YouTube thumbnails
Short answer
Making thumbnails that get clicked and read at small sizes.
6 articles
- How-to
How to change a YouTube Shorts thumbnail (computer only)
Custom Shorts thumbnails can only be added in YouTube Studio on a computer, with a verified account. Steps, sizes, and why 16:9 covers get replaced by 4:5.
- Fix
Wrong thumbnail or cover: what each platform shows
A wrong thumbnail is a wrong shape, an unreadable image, a stale preview or a rejection. Published sizes for YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok.
- Fix
Wrong video thumbnail on LinkedIn: what you can control
LinkedIn Help documents no cover image for video posts. What it does publish: aspect ratio, resolution and safe zones, plus how to frame the first seconds.
- Fix
Wrong cover on a Pinterest video Pin: pick it right
Pinterest lets you choose a cover when you create a video Pin. Published specs: 9:16 recommended, H.264 or H.265, 4 s to 5 min, and the safe-zone margins.
- Fix
Wrong cover on TikTok: it is a frame of your video
TikTok's cover is a frame of your video, not an uploaded image: its API takes a millisecond offset and defaults to the first frame.
- Fix
No custom thumbnail on Shorts: verified account only
Custom Shorts thumbnails need a verified account and YouTube Studio on a computer. Published sizes: 2160 × 3840 recommended, minimum height 640 px, 9:16.