Resize Image for YouTube Thumbnail — Free Online Tool
YouTube thumbnails display at 1280x720 pixels — the standard 16:9 HD resolution. PDFBro resizes your thumbnail to these exact dimensions online for free. A properly sized, eye-catching thumbnail is the single most important factor in getting your video clicked. Upload any image and get a perfectly sized 1280x720 YouTube thumbnail.
Free Online Tool
Resize Image
Resize any image to exact dimensions — set custom width and height, maintain aspect ratio
How to Resize an Image for YouTube Thumbnail
Upload your image
Drag and drop any image into PDFBro's resize tool. Supports JPEG, PNG, WebP, and SVG formats up to 100 MB. Works on desktop, tablet, and mobile browsers.
Set dimensions to 1280x720
Enter 1280 for width and 720 for height. This is the exact YouTube Thumbnail resolution (16:9 (widescreen) aspect ratio). Enable 'Maintain aspect ratio' for proportional scaling, or disable it to force exact dimensions if your original aspect ratio differs.
Download your resized image
Click Resize and download your perfectly sized YouTube Thumbnail image. Zero watermarks, zero quality loss from the resize operation, instant download. Use it directly on YouTube.
Best Uses for YouTube Thumbnail Images
YouTube video custom thumbnails, Shorts custom thumbnails (cropped from 16:9), video chapter markers, playlist thumbnails, channel trailer thumbnails, and livestream thumbnails. Thumbnails drive click-through rate — a well-sized, compelling thumbnail directly increases views.
Why Use PDFBro to Resize Images
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best size for a YouTube thumbnail?
1280x720 pixels with a 16:9 aspect ratio. YouTube requires thumbnails to be under 2 MB. This resolution ensures your thumbnail looks sharp on all devices — from mobile phones to 4K TV screens. PDFBro resizes exactly to 1280x720 for the perfect YouTube thumbnail.
What makes a good YouTube thumbnail?
High contrast, readable text (minimum 72pt bold font), a human face showing emotion, and a clear subject against a simple background. The 1280x720 canvas gives you room for all these elements. Remember thumbnails are often viewed at small sizes (mobile, sidebar) — bold, simple designs work best.
Why won't YouTube let me upload a custom thumbnail?
YouTube requires phone verification to enable custom thumbnails. Also, your account must have no community guideline strikes. Once verified, upload your 1280x720 thumbnail via PDFBro — YouTube accepts JPEG, PNG, GIF (non-animated), and BMP under 2 MB.
Can I use the same thumbnail for YouTube and other platforms?
YouTube's 1280x720 (16:9) matches Twitter's post size (1200x675, also 16:9) but different exact dimensions. For cross-platform use, create your thumbnail at 1280x720 and resize copies for Twitter (1200x675) and other platforms using PDFBro's dedicated tool presets.