Resize image for a YouTube thumbnail
Make a 1920 × 1080 thumbnail under 2 MB, so it uploads from your phone as well as your computer.
Drop an image, or choose a file
JPG, PNG, WebP, AVIF, HEIC or GIF. Any size.
Your file never leaves your device
YouTube limits
| What | Official limit | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Thumbnail | 16:9, at least 640 px wide; 3840 × 2160 recommended | support.google.com |
| Thumbnail file size | 2 MB from mobile, 50 MB from desktop | support.google.com |
Limits verified Oct 2, 2026 against official sources.
Report an outdated limitWhy files fail on YouTube
YouTube accepts thumbnails up to 50 MB from a computer, but only 2 MB from the mobile app, and they must be 16:9 and at least 640 px wide.
What this preset does
This preset crops to 16:9 at 1920 × 1080 and finds the best JPG quality under 2 MB, so it works wherever you upload from.
Questions
- What size is a YouTube thumbnail?
- 16:9, at least 640 px wide. YouTube now recommends up to 3840 × 2160.
- What's the file size limit?
- 2 MB when uploading from mobile and 50 MB from desktop.
- Why 1920 × 1080 and not 3840 × 2160?
- At 2 MB, 1920 × 1080 keeps better detail per pixel and looks sharp at every size YouTube displays.