How to Resize a YouTube Thumbnail to 1280×720
2026-11-08
How to fit an image to the recommended 1280×720 YouTube thumbnail size, choosing between cropping and padding, with the saving steps and quality tips.
Recommended YouTube thumbnail size
The recommended YouTube thumbnail size is 1280 pixels wide by 720 pixels high (16:9). If your photo has a different shape, the upload will crop or pad it, so it is better to fit it beforehand.
Steps
1. Add your photo to the Social Media Image Sizer.
2. Under "Size", choose "Video thumbnail" and check that the output shows 1280×720.
3. Under "How to fit", choose "Crop to fill" to keep the key part of the photo, or "Fit with padding" to show the whole photo.
4. Press "Save this size" and a JPG downloads.
Crop to fill or fit with padding
- Crop to fill: drag the area so the face or title text sits in the middle. The frame is filled completely.
- Fit with padding: nothing is cropped, but bars appear at the top and bottom or the sides. Choose a padding color that suits your design.
Things to watch
- If the original is smaller than 1280×720, it is enlarged and can lose sharpness. Use a larger original when you can.
- YouTube may re-compress the thumbnail, so large, bold text stays readable on small screens.