YouTube Thumbnail Size — 1280x720 Dimensions Guide
YouTube thumbnails are the single biggest factor in click-through rate. The ideal dimensions are 1280x720 pixels with a 16:9 aspect ratio and a maximum file size of 2MB.
YouTube Image Dimensions
Thumbnail
- 1280 x 720 — 16:9 aspect ratio
- Minimum width: 640 pixels
- Max file size: 2MB
- Formats: JPG, PNG, GIF
Channel Banner
- 2560 x 1440 — Full banner (TV)
- Safe area for text: 1546 x 423 (center)
Profile Photo
- 800 x 800 — Displays at 98px in comments
Thumbnail Best Practices
- Text readability: Use large, bold text (3-5 words max). It must be legible at 168x94px — the size shown in suggestions on mobile.
- Mobile preview: 70% of YouTube views are on mobile. Check your thumbnail at small sizes before uploading.
- High contrast: Bright backgrounds with dark text (or vice versa) stand out in feeds.
- Faces and emotion: Thumbnails with expressive faces consistently get higher CTR.
- Avoid clutter: One focal point, one emotion, minimal text. The title handles context.
- Don't duplicate the title: Your thumbnail and title should complement, not repeat each other.
Drop an image here or click to browse
Social Media Image Size Cheat Sheet (2024)
| Platform | Type | Dimensions |
|---|---|---|
| Post (Square) | 1080 x 1080 | |
| Post (Portrait) | 1080 x 1350 | |
| Post (Landscape) | 1080 x 566 | |
| Story / Reel | 1080 x 1920 | |
| Profile Photo | 320 x 320 | |
| TikTok | Video Cover | 1080 x 1920 |
| Profile Photo | 200 x 200 | |
| YouTube | Thumbnail | 1280 x 720 |
| Channel Banner | 2560 x 1440 | |
| Profile Photo | 800 x 800 | |
| Post (Landscape) | 1200 x 630 | |
| Post (Square) | 1200 x 1200 | |
| Cover Photo | 820 x 312 | |
| Profile Photo | 170 x 170 | |
| Event Cover | 1200 x 628 | |
| X (Twitter) | Profile Photo | 400 x 400 |
| Header Photo | 1500 x 500 | |
| In-Stream Photo | 1600 x 900 | |
| Card Image | 1200 x 628 | |
| Post Image | 1200 x 627 | |
| Cover Photo | 1584 x 396 | |
| Profile Photo | 400 x 400 | |
| Company Logo | 300 x 300 | |
| Standard Pin | 1000 x 1500 | |
| Idea Pin | 1080 x 1920 | |
| Board Cover | 600 x 600 | |
| Profile Photo | 165 x 165 | |
| Twitch | Profile Banner | 1200 x 480 |
| Offline / Video Player Banner | 1920 x 1080 | |
| Profile Photo | 256 x 256 | |
| Info Panel | 320 x 100 | |
| Emote (Large) | 112 x 112 | |
| Emote (Medium) | 56 x 56 | |
| Emote (Small) | 28 x 28 | |
| Snapchat | Snap | 1080 x 1920 |
| Geofilter | 1080 x 2340 | |
| Profile Photo | 320 x 320 | |
| Story Ad | 1080 x 1920 | |
| Threads | Profile Photo | 320 x 320 |
| Feed Image | 1080 x 1350 | |
| Feed Square | 1080 x 1080 | |
| Link Preview | 1200 x 628 | |
| Discord | Server Icon | 512 x 512 |
| Profile Avatar | 128 x 128 | |
| Server Banner | 960 x 540 | |
| Invite Splash | 1920 x 1080 | |
| Custom Emoji | 128 x 128 | |
| Sticker | 320 x 320 | |
| Role Icon | 64 x 64 | |
| Post Image | 1200 x 675 | |
| Community Banner | 1920 x 384 | |
| Avatar / Community Icon | 256 x 256 | |
| Old Reddit Thumbnail | 70 x 70 | |
| Status (Story) | 1080 x 1920 | |
| Business Catalog | 1024 x 1024 | |
| Profile Photo | 500 x 500 | |
| Group Icon | 500 x 500 | |
| Telegram | Channel Post Photo | 1280 x 1280 |
| Story | 1080 x 1920 | |
| Sticker | 512 x 512 | |
| Profile Picture | 512 x 512 | |
| Channel / Group Icon | 512 x 512 | |
| Spotify | Canvas (Looping Video) | 1080 x 1920 |
| Cover Art | 3000 x 3000 | |
| Show / Podcast Artwork | 3000 x 3000 | |
| Profile Image (Artist) | 750 x 750 | |
| Playlist Cover | 640 x 640 | |
| Substack | Newsletter Header | 1456 x 816 |
| Post / Section Hero | 1456 x 816 | |
| Publication Logo | 256 x 256 | |
| Profile Photo | 256 x 256 | |
| Medium | Story Cover | 1500 x 750 |
| Topic / Tag Header | 1500 x 750 | |
| Publication Logo (Horizontal) | 600 x 60 | |
| Publication Logo (Square) | 500 x 500 | |
| Profile Photo | 500 x 500 | |
| Bluesky | Profile Avatar | 1000 x 1000 |
| Profile Banner | 3000 x 1000 | |
| Post Image (Portrait) | 1200 x 1500 | |
| Post Image (Landscape) | 1200 x 675 | |
| Link Card Preview | 1200 x 630 | |
| Etsy | Listing Photo (Square) | 2000 x 2000 |
| Listing Photo (4:3) | 2700 x 2025 | |
| Search Thumbnail | 570 x 456 | |
| Shop Banner (Big) | 1200 x 300 | |
| Shop Banner (Large) | 3360 x 840 | |
| Shop Icon | 500 x 500 |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best YouTube thumbnail size?
YouTube thumbnails should be 1280x720 pixels (16:9 aspect ratio) at a minimum width of 640 pixels. JPG, PNG, and GIF formats are accepted, with a maximum file size of 2MB.
What size is a YouTube channel banner?
YouTube channel banners should be uploaded at 2560x1440 pixels (16:9). YouTube renders the same image across TV, desktop, tablet, and phone — phone and desktop crop down to a centered 1546x423 strip, so design important content inside that safe zone.
What size is a YouTube channel profile photo?
Upload your YouTube profile photo at 800x800 pixels (1:1). It is cropped to a circle and can display as small as 98x98 pixels in comments, so keep the subject centered with at least 10% padding inside the canvas edge.
Why does my YouTube thumbnail look blurry?
Thumbnails look soft when uploaded below 1280x720 (YouTube upscales them) or when re-saved JPGs introduce compression artifacts. Always export at 1280x720 from your original source — and use PNG if your thumbnail contains text, logos, or sharp graphic edges.