Boosting Views with Customized Thumbnail Sizes on YouTube

There is a saying that first impressions last, and this is proven true, especially when it comes to YouTube video viewership. For sure, you have experienced watching a video out of curiosity because of its thumbnail. That is why content creators take time to resize YouTube thumbnails or use a YouTube thumbnail size converter to customize the preview images that represent their videos.

This technique not only attract viewers to watch your video, but it also gives a glimpse of your content. In this article, we will provide you with a quick tutorial on how to resize a YouTube thumbnail and suggest handy tools you can use to create the perfect YouTube video thumbnail!

Best YouTube Thumbnail Size

According to YouTube’s help center, there are some things to remember when creating a thumbnail for your YouTube videos.

First, make sure that the thumbnail size is 1280 pixels by 720 pixels and 640 pixels wide. It is the best YouTube thumbnail size.
When it comes to the thumbnail dimension, make sure to use an aspect ratio of 16:9.
Also, your YouTube thumbnail image should not exceed 2MB and is in either JPG, GIF or PNG format.

How To Resize Your YouTube Thumbnail

The primary reason for changing the YouTube thumbnail size is to gain more audience. If you are a content creator, your main goal is to introduce your content to a wider range of viewers, right? So you have to pay attention to even the smallest detail, such as YouTube thumbnails to increase viewership and top YouTube SEO.

In fact, YouTube recommends this technique to get more viewers. Also, resizing your YouTube thumbnail will prevent you from getting the “file larger than 2MB error” which can cause your thumbnail to be discarded.

So, how can you use this technique? Check our tutorial below as we walk you through various recommended methods for resizing a YouTube thumbnail:

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Method 1: Resize YouTube Thumbnail With Windows Default App

The easiest way to resize YouTube thumbnails is through the Windows default app. Within just a few modifications, you can resize your thumbnail to fit as a preview image for your YouTube video.

Please take note that your image should be at least 2 megabytes or less to achieve the perfect YouTube thumbnail fit. If your image exceeds the limit, your thumbnail will either be rejected, or your image will have a black screen around it-which is not ideal at all.

Now, let us start the tutorial.

Step1 Open an image you want to set as a thumbnail. Then, Right-click> Resize.

Step2 Select “Define custom dimensions.”

Step3 Set the width to 1280 and the height to 720. Then tick the box for “Maintain Aspect Ratio “and click “Save Resized Copy.”

Step4 Click the upload thumbnail button on YouTube and import your resized image.

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Method 2. Online YouTube Thumbnail Size Converter

The second method you can use is the online YouTube thumbnail size converter. As it completely works in browsers, you do not need to worry about any app installation to access the feature. Furthermore, using online YouTube thumbnail size converters ensures you maintain your image resolution and prevents it from getting blurry or pixelated.

There are various YouTube thumbnail resizers available online. Some of the most popular are Fotor, Super Image Converter, Pixelied, Super Image Converter , Adobe Express , Newisty, and Promo . Let us focus on the last online tool and the steps on how to use it.

Promo is a free online software you can use to convert an image to a YouTube thumbnail. It is one of the best YouTube Thumbnail tools as it uses simple operation steps and automatically resizes your image without losing its quality.

Here are the steps on how to use the Promo YouTube thumbnail size converter:

Step1 Go to Promo’s official website and import your image

Step2 Scroll down and find the YouTube thumbnail size where your resized image is displayed. Then, click “Download.”

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Method 3: Convert the Image to YouTube Thumbnail Using Wondershare Filmora

It is without a doubt that online YouTube thumbnail resizers are great tools for converting your image to an ideal YouTube thumbnail. But it would be much better if you resize your video using the same app you use for editing. That way, you will save time using two separate apps, and your task will be much more efficient using an all-in-one video editing tool.

Wondershare Filmora , one of the most well-known software for creating high-quality and compelling videos, combines these functions in one app. Filmora is not just an excellent software for crafting YouTube videos but also a reliable tool you can use in creating and resizing YouTube thumbnails.

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Here is the step-by-step tutorial on how to use Filmora in resizing your YouTube thumbnail. It is divided into two parts:

1. Take a Snapshot as the Thumbnail with Filmora

Step1 Open the video in the timeline, click the play icon in the player window, and pause when you reach the desired frame for the YouTube thumbnail. Click the camera icon to take a snapshot.

Step2 In the snapshot window, choose to save the snapshot as a PNG or JPG file.

Step3 Select the output storage location and click OK.

2. Resize the YouTube Thumbnail

Step1 Import the image into the app timeline.

Step2 Drag and drop the image into the timeline and click the green “Export“ button. In the popup Export window, select GIF. Next, click “Settings“ to adjust the resolution.

