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"2024 Approved Safely Stream Your Soundtracks Three Methods From YouTube"
Safely Stream Your Soundtracks: Three Methods From YouTube
How to Rip Audio from YouTube in 3 Ways [Free and Safe]
Shanoon Cox
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
Top lectures, top debates, and top music are present on YouTube. But watching them is time-consuming. This is where people want to rip audio from YouTube videos. The ability to extract audio from YouTube will allow them to listen to these audios anywhere, anytime.
Many online websites are famous for extracting audio from YouTubevideos. They let you choose the available audio formats like MP3, WAV, etc. Then, you can download the converted file on your device. And the best part is that it is completely free.
Here, we will show you 3 ways of how to rip audio from YouTubeusing ‘free and secure’ websites:
- Method 1: Rip Audio from YouTube Online with Ytmp3
- Method 2: Extract Audio from YouTube Using Desktop Software
- Method 3: Record YouTube Screen and Extract Audio from YouTube - [Video Tutorial]
- A Legal Warning for Ripping Audio from YouTube
- Bonus: How to Edit the Audio to Your Own Video
For Win 7 or later (64-bit)
Secure Download
For macOS 10.14 or later
Secure Download
Note: We resolutely oppose all forms of copyright-infringing downloads. This tutorial is only for downloading YouTube videos/audio materials from your own channel.
Method 1: Rip Audio from YouTube Online with Ytmp3
Another easy program to rip audio from YouTube is Ytmp3. This tool is ‘free and safe’ and easy to use. You can convert YouTube videos into mp3 and mp4 formats. A simple step-by-step guide is provided for your convenience:
Step 1: Copy YouTube video URL and Paste into Ytmp3
Firstly, copy the URL of the YouTube video you wish to convert. Then, go to the Ytmp3 website and paste the URL into the box shown on the home page.
Step 2: Choose the format and convert
Secondly, you can choose the available formats. The website offers two formats; mp3 (audio) and mp4 (video). As you want to rip audio from YouTube, choose the mp3 format. Afterward, click the convert button to start the process.
Step 3: Download the converted file
Lastly, you can click on the Download or Dropbox button. Clicking on the button will get your file downloaded. Additionally, you can choose to convert more. Otherwise, you can access the downloaded file.
Method 2: Extract Audio from YouTube Using Desktop Software
Sometimes you watch a YouTube video and happen to like the audio but not the video. To just listen to the audio in the video, you need torip audio from the YouTube video. For this purpose, the 4K Video Downloader is the best desktop software for ripping audios. The software can extract audio from YouTube videos and convert it into an mp3 file. This software is available both free and paid. A step-by-step guide is provided for your convenience:
Step 1: Launch 4K Video Downloader and paste the URL
Firstly, launch the software. Then, copy the YouTube URL. Now, click the Paste Link option on the top left corner. Then, a pop-up will appear where you have to select Extract Audiooption.
Step 2: Choose the quality
After that, you have to choose the quality for the to-be-extracted file.
Step 3: Choose the format and extract
Lastly, choose the format (MP3, M4A, OGG) of your file. Afterward, hit the Extract button to extract audio from the YouTube video. After the process is complete, you can access the file.
Method 3: Record YouTube Screen and Extract Audio from YouTube
Here is another way to extract audio files from any videos included YouTube.
Step 1: First Download Filmora Video Editor from the button below and use the ‘Screen Recorder‘ feature to record the YouTube video that you want to rip to audio.
Step 2: Import the recorded video to Filmora and right click on the video track, select ‘Detach Audio‘ to extract audio track. Then choose the audio track and click the ‘Export‘ button to save ripped audio files.
Here are more features of Filmora Video Editor:
- Edit screen recorded video and audio with various tools.
- Record screen with high quality.
- Export video and audio with multiple formats.
- Offers cool effects, filters and stickers to make your video professional.
A Legal Warning for Ripping Audio from YouTube
Is the downloading of YouTube videos, including ripping audio from YouTube videos, legal? Here, we’ll have a brief discussion regarding the legality of downloading and converting YouTube videos.
According to YouTube’s Terms of Service , it is completely illegal to download, convert, or share the video without getting the appropriate permission from the owner.
