The current thumbnail recommendation
YouTube’s current documentation recommends 3840 × 2160 px for video thumbnails, with a 16:9 aspect ratio and a minimum width of 640 px. The familiar 1280 × 720 size remains a lightweight 16:9 alternative, but we do not label it as the current 4K recommendation.
This tool offers both sizes. Choose 4K when you have a sufficiently large original; choose HD when you need a lighter file. Enlarging a small image can create a huge file without improving clarity. Check the face, product and lettering, not just the pixel count.
Upload limits depend on your device
YouTube distinguishes mobile uploads from desktop uploads. Its guide lists 2 MB for video thumbnails uploaded on mobile, and 50 MB on desktop for video, Shorts and podcast thumbnails. For landscape video thumbnails, this tool checks against the stricter 2 MB mobile limit.
If a photographic PNG is too large, try JPG and lower the quality gradually. Inspect text edges and facial detail after each change. Your chosen background color replaces transparency when exporting JPG. Keep the original so you are not repeatedly editing and compressing an already degraded copy.
YouTube banner dimensions and safe area
YouTube recommends a 2560 × 1440 px banner. The minimum upload dimensions are 2048 × 1152, with a 16:9 aspect ratio, and the file must be 6 MB or smaller. Do not assume the thumbnail preset is also the banner preset: the destination and limit differ.
The official guide defines a 1235 × 338 px safe area on the minimum-sized canvas. Scaled to 2560 × 1440, that is approximately 1544 × 422 px in the center. Keep your name and essential messages there. This is a design reference, not a promise that every screen will show an identical crop.
The resizer cannot rearrange titles or logos inside an existing composition. If they sit outside that central area, edit the original design. Check YouTube’s device previews before publishing your banner.
Shorts covers and watermarks
The current recommendation for Shorts thumbnails is 2160 × 3840 px, with a 9:16 aspect ratio. Upload options depend on YouTube Studio and feature availability. Do not crop a landscape thumbnail without checking that the main subject still fits.
For a video watermark, use a square image of at least 150 × 150 px, under 1 MB. The PNG preset preserves existing transparency. It does not add a logo or remove a background for you.
If the upload fails
Confirm that you selected the right destination, that the downloaded file is actually PNG or JPG, and that its size meets your device’s limit. This tool’s warnings do not check account permissions or content policies. Consult the official links if YouTube changes its requirements.