Prepare Photo for YouTube Thumbnail
Resize any photo to 1280×720 — EXIF stripped, works offline, right in your browser
Drop your photo here
or click to browse (JPG, PNG, WebP, HEIC)
YouTube Thumbnail Requirements
- Display size: 1280 × 720 pixels (16:9 aspect ratio)
- Upload recommendations: 3840 × 2160 (video) or 2160 × 3840 (Shorts, 9:16) — 640 px minimum (width for videos, height for Shorts)
- File size: 2 MB on mobile · 50 MB on desktop — this tool outputs under 2 MB, safe on both
- Format: JPEG (YouTube's help lists “such as JPG or PNG”)
- Print reference: 1280 × 720 px ≈ 33.9 × 19.1 cm at 96 DPI (YouTube itself works in pixels)
- Privacy: EXIF/GPS metadata is stripped from the output
Frequently Asked Questions
What size should a YouTube thumbnail be?
YouTube's help page recommends 3840×2160 (4K) for video thumbnails and 2160×3840 for Shorts (9:16), with a 640 px minimum (width for videos, height for Shorts); thumbnails are displayed at 1280×720 (16:9).
Upload any size photo and this tool resizes and crops it to 1280×720 — the displayed size that works everywhere. File limits: 2 MB on mobile, 50 MB on desktop; this tool's output stays under 2 MB, so it is safe on both.
Why does YouTube require 16:9 for thumbnails?
YouTube recommends the 16:9 aspect ratio for custom thumbnails — other ratios may be letterboxed or display differently. This tool crops your photo to exactly 16:9 so it always meets YouTube's recommendation.
What file format is best for YouTube thumbnails?
JPEG offers the best quality-to-size balance and is the recommended format. PNG is only needed if your thumbnail uses transparency.
YouTube's help page lists the accepted formats as “such as JPG or PNG” — JPEG produces the smallest files with no visible quality loss.
Is 1920×1080 good for thumbnails?
Yes — 1920×1080 is a valid 16:9 size and well above YouTube's 640 px minimum (width for videos, height for Shorts). Thumbnails are displayed at 1280×720, so a 1080p source works fine; this tool scales it to 1280×720.
For the sharpest result, upload 3840×2160 (YouTube's recommended size).
Can I convert any photo to YouTube thumbnail size?
Yes. Drop any size or aspect-ratio photo and the tool converts it to exactly 1280×720 (16:9): it crops the photo and lets you adjust the crop position, then compresses it under 2 MB.
What is 1280×720 in cm or inches?
At 96 DPI, 1280×720 px is about 33.9 × 19.1 cm (13.3 × 7.5 in). YouTube works in pixels, so cm/inches only matter if you print a reference sheet — for uploading, the pixel size is what counts.
Will my photo metadata be removed?
Yes. All EXIF metadata including GPS location, camera model, and timestamp are automatically stripped from your output thumbnail. Your processed image contains only the visual data.