However, there are some types of videos that are legal to download, and you can extract audio from YouTube videos falling into these categories:
- Public Domain: These videos’ copyright is either expired or abandoned. So, there is no owner, and the public can use the video for any purpose.
- Creative Commons: These videos are owned by the artists, but they have allowed the public to reproduce and share the content.
- Copyleft: These videos are granted free rights to change, share, and reproduce as long as the same rights apply to derivative content.
Bonus: How to Edit the Audio to Your Own Video
Usually, the audio of your video is not clear. Sometimes the background music is irritating, and you want to replace it. In short, the point is to edit and enhance the audio track of your video. All these changes can be achieved by using Filmora.
Wondershare Filmora is a video editing tool equipped with many features. Along with video editing options, this tool is perfect for audio editing. This software allows you to trim, add effects, or replace the audio track of your video. A simple step-by-step guide is provided for your convenience:
Step 1: Import the media
Firstly, after downloading and installing the software. Click on Files, then select import media files.
Step 2: Add Audio from the Audio Tab
Then, click the Audio tab to add audio or background music to your video.
Step 3: Set the Speed and Duration
To set the speed and the duration, right-click on the audio timeline or press CTRL+R. Now you can modify the settings.
Step 4: Adjusting the audio
The next step is to adjust the audio setting by double-clicking on the audio timeline. You can modify Pitch, Fade in/Fade out, etc.
Step 5: Add your own voice via Voiceover
You can add your own voice too. Just click on the voiceover icon on the right side to record your audio.
Step 6: Export the media
Lastly, click on the Export button to save your project where you want.
A cross-platform for making videos anywhere for all creators
Why your video editing isn’t good enough? How about some creative inspo?
- 100 Million+ Users
- 150+ Countries and Regions
- 4 Million+ Social Media Followers
- 5 Million+ Stock Media for Use
* Secure Download
Shanoon Cox
Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Shanoon Cox
Shanoon Cox
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
Top lectures, top debates, and top music are present on YouTube. But watching them is time-consuming. This is where people want to rip audio from YouTube videos. The ability to extract audio from YouTube will allow them to listen to these audios anywhere, anytime.
Many online websites are famous for extracting audio from YouTubevideos. They let you choose the available audio formats like MP3, WAV, etc. Then, you can download the converted file on your device. And the best part is that it is completely free.
Here, we will show you 3 ways of how to rip audio from YouTubeusing ‘free and secure’ websites:
- Method 1: Rip Audio from YouTube Online with Ytmp3
- Method 2: Extract Audio from YouTube Using Desktop Software
- Method 3: Record YouTube Screen and Extract Audio from YouTube - [Video Tutorial]
- A Legal Warning for Ripping Audio from YouTube
- Bonus: How to Edit the Audio to Your Own Video
For Win 7 or later (64-bit)
Secure Download
For macOS 10.14 or later
Secure Download
Note: We resolutely oppose all forms of copyright-infringing downloads. This tutorial is only for downloading YouTube videos/audio materials from your own channel.
Method 1: Rip Audio from YouTube Online with Ytmp3
Another easy program to rip audio from YouTube is Ytmp3. This tool is ‘free and safe’ and easy to use. You can convert YouTube videos into mp3 and mp4 formats. A simple step-by-step guide is provided for your convenience:
Step 1: Copy YouTube video URL and Paste into Ytmp3
Firstly, copy the URL of the YouTube video you wish to convert. Then, go to the Ytmp3 website and paste the URL into the box shown on the home page.
Step 2: Choose the format and convert
Secondly, you can choose the available formats. The website offers two formats; mp3 (audio) and mp4 (video). As you want to rip audio from YouTube, choose the mp3 format. Afterward, click the convert button to start the process.
Step 3: Download the converted file
Lastly, you can click on the Download or Dropbox button. Clicking on the button will get your file downloaded. Additionally, you can choose to convert more. Otherwise, you can access the downloaded file.
Method 2: Extract Audio from YouTube Using Desktop Software
Sometimes you watch a YouTube video and happen to like the audio but not the video. To just listen to the audio in the video, you need torip audio from the YouTube video. For this purpose, the 4K Video Downloader is the best desktop software for ripping audios. The software can extract audio from YouTube videos and convert it into an mp3 file. This software is available both free and paid. A step-by-step guide is provided for your convenience:
Step 1: Launch 4K Video Downloader and paste the URL
Firstly, launch the software. Then, copy the YouTube URL. Now, click the Paste Link option on the top left corner. Then, a pop-up will appear where you have to select Extract Audiooption.
