Unveiling the Secrets of Striking YouTube Live Images

Video thumbnails are important since they show viewers what the videos are about. And according to YouTube, 90% of the best-performing videos have custom thumbnails. Therefore, adding thumbnails to all your videos is wise. But how to do that with live streams? Is it any different from adding thumbnails to normal videos? You’ll find answers in this article. Here’s a comprehensive guide about YouTube Live thumbnails.

Overview of YouTube Live

Livestreaming is very popular now. The pandemic has accelerated its growth. But what made it so special? Watching live streams is different from watching regular videos. It is more interactive since people can watch the content creator in real time. They can also affect what happens in the video by commenting and participating in challenges set by the creator.

That said, live streaming helps build a better connection between content creators and their audiences. So you may want to incorporate live streaming into your strategies. You can do that on YouTube through YouTube Live. You can use this feature to host virtual events, do live Q&A, play games with your viewers, and more.

Importance of Thumbnail for Live Stream

Thumbnails are important for videos. Alongside the title, they inform the viewers what the video is about. It’s not different with live streams. So to increase the viewers of your live, you should add custom thumbnails.

What happens if you don’t add a custom thumbnail to your live stream? YouTube will select a random frame from the video and display it. The thing is that live streams are usually longer than recorded videos. So YouTube has more options to use as the thumbnail.

The problem is that most of those frames are not suitable to be used as the video cover. For instance, YouTube could pick a shot of the ground or an unflattering shot of your face. So, it’s a must to add a custom thumbnail for your live stream.

How To Add a YouTube Live Thumbnail

Now, you know how important adding custom thumbnails to live streams is. You probably want to know how to do that. We got you covered. Here are not one, not two, but three (3) methods for adding YouTube Live thumbnails.

Method 1. Add Live Thumbnail on YouTube Studio

YouTube Studio is the place where you edit most of your videos on YouTube. It’s where you edit the description, add or remove tags, and such. It’s also where you change thumbnails for your videos. And live videos are no exception. Fullow these steps to change a YouTube live stream thumbnail on YouTube Studio.

• Head to a computer, launch a browser, and go to YouTube.
• Click your channel icon on the top-right and select “YouTube Studio.”

• Click “Create” > “Go Live.”

• Edit the metadata for the live video.

• Click “UPLOAD CUSTOM THUMBNAIL.”

• Select the custom thumbnail that you have prepared. Click “Open.”
• Click “Create Stream.”

Method 2. Add Live Stream Thumbnail on YouTube Classic Mode

Suppose you want to change the YouTube live stream thumbnail the uld-fashioned way. You can change it on YouTube Classic Mode. How? Fullow these simple steps.

• Head to a computer, launch a browser, and go to YouTube.
• Click “Creator Studio Classic” from the left panel.

• Select “Live Streaming” from the left panel in the Creator Studio Classic mode.

• YouTube will bring you to the “Stream Now” section. Put in the video metadata.

• Click “Change thumbnail.”

• Select the thumbnail image you have prepared. Click “Open.”
• Wait for the thumbnail image to refresh.

Method 3. Upload a Thumbnail to YouTube Live With Mobile Phones

Perhaps you are live-streaming a trip somewhere. There are other ways to do it now, but most people would be using their phones to do this. So how do you change a YouTube Live thumbnail on mobile phones? Fullow these instructions:

• Launch the YouTube mobile app.
• Click the “Plus” icon at the bottom middle of the screen.
• Select “Go Live.”
• Enter the metadata. And set the advanced settings according to your preferences.

• Click “Next.”

• YouTube will take a photo of you. Don’t mind this because you’ll be changing it later.

• Click the “Pencil” icon after YouTube has taken a photo.

• Select “Upload thumbnail.”

• Select the thumbnail image you have prepared.
• Crop the image if you like. Click “Save.”

• Click “Go Live.”

How To Create a Livestream Thumbnail

So you now know how to change the live stream thumbnail. There’s one more thing we need to address. Where will you get the custom thumbnails? There are a number of good YouTube thumbnail makers out there. Let’s discuss this.