Step3 As the recommended size of a YouTube Thumbnail is 1280 * 720 pixels, you can set the resolution to 1280 * 720. Then click Apply and Export the GIF. You can now upload the GIF thumbnail to your YouTube account.

Method 4. Convert Images to YouTube Thumbnail Using Third-Party Software

In addition to using dedicated video editing software, several third-party image editing programs can be used to resize images for use as YouTube thumbnails. Programs like GIMP are popular for this purpose, as it offers a wide range of tools and features for editing and resizing images.

This program allows you to import an image, resize it to the dimensions required for a YouTube thumbnail (typically 1280 x 720 pixels), and save the edited version to your desired location. Using an image editing program can be a good option if you need more control over the appearance of your thumbnail or if you want to make more extensive edits beyond simply resizing the image.

To resize an image using an image editing program like GIMP, follow these steps:

Step1 Install and launch GIMP on your computer.

Step2 Click on “File“ > “Open,” then search for the file you want to resize.

Step3 Click on “Image“ > “Scale Image“ and make sure that the resolution is 1920 by 1080.

Step4 Click on “File“ > “Export As“ and toggle the “Select File Type (By Extension)“ option. Choose JPG/JPEG format because it can compress the thumbnail enough to stay within the limit of 2 megabytes.

Step5 You can change the quality of the image and click the “Export“ button to save the thumbnail.

Comparison of These 4 YouTube Thumbnail Resizing Methods

Now that we’ve explored the four methods for resizing YouTube thumbnails, it’s time to compare the pros and cons of each method. In this section, we’ll consider factors such as ease of use, speed, quality, cost, and compatibility to help you determine the best option for your needs.

Take a look at the table below for a more detailed comparison.

| | Windows Default App | Online YouTube Thumbnail Size Converter | Wondershare Filmora | Third-Party Software | |
| ————————————————– | ——————————————- | ———————– | ———————— | ——– |
| Other Software Required or Not | No | Yes (Internet Browser) | Yes | Yes |
| Internet Connection Required | No | Yes | No | No |
| Complexity of Operations | Easy | Easy | Easy | Moderate |
| Support Other Editing of the YouTube Thumbnail | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| File Size Limit | None | 25MB | None | None |

Resizing YouTube thumbnails using the Windows default app is a quick and easy method that requires no additional software or tools. However, the quality of the resized thumbnail may improve if the original image is low resolution, and this method is only suitable for users on Windows operating systems.

Online YouTube thumbnail size converters are convenient and easy to use, and they can be accessed from any device with an internet connection. They also typically preserve the quality of the original image. However, some online converters may have size limits or require a subscription to unlock all features, and using an online converter can be slower than using a dedicated software tool.

Using Wondershare Filmora allows you to create and edit YouTube thumbnails within a single application, which can be a time-saving advantage if you’re already using Filmora for other video editing tasks. However, Filmora is a paid software, so there is a cost associated with using it, and it may have a steeper learning curve for users new to video editing.

Image editing programs like GIMP offer many features and tools for customizing your thumbnail, including adding text, applying filters, and making more extensive edits beyond simply resizing the image. They also typically offer more control over the quality and appearance of the resized thumbnail.

However, using a third-party image editing program may require a learning curve and maybe more time-consuming than other methods, and there may be a cost associated with purchasing the software.

Each of the four methods for resizing YouTube thumbnails has its pros and cons, and the best method will depend on the user’s specific needs and preferences.

Conclusion

This article explored four methods for resizing YouTube thumbnails: using the Windows default app, online converters, Wondershare Filmora, and image editing programs like GIMP. Each method has advantages and disadvantages; the best one depends on your specific needs and preferences. No matter your chosen method, you can resize YouTube thumbnails confidently with these tools and techniques.

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Here is the step-by-step tutorial on how to use Filmora in resizing your YouTube thumbnail. It is divided into two parts:

1. Take a Snapshot as the Thumbnail with Filmora

Step2 In the snapshot window, choose to save the snapshot as a PNG or JPG file.

Step3 Select the output storage location and click OK.

2. Resize the YouTube Thumbnail

Step1 Import the image into the app timeline.

Step2 Drag and drop the image into the timeline and click the green “Export“ button. In the popup Export window, select GIF. Next, click “Settings“ to adjust the resolution.

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Method 4. Convert Images to YouTube Thumbnail Using Third-Party Software

To resize an image using an image editing program like GIMP, follow these steps:

Step1 Install and launch GIMP on your computer.

Step2 Click on “File“ > “Open,” then search for the file you want to resize.