Step 2: Choose the quality
After that, you have to choose the quality for the to-be-extracted file.
Step 3: Choose the format and extract
Lastly, choose the format (MP3, M4A, OGG) of your file. Afterward, hit the Extract button to extract audio from the YouTube video. After the process is complete, you can access the file.
Method 3: Record YouTube Screen and Extract Audio from YouTube
Here is another way to extract audio files from any videos included YouTube.
Step 1: First Download Filmora Video Editor from the button below and use the ‘Screen Recorder‘ feature to record the YouTube video that you want to rip to audio.
Step 2: Import the recorded video to Filmora and right click on the video track, select ‘Detach Audio‘ to extract audio track. Then choose the audio track and click the ‘Export‘ button to save ripped audio files.
Here are more features of Filmora Video Editor:
- Edit screen recorded video and audio with various tools.
- Record screen with high quality.
- Export video and audio with multiple formats.
- Offers cool effects, filters and stickers to make your video professional.
A Legal Warning for Ripping Audio from YouTube
Is the downloading of YouTube videos, including ripping audio from YouTube videos, legal? Here, we’ll have a brief discussion regarding the legality of downloading and converting YouTube videos.
According to YouTube’s Terms of Service , it is completely illegal to download, convert, or share the video without getting the appropriate permission from the owner.
However, there are some types of videos that are legal to download, and you can extract audio from YouTube videos falling into these categories:
- Public Domain: These videos’ copyright is either expired or abandoned. So, there is no owner, and the public can use the video for any purpose.
- Creative Commons: These videos are owned by the artists, but they have allowed the public to reproduce and share the content.
- Copyleft: These videos are granted free rights to change, share, and reproduce as long as the same rights apply to derivative content.
Bonus: How to Edit the Audio to Your Own Video
Usually, the audio of your video is not clear. Sometimes the background music is irritating, and you want to replace it. In short, the point is to edit and enhance the audio track of your video. All these changes can be achieved by using Filmora.
Wondershare Filmora is a video editing tool equipped with many features. Along with video editing options, this tool is perfect for audio editing. This software allows you to trim, add effects, or replace the audio track of your video. A simple step-by-step guide is provided for your convenience:
Step 1: Import the media
Firstly, after downloading and installing the software. Click on Files, then select import media files.
Step 2: Add Audio from the Audio Tab
Then, click the Audio tab to add audio or background music to your video.
Step 3: Set the Speed and Duration
To set the speed and the duration, right-click on the audio timeline or press CTRL+R. Now you can modify the settings.
Step 4: Adjusting the audio
The next step is to adjust the audio setting by double-clicking on the audio timeline. You can modify Pitch, Fade in/Fade out, etc.
Step 5: Add your own voice via Voiceover
You can add your own voice too. Just click on the voiceover icon on the right side to record your audio.
Step 6: Export the media
Lastly, click on the Export button to save your project where you want.
A cross-platform for making videos anywhere for all creators
Why your video editing isn’t good enough? How about some creative inspo?
- 100 Million+ Users
- 150+ Countries and Regions
- 4 Million+ Social Media Followers
- 5 Million+ Stock Media for Use
* Secure Download
Shanoon Cox
Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Shanoon Cox
Shanoon Cox
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
Top lectures, top debates, and top music are present on YouTube. But watching them is time-consuming. This is where people want to rip audio from YouTube videos. The ability to extract audio from YouTube will allow them to listen to these audios anywhere, anytime.
Many online websites are famous for extracting audio from YouTubevideos. They let you choose the available audio formats like MP3, WAV, etc. Then, you can download the converted file on your device. And the best part is that it is completely free.
Here, we will show you 3 ways of how to rip audio from YouTubeusing ‘free and secure’ websites:
- Method 1: Rip Audio from YouTube Online with Ytmp3
- Method 2: Extract Audio from YouTube Using Desktop Software
- Method 3: Record YouTube Screen and Extract Audio from YouTube - [Video Tutorial]
- A Legal Warning for Ripping Audio from YouTube
- Bonus: How to Edit the Audio to Your Own Video
For Win 7 or later (64-bit)
Secure Download
For macOS 10.14 or later
Secure Download
Note: We resolutely oppose all forms of copyright-infringing downloads. This tutorial is only for downloading YouTube videos/audio materials from your own channel.