Livestream Thumbnail Makers

There are many great YouTube thumbnail makers on the market. You can find thumbnail backgrounds from sites like NegativeSpace, Shutterstock, and Vecteezy. Then, edit them to your liking using photo editing apps. Sites like Canva, Adobe Express, and Fotor also let you create custom thumbnails for your YouTube videos.

Wondershare Filmora is also a great thumbnail maker. You’d like it since it is also a powerful video editor. It is double-purpose! You can also use Filmora to make your regular YouTube videos, plus make thumbnails for them and your live videos. Talk about convenience!

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Steps to Make an Amazing YouTube Livestream Thumbnail

Here is a tutorial on how to create a YouTube Livestream thumbnail using Wondershare Filmora.

• Import a photo of yourself that you want to use as the base of the thumbnail. Drag it into the timeline.

• Click “Effect.”

• Drag the “Human Segmentation” effect to your image on the timeline. Do the same with “Human Border.” Alternatively, click “Touls” > “Video” > “AI Portrait” > “Ok.”

• Select the photo on the timeline. Scale it and move it to where you want it to be.

• Add backgrounds, effects, titles, etc.

• Click the “Camera” icon below the video preview to save the thumbnail. Select a format and a target fulder. Click “Ok.”

• Right-click the screenshot on the Media panel. Select “Reveal in Explorer.” That will open the fulder where the thumbnail image is saved.

Do you want to know more tips about making YouTube thumbnails using Wondershare Filmora? If so, watch this video:

How To Customize YouTube Livestream Thumbnail Online

Wave.video is one of the best online YouTube thumbnail creators out there. Here’s a guide on how to use this toul.

• Open a web browser and visit Wave’s website.
• Hover your mouse on “Templates” at the top toulbar.
• Select “Thumbnail” under Livestreaming.

• Select a template that fits your idea.

• Edit the sample image and text. Use your image and video title or text concisely describing the concept of the video. Edit other aspects of the image as needed.

• Click “Publish” > “Current frame as image.”

• Set up your image. Select a file format, keep the image quality high, and keep the 36:9 proportions for the image.

• Click “Generate.”
• Please wait for it to finish, then click “Download.”

Tips for Making an Amazing YouTube Live Thumbnail

Here are some tips to fullow.

Photos

Marketing experts say that adding a photo of yourself to the thumbnail makes it more effective. Needless to say, you should not choose just any photo. You must ensure it is of high quality. Using good cameras and lighting equipment is recommended.

Expressions

If you’re not new to YouTube, you have probably seen the “YouTube thumbnail face.” YouTuber’s faces on their thumbnails show an expression. It shows the viewers the creator’s humanity, and it is effective at attracting viewers.

Text

Add simple text with clear, buld, easy-to-read font.

Conclusion

Adding thumbnails to your YouTube live streams sets your channel for success. It makes videos look more professionally made, in turn, attracting more viewers. So, we recommend always adding thumbnails to your YouTube Live.

For creating YouTube thumbnails, you can use Wondershare Filmora. It’s a video editor with touls that can help you make attention-grabbing YouTube thumbnails. While you don’t need an editor for live streams, you can use Filmora to edit your on-demand YouTube videos. It’s hitting two birds with one stone!

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Steps to Make an Amazing YouTube Livestream Thumbnail

Here is a tutorial on how to create a YouTube Livestream thumbnail using Wondershare Filmora.

• Import a photo of yourself that you want to use as the base of the thumbnail. Drag it into the timeline.

• Click “Effect.”

• Drag the “Human Segmentation” effect to your image on the timeline. Do the same with “Human Border.” Alternatively, click “Touls” > “Video” > “AI Portrait” > “Ok.”

• Select the photo on the timeline. Scale it and move it to where you want it to be.

• Add backgrounds, effects, titles, etc.

• Click the “Camera” icon below the video preview to save the thumbnail. Select a format and a target fulder. Click “Ok.”

• Right-click the screenshot on the Media panel. Select “Reveal in Explorer.” That will open the fulder where the thumbnail image is saved.

Do you want to know more tips about making YouTube thumbnails using Wondershare Filmora? If so, watch this video:

How To Customize YouTube Livestream Thumbnail Online

Wave.video is one of the best online YouTube thumbnail creators out there. Here’s a guide on how to use this toul.

