Thumbnail problems
Wrong cover on a Pinterest video Pin: pick it right
Short answer
Pinterest does give you a cover: when you create a Pin from a video, the Cover field offers Edit cover to choose a thumbnail. The published Video Pin specs decide how it looks: H.264 or H.265, 4 seconds to 5 minutes, and a recommended 9:16 ratio at 1080 × 1920 for full-bleed videos, with 1:1, 2:3, 3:4, 4:5 and 1:2 also listed. Pinterest also publishes the safe zones to keep text inside: top 270 px, left 65 px, right 195 px, bottom 790 px.
Key takeaways
- The cover is chosen by you: Cover, then Edit cover, when you create a video Pin.
- Pinterest recommends 9:16, which is 1080 × 1920, for full-bleed video Pins.
- Video Pin encoding is H.264 or H.265, 4 seconds to 5 minutes.
- Pinterest publishes safe-zone margins: top 270 px, left 65 px, right 195 px, bottom 790 px.
- Pick the cover before you publish: the same spec tells you the title limit is 100 characters and the description limit is 800.
How Pinterest's published margins convert
Pinterest publishes its safe zones in pixels: top 270 px, left 65 px, right 195 px, bottom 790 px. The table below shows the same margins as percentages of a 1080 × 1920 frame, which is the canvas this page checks, so the numbers line up with what you see in an editor.
| Edge | Published pixels | Share of a 1080 × 1920 frame |
|---|---|---|
| Top | 270 px | 270 ÷ 1920 = 14.1% |
| Bottom | 790 px | 790 ÷ 1920 = 41.1% |
| Left | 65 px | 65 ÷ 1080 = 6.0% |
| Right | 195 px | 195 ÷ 1080 = 18.1% |
Computed, not published: the percentages above are arithmetic on Pinterest's pixel values, shown so the same margins can be applied to a 1080 × 1920 export.
Find your case
| What you see | What it usually means | Do this |
|---|---|---|
| Cover is cropped on the Pin | The chosen frame does not match the Pin ratio | Pick a frame that works at 9:16 (step 2) |
| Cover text is cut off | Text sits outside Pinterest's published safe zones | Keep text inside the margins (step 3) |
| Video Pin will not upload | Encoding or length outside the published spec | Re-export to H.264 or H.265, 4 s to 5 min (step 1) |
| Cover looks fine, feed looks different | Pinterest adds a faint color layer to image Pins in the feed | Check the Pin in the feed, not only in the editor |
| Pin shows a watermark | Video Pin downloads are on for full-screen Pins | Turn off Video Pin downloads in settings (step 5) |
| No Edit cover option | The Pin is an image Pin, or you are part-way through a different flow | Create the Pin from the video file (step 4) |
Fix it step by step
Match the published Video Pin spec
Pinterest lists web file types .MP4 and .M4V, and .MP4, .MOV and .M4V on Android and iOS, with H.264 or H.265 encoding, a minimum length of 4 seconds and a maximum of 5 minutes. Export inside those values so Pinterest has nothing to convert.
Choose the cover from the video
In the create flow: Create, then Create Pin, then the upload icon to select a video from your computer. In the Pin details, the Cover field says Edit cover to choose a thumbnail for your video. Choose a frame where the subject is clear, not a transition or a black frame.
CreateCreate PinCoverEdit cover
Keep cover text inside Pinterest's safe zones
Pinterest publishes safe zones of top 270 px, left 65 px, right 195 px and bottom 790 px: put text and other elements within those dimensions so they are easy to see on any device. The table below expresses the same margins as percentages of a 1080 × 1920 frame, so you can check a cover at the size you exported.
Pick a ratio that matches how the video was shot
For full-bleed video, where the video takes up the whole screen, Pinterest recommends 9:16 or 1080 × 1920. Other listed options are 1:2, 2:3, 3:4, 4:5 and 1:1. If you shot 2:3 and want to keep the framing, export 2:3 and let the Pin letterbox rather than cropping your subject.
Check the download watermark setting
Pinterest documents a setting for full-screen video Pins: turn off Video Pin downloads and no watermark of your username appears at the bottom. It applies to all your published full-screen, that is 9:16, video Pins.
CreateMore optionsSettingsSocial permissionsVideo Pin downloads
Render the cover frame yourself if the picker is not enough
ffmpeg -i pin.mp4 -ss 00:00:02 -frames:v 1 -q:v 2 cover.jpgwrites one frame as a JPEG you can inspect at full size before you choose it in the picker.
Safe area for a 1080×1920 video
| Edge | Keep text out of | Pixels |
|---|---|---|
| Top | 14.1% | 270 px |
| Bottom | 41.2% | 790 px |
| Left | 6% | 65 px |
| Right | 18.1% | 195 px |
Official guidance. Source: Review Pin specs (Pinterest Help), checked 2026-10-03.
Pinterest Video Pin specs, as published
| Web file types | .MP4, .M4V |
|---|---|
| Android and iOS | .MP4, .MOV, .M4V |
| Encoding | H.264 or H.265 |
| Length | 4 s minimum, 5 min maximum |
| Aspect ratio | 9:16 (1080 × 1920) recommended, or 1:2, 2:3, 3:4, 4:5, 1:1 |
| Safe zones | Top 270 px, left 65 px, right 195 px, bottom 790 px |
| Title and description | 100 and 800 characters |
Frequently asked questions
How do I change the cover on a Pinterest video Pin?
Create the Pin from the video file, then use the Cover field in the Pin details: Edit cover chooses the thumbnail. Pinterest publishes no separate cover size, so choose a frame that reads at Pin size.
What size should a Pinterest video Pin be?
For a full-bleed video Pinterest recommends 9:16, which is 1080 × 1920. It also lists 1:1, 2:3, 3:4, 4:5 and 1:2 as options.
Where should text go on a Pinterest video Pin?
Inside Pinterest's published safe zones: top 270 px, left 65 px, right 195 px, bottom 790 px. Text outside those margins can be cut or covered.
Why is there a watermark on my video Pin?
Pinterest documents a Video Pin downloads setting. If downloads are on for your full-screen 9:16 Pins, a watermark of your username appears at the bottom.
Sources
- Pinterest Help: Review Pin specs (Video Pin specs and safe zones) (official, checked 2026-10-07)
- Pinterest Help: Create a Pin from an image or video (official, checked 2026-10-07)
- FFmpeg Documentation: Command line options (-map, -c copy, -itsoffset) (official, checked 2026-10-07)
Reviewed 2026-10-07. Steps not attributed to a source are general video practice or computed above.