Method 1: Rip Audio from YouTube Online with Ytmp3
Another easy program to rip audio from YouTube is Ytmp3. This tool is ‘free and safe’ and easy to use. You can convert YouTube videos into mp3 and mp4 formats. A simple step-by-step guide is provided for your convenience:
Step 1: Copy YouTube video URL and Paste into Ytmp3
Firstly, copy the URL of the YouTube video you wish to convert. Then, go to the Ytmp3 website and paste the URL into the box shown on the home page.
Step 2: Choose the format and convert
Secondly, you can choose the available formats. The website offers two formats; mp3 (audio) and mp4 (video). As you want to rip audio from YouTube, choose the mp3 format. Afterward, click the convert button to start the process.
Step 3: Download the converted file
Lastly, you can click on the Download or Dropbox button. Clicking on the button will get your file downloaded. Additionally, you can choose to convert more. Otherwise, you can access the downloaded file.
Method 2: Extract Audio from YouTube Using Desktop Software
Sometimes you watch a YouTube video and happen to like the audio but not the video. To just listen to the audio in the video, you need torip audio from the YouTube video. For this purpose, the 4K Video Downloader is the best desktop software for ripping audios. The software can extract audio from YouTube videos and convert it into an mp3 file. This software is available both free and paid. A step-by-step guide is provided for your convenience:
Step 1: Launch 4K Video Downloader and paste the URL
Firstly, launch the software. Then, copy the YouTube URL. Now, click the Paste Link option on the top left corner. Then, a pop-up will appear where you have to select Extract Audiooption.
Step 2: Choose the quality
After that, you have to choose the quality for the to-be-extracted file.
Step 3: Choose the format and extract
Lastly, choose the format (MP3, M4A, OGG) of your file. Afterward, hit the Extract button to extract audio from the YouTube video. After the process is complete, you can access the file.
Method 3: Record YouTube Screen and Extract Audio from YouTube
Here is another way to extract audio files from any videos included YouTube.
Step 1: First Download Filmora Video Editor from the button below and use the ‘Screen Recorder‘ feature to record the YouTube video that you want to rip to audio.
Step 2: Import the recorded video to Filmora and right click on the video track, select ‘Detach Audio‘ to extract audio track. Then choose the audio track and click the ‘Export‘ button to save ripped audio files.
Here are more features of Filmora Video Editor:
- Edit screen recorded video and audio with various tools.
- Record screen with high quality.
- Export video and audio with multiple formats.
- Offers cool effects, filters and stickers to make your video professional.
A Legal Warning for Ripping Audio from YouTube
Is the downloading of YouTube videos, including ripping audio from YouTube videos, legal? Here, we’ll have a brief discussion regarding the legality of downloading and converting YouTube videos.
According to YouTube’s Terms of Service , it is completely illegal to download, convert, or share the video without getting the appropriate permission from the owner.
However, there are some types of videos that are legal to download, and you can extract audio from YouTube videos falling into these categories:
- Public Domain: These videos’ copyright is either expired or abandoned. So, there is no owner, and the public can use the video for any purpose.
- Creative Commons: These videos are owned by the artists, but they have allowed the public to reproduce and share the content.
- Copyleft: These videos are granted free rights to change, share, and reproduce as long as the same rights apply to derivative content.
Bonus: How to Edit the Audio to Your Own Video
Usually, the audio of your video is not clear. Sometimes the background music is irritating, and you want to replace it. In short, the point is to edit and enhance the audio track of your video. All these changes can be achieved by using Filmora.
Wondershare Filmora is a video editing tool equipped with many features. Along with video editing options, this tool is perfect for audio editing. This software allows you to trim, add effects, or replace the audio track of your video. A simple step-by-step guide is provided for your convenience:
Step 1: Import the media
Firstly, after downloading and installing the software. Click on Files, then select import media files.
Step 2: Add Audio from the Audio Tab
Then, click the Audio tab to add audio or background music to your video.
Step 3: Set the Speed and Duration
To set the speed and the duration, right-click on the audio timeline or press CTRL+R. Now you can modify the settings.