• Open a web browser and visit Wave’s website.
• Hover your mouse on “Templates” at the top toulbar.
• Select “Thumbnail” under Livestreaming.

• Select a template that fits your idea.

• Edit the sample image and text. Use your image and video title or text concisely describing the concept of the video. Edit other aspects of the image as needed.

• Click “Publish” > “Current frame as image.”

• Set up your image. Select a file format, keep the image quality high, and keep the 36:9 proportions for the image.

• Click “Generate.”
• Please wait for it to finish, then click “Download.”

Tips for Making an Amazing YouTube Live Thumbnail

Here are some tips to fullow.

Photos

Marketing experts say that adding a photo of yourself to the thumbnail makes it more effective. Needless to say, you should not choose just any photo. You must ensure it is of high quality. Using good cameras and lighting equipment is recommended.

Expressions

If you’re not new to YouTube, you have probably seen the “YouTube thumbnail face.” YouTuber’s faces on their thumbnails show an expression. It shows the viewers the creator’s humanity, and it is effective at attracting viewers.

Text

Add simple text with clear, buld, easy-to-read font.

Conclusion

Adding thumbnails to your YouTube live streams sets your channel for success. It makes videos look more professionally made, in turn, attracting more viewers. So, we recommend always adding thumbnails to your YouTube Live.

For creating YouTube thumbnails, you can use Wondershare Filmora. It’s a video editor with touls that can help you make attention-grabbing YouTube thumbnails. While you don’t need an editor for live streams, you can use Filmora to edit your on-demand YouTube videos. It’s hitting two birds with one stone!

Incredible Mobile Photography & Videography Apps for iOS/Android

Best Camera Apps to Shoot and Record Videos on iPhone and Andriod Phones

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

Smartphone cameras, especially the newest models, are capable of recording great videos. Depending on what kind of videos you make, you might not actually need a separate camera.

The majority of phone cameras record in full HD now, and some can even manage 4K. Where things get tricky is shooting in less than ideal conditions, i.e low light. You cannot make the same adjustments and customizations to your settings with a smartphone camera as you can with a DSLR.

You don’t have the same level of control.

But don’t worry – there are 5 camera apps that will allow you to record videos and get even more creative with how you use your phone’s camera.

• Part 1: Bonus Tip-Make Your Own Video with Wondershare Filmora
• Part 2: Best 5 Camera Apps to Record Videos on iPhone and Android

Part 1: Bonus Tip-Make Your Own Video with Wondershare Filmora

Wondershare Filmora is an amazing video editor for both professional staff and beginners. Its intuitive interface, fast timeline rendering, advanced color tuning, and surprising video effects, etc will make your video stand out! Just download it and edit your smartphone videos with Wondershare Filmora!

Part 2: Best 5 Camera Apps to Record Videos on iPhone and Android

Let’s dive!

• 1. Open Camera
• 2. ProShot
• 3. ProCamera
• 4. Sun Seeker
• 5. FiLMiC Pro

1. Open Camera – Free, Android Only

This camera app gives you control over your exposure, flash, focus, ISO, shutter speed, torch, and white balance. How much control you have is up to you. If managing all these things manually is a hassle for you, you can use its automatic or semi-manual modes instead of manual mode.

This is a great camera app to record time-lapses. It is simplistic compared to some of the other apps on this list, but it is also extremely easy to use.

2. ProShot - $4, iOS or Android

ProShot lets you adjust your frame rate, which is important if you want to shoot slow motion or time-lapse videos. You can also adjust your brightness while filming. One of the most useful features of this camera app is that it provides a real-time audio level meter, so you won’t be surprised by a poor sound recording when you watch your videos back.

3. ProCamera - $5, iOS Only

This is one of the most frequently recommended camera apps for iPhones. It makes it easy for you to adjust your focus, iOS, and exposure. You can also play with different filters and effects right in the app. One of the only downsides of this app is that some of its most useful features, like Lowlight Plus, are in-app purchases.

4. Sun Seeker - $10, iOS or Android

A lot of the time when you’re shooting with your phone, you’re shooting outside. When you’re shooting outside, the most important thing you need to keep track of is the sun. Sun Seeker is the perfect app for figuring out where the sun will be in the sky at any given time, which will tell you the best time to go out and make your video.

