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Home Mobile Android Apps How To Change YouTube Thumbnails
When you upload a video, YouTube randomly selects one of the frames that make up the video and sets it as the video’s thumbnail. That’s the image the users will see when they stumble upon your video in the search results or the recommendations list.
When YouTube selects the thumbnail automatically, there is a great chance that the video will have a thumbnail that doesn’t capture its essence that well or is not attractive enough to the viewers. Therefore, if you’re serious about improving your channel stats and getting as many views as you can, you should consider swapping YouTube’s default solution for your customized thumbnails.
There are several ways to change the thumbnail YouTube chose for your video. Let’s see how to do it using both a computer and a smartphone.
You can do two things to change the thumbnail of your YT video – select one of YouTube’s suggested thumbnails and upload one from your computer or smartphone. Whether you decide to do it with your desktop/laptop computer or your smartphone, you’ll need the help of YouTube Studio.
The desktop version of the site has the studio feature built in while the mobile version of YouTube Studio is a standalone app. The YouTube Studio app is available to both iOS and Android users. At the moment of writing, the desktop version of the Studio app is in beta phase.
Please note that you must verify your YouTube account before you can edit and change thumbnails on your videos.
If you opt to change your video’s thumbnail via computer, you can either create a new one in YouTube Studio or upload your own. Let’s see how each method works.
Picking a thumbnail from YouTube’s suggestions is the easier and simpler option. There is no editing involved and you get to choose from a group of three randomly created thumbnail suggestions for each video. Have in mind that this method is the same on all major operating systems. Here’s how this method works:
If you don’t like any of the three suggested thumbnails, you can always upload your own. This feature is available on all platforms, including Windows, Mac OS, and Linux. Follow these steps to upload a custom thumbnail for your YT video:
Ideally, your custom image should have a 16:9 ratio to fit the dimensions of the thumbnail in search results and previews. The optimal resolution is 1280×720 pixels, though you can make your custom thumbnail smaller. Keep in mind that it must be at least 640 pixels wide, so the minimum resolution allowed is 640×360 pixels.
If you don’t have a computer with you, you can also change the thumbnail of your video via smartphone. Here’s how it’s done:
Yes, YouTube does have a policy that dictates what you can and can’t do. For example, you can’t upload a thumbnail that doesn’t represent the content of the video. YouTube does a great job of moderating content and you can find out more about it here.
Absolutely! Whether your video is 30 minutes old or 10 years old, you can update the preview image. Follow the steps above to update your thumbnail.
A well-made thumbnail can significantly increase the amount of traffic your video receives. Therefore, replacing the default option with your own custom-made thumbnail is a sound choice. Follow the steps laid out in this article to take your YouTube thumbnail game to the next level.
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Jan 28, 2021
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