Step 4: Adjusting the audio
The next step is to adjust the audio setting by double-clicking on the audio timeline. You can modify Pitch, Fade in/Fade out, etc.
Step 5: Add your own voice via Voiceover
You can add your own voice too. Just click on the voiceover icon on the right side to record your audio.
Step 6: Export the media
Lastly, click on the Export button to save your project where you want.
A cross-platform for making videos anywhere for all creators
Why your video editing isn’t good enough? How about some creative inspo?
- 100 Million+ Users
- 150+ Countries and Regions
- 4 Million+ Social Media Followers
- 5 Million+ Stock Media for Use
* Secure Download
Shanoon Cox
Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Shanoon Cox
Shanoon Cox
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
Top lectures, top debates, and top music are present on YouTube. But watching them is time-consuming. This is where people want to rip audio from YouTube videos. The ability to extract audio from YouTube will allow them to listen to these audios anywhere, anytime.
Many online websites are famous for extracting audio from YouTubevideos. They let you choose the available audio formats like MP3, WAV, etc. Then, you can download the converted file on your device. And the best part is that it is completely free.
Here, we will show you 3 ways of how to rip audio from YouTubeusing ‘free and secure’ websites:
- Method 1: Rip Audio from YouTube Online with Ytmp3
- Method 2: Extract Audio from YouTube Using Desktop Software
- Method 3: Record YouTube Screen and Extract Audio from YouTube - [Video Tutorial]
- A Legal Warning for Ripping Audio from YouTube
- Bonus: How to Edit the Audio to Your Own Video
For Win 7 or later (64-bit)
Secure Download
For macOS 10.14 or later
Secure Download
Note: We resolutely oppose all forms of copyright-infringing downloads. This tutorial is only for downloading YouTube videos/audio materials from your own channel.
Method 1: Rip Audio from YouTube Online with Ytmp3
Another easy program to rip audio from YouTube is Ytmp3. This tool is ‘free and safe’ and easy to use. You can convert YouTube videos into mp3 and mp4 formats. A simple step-by-step guide is provided for your convenience:
Step 1: Copy YouTube video URL and Paste into Ytmp3
Firstly, copy the URL of the YouTube video you wish to convert. Then, go to the Ytmp3 website and paste the URL into the box shown on the home page.
Step 2: Choose the format and convert
Secondly, you can choose the available formats. The website offers two formats; mp3 (audio) and mp4 (video). As you want to rip audio from YouTube, choose the mp3 format. Afterward, click the convert button to start the process.
Step 3: Download the converted file
Lastly, you can click on the Download or Dropbox button. Clicking on the button will get your file downloaded. Additionally, you can choose to convert more. Otherwise, you can access the downloaded file.
Method 2: Extract Audio from YouTube Using Desktop Software
Sometimes you watch a YouTube video and happen to like the audio but not the video. To just listen to the audio in the video, you need torip audio from the YouTube video. For this purpose, the 4K Video Downloader is the best desktop software for ripping audios. The software can extract audio from YouTube videos and convert it into an mp3 file. This software is available both free and paid. A step-by-step guide is provided for your convenience:
Step 1: Launch 4K Video Downloader and paste the URL
Firstly, launch the software. Then, copy the YouTube URL. Now, click the Paste Link option on the top left corner. Then, a pop-up will appear where you have to select Extract Audiooption.
Step 2: Choose the quality
After that, you have to choose the quality for the to-be-extracted file.
Step 3: Choose the format and extract
Lastly, choose the format (MP3, M4A, OGG) of your file. Afterward, hit the Extract button to extract audio from the YouTube video. After the process is complete, you can access the file.
Method 3: Record YouTube Screen and Extract Audio from YouTube
Here is another way to extract audio files from any videos included YouTube.
Step 1: First Download Filmora Video Editor from the button below and use the ‘Screen Recorder‘ feature to record the YouTube video that you want to rip to audio.
Step 2: Import the recorded video to Filmora and right click on the video track, select ‘Detach Audio‘ to extract audio track. Then choose the audio track and click the ‘Export‘ button to save ripped audio files.
Here are more features of Filmora Video Editor:
- Edit screen recorded video and audio with various tools.
- Record screen with high quality.
- Export video and audio with multiple formats.
- Offers cool effects, filters and stickers to make your video professional.