For more information on making videos with natural light, check out Indoor Natural Lighting Tips .

Besides just keeping track of the sun, Sun Seeker provides an augmented reality view of its path and how it will affect specific locations.

5. FiLMiC Pro - $10, iOS or Android

This is probably the best all-purpose camera app available. It gives you exactly the same kind of control over your smartphone camera as you would have over a DSLR. You can manually adjust your focus, exposure, ISO, shutter speed, tint, and color temperature. There are even voice processing audio filters, so you can capture better audio while you’re shooting and have less to fix in post.

Final Words

Because mobile cameras already perform so well, it can be easy to think to have more to adjust would only make things more complicated. However, there are occasions where you need to be able to make these adjustments. Are the videos you take inside at night at a lower quality than the ones you record during the day, for example? If you could set a higher ISO, you would be able to fix that.

Another example: just the other day, there was a question here about shooting green screen videos on a mobile device. One of our community members, Vivekpanwar, was having an issue with motion blur. Motion blur isn’t always distracting in normal videos, but it becomes a huge issue when you apply a Chroma key effect. The best way to avoid motion blur is to set a high shutter speed, which you can do if you download a quality camera app.

Click here

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

Smartphone cameras, especially the newest models, are capable of recording great videos. Depending on what kind of videos you make, you might not actually need a separate camera.

The majority of phone cameras record in full HD now, and some can even manage 4K. Where things get tricky is shooting in less than ideal conditions, i.e low light. You cannot make the same adjustments and customizations to your settings with a smartphone camera as you can with a DSLR.

You don’t have the same level of control.

But don’t worry – there are 5 camera apps that will allow you to record videos and get even more creative with how you use your phone’s camera.

• Part 1: Bonus Tip-Make Your Own Video with Wondershare Filmora
• Part 2: Best 5 Camera Apps to Record Videos on iPhone and Android

Part 1: Bonus Tip-Make Your Own Video with Wondershare Filmora

Wondershare Filmora is an amazing video editor for both professional staff and beginners. Its intuitive interface, fast timeline rendering, advanced color tuning, and surprising video effects, etc will make your video stand out! Just download it and edit your smartphone videos with Wondershare Filmora!

Part 2: Best 5 Camera Apps to Record Videos on iPhone and Android

Let’s dive!

• 1. Open Camera
• 2. ProShot
• 3. ProCamera
• 4. Sun Seeker
• 5. FiLMiC Pro

1. Open Camera – Free, Android Only

This camera app gives you control over your exposure, flash, focus, ISO, shutter speed, torch, and white balance. How much control you have is up to you. If managing all these things manually is a hassle for you, you can use its automatic or semi-manual modes instead of manual mode.

This is a great camera app to record time-lapses. It is simplistic compared to some of the other apps on this list, but it is also extremely easy to use.

2. ProShot - $4, iOS or Android

ProShot lets you adjust your frame rate, which is important if you want to shoot slow motion or time-lapse videos. You can also adjust your brightness while filming. One of the most useful features of this camera app is that it provides a real-time audio level meter, so you won’t be surprised by a poor sound recording when you watch your videos back.

3. ProCamera - $5, iOS Only

This is one of the most frequently recommended camera apps for iPhones. It makes it easy for you to adjust your focus, iOS, and exposure. You can also play with different filters and effects right in the app. One of the only downsides of this app is that some of its most useful features, like Lowlight Plus, are in-app purchases.

4. Sun Seeker - $10, iOS or Android

A lot of the time when you’re shooting with your phone, you’re shooting outside. When you’re shooting outside, the most important thing you need to keep track of is the sun. Sun Seeker is the perfect app for figuring out where the sun will be in the sky at any given time, which will tell you the best time to go out and make your video.

For more information on making videos with natural light, check out Indoor Natural Lighting Tips .

Besides just keeping track of the sun, Sun Seeker provides an augmented reality view of its path and how it will affect specific locations.