Step3 Click on “Image“ > “Scale Image“ and make sure that the resolution is 1920 by 1080.

Step5 You can change the quality of the image and click the “Export“ button to save the thumbnail.

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Comparison of These 4 YouTube Thumbnail Resizing Methods

Take a look at the table below for a more detailed comparison.

However, using a third-party image editing program may require a learning curve and maybe more time-consuming than other methods, and there may be a cost associated with purchasing the software.

Each of the four methods for resizing YouTube thumbnails has its pros and cons, and the best method will depend on the user’s specific needs and preferences.

Conclusion

Explore Beyond Youtube with These Top 5 Video Tools

Best 5 YouTube Video Editor Alternatives

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

YouTube provides a free tool that allows the user to create a video by putting together various clips and then publish them with a single click. All the uploads that the user has made before are added to the YouTube Video Editor. The tool allows the user to combine, trim, add music and customize. However, its functionality is limited to just that, and that’s why people are looking for the best YouTube Video Editor alternative.

Note: From 20th September 2017 users will no longer be able to use the complimentary editing suite. Check the best YouTube video editor alternatives from this complete guide.

Some of the cons of the YouTube Video Editor are:

It doesn’t have advanced editing features.
It requires Internet connection to use.
It is slow.
Users can only edit videos that were already uploaded to their YouTube account.

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Best 5 YouTube Video Editor Alternatives

The good news is that there are good offline YouTube Video Editor Alternatives out there. Below are the top five:

1. Wondershare Filmora

Wondershare Filmora is one of the most popular YouTube Video Editor alternatives. It is available for both Windows and Mac platforms. The best thing about Wondershare Filmora is that it is easy to use. And at the same time, it has more features than the YouTube Video Editor.

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Some of the key features of Filmora include:

Allows the user to crop, cut, and combine video clips in just a few clicks
Supports the addition of multiple audio and video tracks
Choose from various overlays and filters
Supports face off, green screen, and PIP effects
Supports a wide range of video formats that include MP4, AVI, MOV, MKV, and WMV, just to name a few
Burn video to DVD, or instantly upload it to YouTube, Facebook, and Vimeo

2. WeVideo

Another YouTube Video Editor alternative is WeVideo . It is a cloud-based video editor that allows the user to do the editing in any web browser. Just like the YouTube editing tool, the user must first upload the clips online in order to edit them, and create a video.

Pros:

One advantage of WeVideo is that it allows different users to collaborate in making a single video. A user can invite others to upload clips to the project, or even make different videos based on the same clips.

Cons:

And because it is a cloud-based video editor, it requires an Internet connection in order to get the clips and do the editing. Not only that, the videos must be uploaded before they can be used. And there are cases in which a five-minute video will require hours of raw footages. Users with slow upload speeds will take hours before they can start editing. And users of the free version can only export 480p videos that have a watermark. Users need to pay for the full version.

3. Loopster

Loopster is a mobile app that can be a YouTube Video Editor alternative. It is available for both the Android and iOS platforms. The tool allows the user to rotate, splice and add sound effects, zoom, and crop videos directly from one’s smartphone. It comes with advanced features that include title screens, slow motion effect, and bubble text. The app also lets the user record video and sounds directly. After editing the video, the app can export it directly to Facebook or YouTube.

Pros:

It does what it was designed to do when it is working. It is user-friendly and comes with a tutorial. It also works even if the smartphone is not connected to the internet. Editing is done offline. And best of all, it is free.

Cons:

One the downside, it looks like the developer is no longer updating the app. Some users experience crashes and other bugs. There are also some users that stated that the slow motion effect didn’t work for them, which is why they can’t recommend it as a YouTube Video Editor alternative.

4. Tubechop

Tubechop allows the user to trim a video from any YouTube video and then share it. There are some videos that are just too long, and you want to cut it to the section that you find interesting.

Pros:

Just like the other YouTube Video Editor alternatives, Tubechop is easy to use. The user just needs to enter the YouTube URL of the video, and then indicate the section that’s interesting, and that’s it.

Cons:

However, Tubechop doesn’t allow users to download the resulting video. Tubechop only provides a link that allows users to view the chopped video. And when the original video is deleted, the chopped version will also be deleted.

5. Viddyad

Viddyad is another cloud-based platform that lets users convert images, music, clips, and animated effects into a video. It is said to be the best way to create video ads for businesses.

Pros:

There are several templates to choose from. Users can create video ads by adding videos, text, voiceover, special effects, music, and images. The platform also provides access to millions of image and video stock.

Cons:

Viddyad is a YouTube Video Editor alternative for businesses that want to create video ads. It might not be the right video editor for individuals who just want to create and share their personal videos.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

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