A Legal Warning for Ripping Audio from YouTube
Is the downloading of YouTube videos, including ripping audio from YouTube videos, legal? Here, we’ll have a brief discussion regarding the legality of downloading and converting YouTube videos.
According to YouTube’s Terms of Service , it is completely illegal to download, convert, or share the video without getting the appropriate permission from the owner.
However, there are some types of videos that are legal to download, and you can extract audio from YouTube videos falling into these categories:
- Public Domain: These videos’ copyright is either expired or abandoned. So, there is no owner, and the public can use the video for any purpose.
- Creative Commons: These videos are owned by the artists, but they have allowed the public to reproduce and share the content.
- Copyleft: These videos are granted free rights to change, share, and reproduce as long as the same rights apply to derivative content.
Bonus: How to Edit the Audio to Your Own Video
Usually, the audio of your video is not clear. Sometimes the background music is irritating, and you want to replace it. In short, the point is to edit and enhance the audio track of your video. All these changes can be achieved by using Filmora.
Wondershare Filmora is a video editing tool equipped with many features. Along with video editing options, this tool is perfect for audio editing. This software allows you to trim, add effects, or replace the audio track of your video. A simple step-by-step guide is provided for your convenience:
Step 1: Import the media
Firstly, after downloading and installing the software. Click on Files, then select import media files.
Step 2: Add Audio from the Audio Tab
Then, click the Audio tab to add audio or background music to your video.
Step 3: Set the Speed and Duration
To set the speed and the duration, right-click on the audio timeline or press CTRL+R. Now you can modify the settings.
Step 4: Adjusting the audio
The next step is to adjust the audio setting by double-clicking on the audio timeline. You can modify Pitch, Fade in/Fade out, etc.
Step 5: Add your own voice via Voiceover
You can add your own voice too. Just click on the voiceover icon on the right side to record your audio.
Step 6: Export the media
Lastly, click on the Export button to save your project where you want.
A cross-platform for making videos anywhere for all creators
Why your video editing isn’t good enough? How about some creative inspo?
- 100 Million+ Users
- 150+ Countries and Regions
- 4 Million+ Social Media Followers
- 5 Million+ Stock Media for Use
* Secure Download
Shanoon Cox
Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Shanoon Cox
Boost Views with Your Own YouTube Thumbnail Design
How To Add Custom Thumbnails to Your YouTube Videos
Richard Bennett
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
YouTube custom thumbnails are a great way to get people’s attention to your YouTube video. It’s a pretty simple process but if you are wondering how to create a thumbnail and add the thumbnail to YouTube video and customize it with the correct size. You have come to the right place. While in this article, I will show you how to create and add a thumbnail to a YouTube video and how to customize the YouTube video thumbnail. Follow these easy steps below and add eyecatching customed thumbnails to your YouTube videos in no time.
- Part 1: Create and Add Custom Thumbnails to YouTube
- Part 2: Tools to Create Custom YouTube Video Thumbnails
- Part 3: How to Change A Thumbnail On YouTube
- Part 4: Things You Need to Know Before Making a YouTube Custom Thumbnail
- Part 5: Tips on How to Make Good YouTube Thumbnails to Get More Clicks
- Part 6: YouTube Thumbnail FAQs
How To Add Custom Thumbnails to Your YouTube Videos [Steps, Tools and Tips]
We have just made a video tutorial about how to make a YouTube video thumbnail, check it below to find out the tips and tricks of making customized YouTube thumbnail.
Part 1: How to Make a Thumbnail for YouTube and Add Custom Thumbnails to YouTube
After you’ve verified your account and made your thumbnail, it’s finally time to upload it to your video and make a custom thumbnail. To do this, go to Creator Studio and then Video Manager. You’ll see a button labeled “Edit” next to each video, and an arrow pointing down. Click Thumbnail Editor.
In Thumbnail Editor, you can use the still images in the video as a thumbnail, choose a solid background color for the thumbnail, or add other images from your computer. I will show you the steps of how to customize the video still as a video thumbnail.
1. Preview the video and choose the target video still. You can click the Playback button and check the video and pause it at the desired frame. Or, you can step through each frame by clicking the Preview Frame button and Next Frame icon. Click Next to continue.
2. And now, you can add text, image and shape overlays to the thumbnail. You can change the text font, size, opacity and more.