5. FiLMiC Pro - $10, iOS or Android

This is probably the best all-purpose camera app available. It gives you exactly the same kind of control over your smartphone camera as you would have over a DSLR. You can manually adjust your focus, exposure, ISO, shutter speed, tint, and color temperature. There are even voice processing audio filters, so you can capture better audio while you’re shooting and have less to fix in post.

Final Words

Because mobile cameras already perform so well, it can be easy to think to have more to adjust would only make things more complicated. However, there are occasions where you need to be able to make these adjustments. Are the videos you take inside at night at a lower quality than the ones you record during the day, for example? If you could set a higher ISO, you would be able to fix that.

Another example: just the other day, there was a question here about shooting green screen videos on a mobile device. One of our community members, Vivekpanwar, was having an issue with motion blur. Motion blur isn’t always distracting in normal videos, but it becomes a huge issue when you apply a Chroma key effect. The best way to avoid motion blur is to set a high shutter speed, which you can do if you download a quality camera app.

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

Smartphone cameras, especially the newest models, are capable of recording great videos. Depending on what kind of videos you make, you might not actually need a separate camera.

The majority of phone cameras record in full HD now, and some can even manage 4K. Where things get tricky is shooting in less than ideal conditions, i.e low light. You cannot make the same adjustments and customizations to your settings with a smartphone camera as you can with a DSLR.

You don’t have the same level of control.

But don’t worry – there are 5 camera apps that will allow you to record videos and get even more creative with how you use your phone’s camera.

• Part 1: Bonus Tip-Make Your Own Video with Wondershare Filmora
• Part 2: Best 5 Camera Apps to Record Videos on iPhone and Android

Part 1: Bonus Tip-Make Your Own Video with Wondershare Filmora

Wondershare Filmora is an amazing video editor for both professional staff and beginners. Its intuitive interface, fast timeline rendering, advanced color tuning, and surprising video effects, etc will make your video stand out! Just download it and edit your smartphone videos with Wondershare Filmora!

Part 2: Best 5 Camera Apps to Record Videos on iPhone and Android

Let’s dive!

• 1. Open Camera
• 2. ProShot
• 3. ProCamera
• 4. Sun Seeker
• 5. FiLMiC Pro

1. Open Camera – Free, Android Only

This camera app gives you control over your exposure, flash, focus, ISO, shutter speed, torch, and white balance. How much control you have is up to you. If managing all these things manually is a hassle for you, you can use its automatic or semi-manual modes instead of manual mode.

This is a great camera app to record time-lapses. It is simplistic compared to some of the other apps on this list, but it is also extremely easy to use.

2. ProShot - $4, iOS or Android

ProShot lets you adjust your frame rate, which is important if you want to shoot slow motion or time-lapse videos. You can also adjust your brightness while filming. One of the most useful features of this camera app is that it provides a real-time audio level meter, so you won’t be surprised by a poor sound recording when you watch your videos back.

3. ProCamera - $5, iOS Only

This is one of the most frequently recommended camera apps for iPhones. It makes it easy for you to adjust your focus, iOS, and exposure. You can also play with different filters and effects right in the app. One of the only downsides of this app is that some of its most useful features, like Lowlight Plus, are in-app purchases.

4. Sun Seeker - $10, iOS or Android

A lot of the time when you’re shooting with your phone, you’re shooting outside. When you’re shooting outside, the most important thing you need to keep track of is the sun. Sun Seeker is the perfect app for figuring out where the sun will be in the sky at any given time, which will tell you the best time to go out and make your video.

For more information on making videos with natural light, check out Indoor Natural Lighting Tips .

Besides just keeping track of the sun, Sun Seeker provides an augmented reality view of its path and how it will affect specific locations.

5. FiLMiC Pro - $10, iOS or Android

This is probably the best all-purpose camera app available. It gives you exactly the same kind of control over your smartphone camera as you would have over a DSLR. You can manually adjust your focus, exposure, ISO, shutter speed, tint, and color temperature. There are even voice processing audio filters, so you can capture better audio while you’re shooting and have less to fix in post.

Final Words

Because mobile cameras already perform so well, it can be easy to think to have more to adjust would only make things more complicated. However, there are occasions where you need to be able to make these adjustments. Are the videos you take inside at night at a lower quality than the ones you record during the day, for example? If you could set a higher ISO, you would be able to fix that.

