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Free Tool

YouTube Thumbnail Resizer

Crop any image to YouTube’s recommended 4K, HD, or Shorts size. No signup — runs entirely in your browser.

Workflow

How it works

1

Upload

Drop or select any image from your device.

2

Crop

Drag and zoom to frame the perfect 16:9 area.

3

Download

Save the cropped thumbnail as a PNG.

Why thumbnail size matters

YouTube thumbnails are the first thing viewers see. A sharp, correctly sized thumbnail can dramatically improve click-through rate.

YouTube now recommends 3840×2160 pixels at a 16:9 aspect ratio for videos, and 2160×3840 (9:16) for Shorts. Thumbnails that don't match the ratio get letterboxed or cropped — often cutting off text or faces.

Use this free tool to crop images to the exact ratio before uploading. Everything runs in your browser; nothing leaves your device. For every spec in one place, see the YouTube thumbnail size guide.

Done cropping? Preview your thumbnail in YouTube-style layouts →

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is the ideal YouTube thumbnail size?
YouTube now recommends 3840×2160 pixels (4K) at a 16:9 aspect ratio for videos, and 2160×3840 (9:16) for Shorts. The minimum width is 640 pixels. 1280×720 still works everywhere if you want smaller files.
What file formats are supported?
You can upload JPG, PNG, GIF, and WebP images. You can also paste an image straight from your clipboard. The result is exported as a PNG, or a high-quality JPG when the PNG would be over the size limit you picked.
Is there a file size limit?
YouTube allows thumbnails up to 50 MB when you upload from a computer, but only 2 MB from the YouTube mobile app. Turn on “Mobile upload” and the export is compressed to fit under 2 MB. Your source image has no size limit because everything runs in your browser.
Is my image stored anywhere?
No. Everything happens locally in your browser. Your image never leaves your device.
Can I adjust the crop area?
Yes — drag to reposition and use the zoom slider to scale. The crop is locked to 16:9 (or 9:16 for Shorts) so the result always fits YouTube perfectly.
Do I need to create an account?
No signup, no email, no cost. Just drop an image and download your cropped thumbnail.