumbnail size is a minimum of 640 pixels wide.

These YouTube thumbnail dimensions use an aspect ratio of 16:9.

The perfect YouTube video thumbnail size is 1280 pixels by 720 pixels.

If you follow these guidelines, you will see YouTube success.

YouTube’s help center notes five important points when it come to YouTube thumbnail images.