YouTube thumbnail and channel banner sizes, and how to make both from one photo

YouTube's help pages (checked November 2026) ask for a 16:9 thumbnail at 3840 × 2160 pixels (at least 640 wide), under 2 MB when uploaded from the mobile app, and a channel banner of 2560 × 1440 with text and logos kept inside the centre 1235 × 338. Make the thumbnail in the YouTube thumbnail maker, which saves a 3840 × 2160 JPG just under 2 MB, and the banner and profile picture in the social media image resizer.

YouTube image sizes

Sources: YouTube Help pages on custom thumbnails, channel banners and profile pictures. Custom thumbnails need a verified YouTube account.

Steps: the video thumbnail

1. Open the YouTube thumbnail maker and choose a photo. It is cropped to 16:9 straight away, with a line of bold text ready to edit.
2. Type your title over the photo. Three to five words are enough; drag the text into place.
3. Add an emoji if it helps, and lay a gradient across the bottom or one side so white text has something dark to sit on.
4. Use Crop to move the 16:9 frame onto the face or object that matters.
5. Download. The JPG is 3840 × 2160 and just under 2 MB, so the same file uploads from a phone or a computer.
6. In YouTube Studio or the YouTube app, open the video's details and upload it as the thumbnail.

Thumbnails that read at stamp size

Most people see your thumbnail small, on a phone, beside other videos. What helps:

• Few words, large. A full sentence becomes unreadable at that size.
• One clear subject. A face or the end result of the video, cropped close.
• Contrast behind text. A dark gradient under light text, or the other way round.
• Keep the bottom-right corner clear. YouTube puts the video length there, over your image.
• Do not repeat the title. The title sits right under the thumbnail; let the image add something.

Steps: banner and profile picture

1. Open the social media image resizer and choose a wide photo or a design.
2. In Sizes, under YouTube, tap Channel banner and Profile picture, and remove the defaults you do not need.
3. Set the banner preview to Crop and drag so that the important part sits in the middle. The banner file is 16:9, but phones and computers show only a strip across its middle; TVs show more of it.
4. Set the profile picture to Crop and centre your face or logo. YouTube shows it as a circle.
5. Press Download all, then upload each in YouTube Studio under customisation.

The banner's text area

YouTube's help page says to keep text and logos inside 1235 × 338 pixels at the 2048 × 1152 minimum size. At the recommended 2560 × 1440 the same area scales up to roughly 1544 × 423 in the middle. Anything outside it may be cut off on some screens. If your banner has text, design it in another app with that box marked, export at 2560 × 1440, and check the file is 6 MB or smaller; compress it if not.

Common problems

• "The file is too large" on the phone: the thumbnail is over 2 MB. The maker saves just under 2 MB; a thumbnail from another app can be squeezed with compress image set to a size such as 1900 KB.
• No option to upload a custom thumbnail: the account is not verified yet. Verify it in YouTube Studio.
• The thumbnail looks soft: the photo was small and got enlarged to 3840 × 2160. Use a photo at least 1280 pixels wide, or a frame grab from the original video file rather than a screenshot.
• Banner text is cut off on a phone: it sits outside the centre area. Move it inward.

Questions

Is 1280 × 720 still fine for a thumbnail?

It has the right 16:9 shape and is above the 640-pixel minimum, so YouTube accepts it. YouTube's help page now recommends 3840 × 2160, which stays sharp on large screens.

Can I make a thumbnail from my own photo only?

Yes. The maker works with your photo, text, emoji and gradients. It does not download thumbnails from other people's videos.

Is my photo uploaded to this site?

No. The thumbnail is drawn and saved in your browser, and saving drops hidden details such as the GPS location.

Is this a YouTube tool?

No. It only makes the image files, with no link to YouTube or your channel. Upload them in YouTube Studio or the app.