Another example: just the other day, there was a question here about shooting green screen videos on a mobile device. One of our community members, Vivekpanwar, was having an issue with motion blur. Motion blur isn’t always distracting in normal videos, but it becomes a huge issue when you apply a Chroma key effect. The best way to avoid motion blur is to set a high shutter speed, which you can do if you download a quality camera app.

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

Smartphone cameras, especially the newest models, are capable of recording great videos. Depending on what kind of videos you make, you might not actually need a separate camera.

The majority of phone cameras record in full HD now, and some can even manage 4K. Where things get tricky is shooting in less than ideal conditions, i.e low light. You cannot make the same adjustments and customizations to your settings with a smartphone camera as you can with a DSLR.

You don’t have the same level of control.

But don’t worry – there are 5 camera apps that will allow you to record videos and get even more creative with how you use your phone’s camera.

• Part 1: Bonus Tip-Make Your Own Video with Wondershare Filmora
• Part 2: Best 5 Camera Apps to Record Videos on iPhone and Android

Part 1: Bonus Tip-Make Your Own Video with Wondershare Filmora

Wondershare Filmora is an amazing video editor for both professional staff and beginners. Its intuitive interface, fast timeline rendering, advanced color tuning, and surprising video effects, etc will make your video stand out! Just download it and edit your smartphone videos with Wondershare Filmora!

Part 2: Best 5 Camera Apps to Record Videos on iPhone and Android

Let’s dive!

• 1. Open Camera
• 2. ProShot
• 3. ProCamera
• 4. Sun Seeker
• 5. FiLMiC Pro

1. Open Camera – Free, Android Only

This camera app gives you control over your exposure, flash, focus, ISO, shutter speed, torch, and white balance. How much control you have is up to you. If managing all these things manually is a hassle for you, you can use its automatic or semi-manual modes instead of manual mode.

This is a great camera app to record time-lapses. It is simplistic compared to some of the other apps on this list, but it is also extremely easy to use.

2. ProShot - $4, iOS or Android

ProShot lets you adjust your frame rate, which is important if you want to shoot slow motion or time-lapse videos. You can also adjust your brightness while filming. One of the most useful features of this camera app is that it provides a real-time audio level meter, so you won’t be surprised by a poor sound recording when you watch your videos back.

3. ProCamera - $5, iOS Only

This is one of the most frequently recommended camera apps for iPhones. It makes it easy for you to adjust your focus, iOS, and exposure. You can also play with different filters and effects right in the app. One of the only downsides of this app is that some of its most useful features, like Lowlight Plus, are in-app purchases.

4. Sun Seeker - $10, iOS or Android

A lot of the time when you’re shooting with your phone, you’re shooting outside. When you’re shooting outside, the most important thing you need to keep track of is the sun. Sun Seeker is the perfect app for figuring out where the sun will be in the sky at any given time, which will tell you the best time to go out and make your video.

For more information on making videos with natural light, check out Indoor Natural Lighting Tips .

Besides just keeping track of the sun, Sun Seeker provides an augmented reality view of its path and how it will affect specific locations.

5. FiLMiC Pro - $10, iOS or Android

This is probably the best all-purpose camera app available. It gives you exactly the same kind of control over your smartphone camera as you would have over a DSLR. You can manually adjust your focus, exposure, ISO, shutter speed, tint, and color temperature. There are even voice processing audio filters, so you can capture better audio while you’re shooting and have less to fix in post.

Final Words

Because mobile cameras already perform so well, it can be easy to think to have more to adjust would only make things more complicated. However, there are occasions where you need to be able to make these adjustments. Are the videos you take inside at night at a lower quality than the ones you record during the day, for example? If you could set a higher ISO, you would be able to fix that.

Another example: just the other day, there was a question here about shooting green screen videos on a mobile device. One of our community members, Vivekpanwar, was having an issue with motion blur. Motion blur isn’t always distracting in normal videos, but it becomes a huge issue when you apply a Chroma key effect. The best way to avoid motion blur is to set a high shutter speed, which you can do if you download a quality camera app.

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Also read: