Resize an image for a YouTube thumbnail
YouTube wants 1280×720 pixels, 16:9, under 2 MB, as JPG or PNG. This page sets exactly that.
Thumbnails are shown at many sizes, from a phone list to a TV screen, so 1280×720 is the minimum that stays sharp everywhere. Crop to fill is preselected so the picture fills the frame; switch to add bars if you need the whole image.
How to resize an image for a YouTube thumbnail
- Drop the image. A frame from the video, a photo, or a graphic.
- Keep the 1280×720 preset. Move the crop by choosing a different fit if the subject is cut off.
- Download and upload. JPG at 92 percent stays well under YouTube’s 2 MB cap.
Why use myownpic for this
Nothing is uploaded
Photos are read from your disk and processed by your browser. There is no server, so ID scans, family pictures and work files never travel anywhere.
Faster than any upload
A 10 MB photo compresses in about a second. No queue, no upload bar, no download round trip, and it keeps working offline.
Whole batches, one zip
Drop a folder, not a file. Every tool works on many images at once and hands you a zip.
No watermark, no account
Free with no sign-up, no daily quota, no resolution cap and no logo stamped on your pictures.
Questions people ask
What are YouTube’s thumbnail requirements?
1280×720 pixels, a 16:9 ratio, under 2 MB, in JPG, PNG or GIF. A minimum width of 640 pixels is enforced.
Can I add text?
Not here yet. Prepare the image at the right size, then add text in a graphics tool, or use the crop tool to frame the subject first.