Social media image sizes
Every image size for Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, X, Pinterest and Google, from their own help pages.
YouTube thumbnail size in 2026
A YouTube thumbnail is 16:9 and at least 640 pixels wide. 1280 × 720 is the standard, and since October 2025 YouTube takes up to 4K. Pick a size and crop your image to it here.
- Choose what the image is for
- Read the size, shape and file limits
- Add your picture to crop it to size and download it
Official sizes, checked September 2026
Size
- Aspect ratio
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- Smallest accepted
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- File size
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- File types
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- How it shows
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The calculator needs JavaScript. The formula is below if you would rather work it out by hand.
Your image at
Choose an image above to crop it to this size. The dashed lines show what the platform covers or cuts off.
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Every YouTube image size for 2026
| Image | Size in pixels | Aspect ratio | Smallest accepted | File size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Video thumbnail | 1280 × 720 | 16:9 | 640 pixels wide | 2MB from the app, 50MB from a computer |
| Video thumbnail, 4K | 3840 × 2160 | 16:9 | 640 pixels wide | 50MB from a computer |
| Channel banner | 2560 × 1440 | 16:9 | 2048 × 1152 | 6MB |
Sources: YouTube Help (thumbnails), YouTube Help (banner), read in September 2026. A dash means the platform publishes no figure, and we would rather leave it blank than guess.
What size is a YouTube thumbnail in 2026?
A YouTube thumbnail is 16:9 and at least 640 pixels wide. 1280 × 720 is the size YouTube recommended for years, and it’s still the safe choice.
Then came a change most guides haven’t caught up with. On 29 October 2025 YouTube said it would take thumbnails up to 4K, 3840 × 2160, and raise the file limit from 2MB to 50MB. Its help page now lists the 4K size.
There’s a catch. The 50MB limit applies to uploads from a computer. From the YouTube app it’s still 2MB, and a 4K image often won’t fit.
Is a YouTube thumbnail 1920×1080 or 1280×720?
Either. They’re the same 16:9 shape, and YouTube takes both.
1920 × 1080 is sharper on a big screen. 1280 × 720 is smaller to upload and looks the same on a phone, where a thumbnail is the size of a stamp. If you design in 1920 × 1080, save it as a JPG and check the file size before you upload it from the app.
YouTube thumbnail file size and format
Save it as a JPG or PNG. Use JPG for photos: it stays small. Use PNG for flat graphics and text, where JPG leaves smudges round the letters.
The limits are 2MB from the app and 50MB from YouTube Studio on a computer. If a PNG comes out too big, save it as a JPG at high quality. You won’t see the difference at thumbnail size.
Keep faces and words out of the bottom right
YouTube prints the video’s length in the bottom right corner of every thumbnail. Anything underneath it is hidden.
Put the face, the product or the three words that sell the click in the left two-thirds. And look at it small. Shrink it to the width of your thumb and if you can’t read it, nor can anyone scrolling past it on a phone.
YouTube banner size and safe area
A channel banner is 2560 × 1440, at 16:9. It must be at least 2048 × 1152 and 6MB or smaller.
Only a strip across the middle shows on every device. At the minimum size that strip is 1235 × 338 pixels. TVs show the whole image, computers and phones show much less, so your channel name and any text belong inside the strip. Choose “Channel banner” in the tool above and the box shows exactly where it is.
Is 16:9 or 4:3 better for YouTube?
16:9. YouTube’s player is 16:9 on a computer, and so are thumbnails.
A 4:3 video still plays, with black bars down each side. A 4:3 thumbnail is a different matter: it gets cropped or padded to fit the 16:9 frame, and you lose control of which. Crop it to 16:9 yourself first.
How to size a YouTube thumbnail
Pick “Video thumbnail” above, add your picture, drag it into place and download it at 1280 × 720. Or pick the 4K option if you upload from a computer.
The cropper runs in your browser. Your picture isn’t uploaded anywhere, so you can use it for work that isn’t public yet.
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What is the ideal size for a YouTube thumbnail in 2026?
1280 × 720 pixels at 16:9 is the safe choice, and it must be at least 640 pixels wide. Since October 2025 YouTube also takes thumbnails up to 4K, 3840 × 2160, and up to 50MB from a computer.
Can I upload a 1920x1080 thumbnail to YouTube?
Yes. It is 16:9, the same shape as 1280 × 720, and well within YouTube's limits. From the app the file must be 2MB or less, so save it as a JPG if a PNG comes out too big.
Is thumbnail size 16:9?
Yes, for videos: the same shape as the YouTube player on a computer. Shorts thumbnails are the vertical 9:16 version.
What is the maximum file size for a YouTube thumbnail?
50MB from a computer since October 2025, and 2MB from the YouTube app. Before the change it was 2MB everywhere.
What size is a YouTube banner?
2560 × 1440 pixels, at least 2048 × 1152 and 6MB or smaller. Only the middle strip, 1235 × 338 at the minimum size, shows on every device, so keep your name and any text inside it.
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