3. Click Next to save the thumbnail and you will see how the thumbnail displays on different platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. Click Save to save the video thumbnail.
In this way, you can add a custom thumbnail to the new videos and change the video thumbnail of the previously uploaded videos.
Part 2: Thumbnail Makers to Create Custom YouTube Thumbnails
Of course, you can use some of the best tools to make a YouTube video thumbnail. In this part, we will show you some of the best tools to create custom YouTube thumbnails.
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
1. Create YouTube Thumbnail with Online solution - Canva
Canva is a free, powerful online image editing program with tons of great templates to get you started. One of their templates just happens to be YouTube thumbnails. Open Canva and select the “YouTube Thumbnail” design type. Use your own photo or choose from a huge library, then add text and effects to really make it stand out. Save and share — easy as that.
Check this video tutorial to see how to Make a Youtube Thumbnail using Canva.
You may also like: Best online Photo Editor
2. Design YouTube thumbnail with a Desktop solution - Gimp
Gimp is one of the most popular image editing programs around for one very simple reason: it’s powerful and free! Where Canva uses a lot of templates, Gimp gives you absolute, full control over how you want your image to look. Make a 1280x720 image and start putting together your eye-catching thumbnail exactly how you want to.
Check this video tutorial to see how to make professional Thumbnails for YouTube Videos with Gimp:
Part 3: How to Change A Thumbnail On YouTube
Note: YouTube allows verified YouTube accounts (accounts that provided YouTube with a working phone number) to upload custom thumbnail images and change them accordingly.
In this part, we’ll be going over how to change a thumbnail image on YouTube. There are pictures to make it easy to follow along.
- After signing into YouTube with your Google account, click on your profile on the top right corner. Click on YouTube Studio from the drop-down menu.
- On the left side of the page, click on Videos and then find your video and click on the details button.
- Find the Thumbnail section in the basic video details tab, and then click the Upload thumbnail to select the image that you want to upload.
- Finally, click on the Save button on the right upper corner. And just like that, in seven easy steps, we’re done changing the thumbnail of a YouTube video.
If you don’t have an image to upload but you want to check out some online resources to make your own, check out our Top YouTube Thumbnail Makers .
Part 4: Things You Need to Know Before Making a Custom Thumbnail
- About the proper YouTube video thumbnail size: Your thumbnail should be 1280x720 pixels in size and be less than 2MB. The minimum width of the image is 640 pixels.
- About the YouTube Image thumbnail format: Use .JPG, .PNG, .GIF or .BMP files for your thumbnail image.
- You’ll want your thumbnails to stand out. Bright colored text is a simple, easy way to draw people’s attention. Red, white, yellow, or orange are all popular choices.
- You can even do a little homework to see what colors others are using for similar videos to yours, and then choose different colors to stand out.
One word of warning: your thumbnail should be related to the content of your video. Misleading thumbnail images, if reported, will reflect poorly on your channel. You’ll get a negative rating in the community status part of your channel. This can actually remove your ability to use custom thumbnails, so keep it honest!
You may also like: How to Make YouTube Channel Art
To make a creative YouTube video, you may also need a powerful video editing software. Check how to edit a YouTube video in Filmora video editor and download it to try.
You may also like: Best video editing software for YouTube
Part 5: Tips on How to Make Good YouTube Thumbnails - Get More Clicks
The thumbnails of your videos play a huge role in convincing people to watch them; a good YouTube thumbnail will get you more views and more potential subscribers. This part will give you 6 tips on creating thumbnails that help grow your channel. Now let’s learn how to make thumbnails using Wondershare PixStudio.
1. Stay On Topic
Your thumbnail should tell a story; it should be clear from looking at it what viewers will get out of watching the video, be it knowledge or entertainment. If your thumbnail sets expectations that your video doesn’t deliver on, people will click away quickly. You may get views quickly, but you won’t get much watch time. That will tell YouTube’s search algorithm ‘people aren’t getting what they want from this, rank it lower’. That leads to fewer views over time, and gives the people who do manage to find your video a negative opinion of your channel.
Very few people intentionally use thumbnails that have nothing to do with the content of their videos – i.e, most people understand not to use a picture of a kitten in the thumbnail for their tech review, unless maybe their kitten is the one doing the review (which would be adorable, someone should do that). People who want serious advice won’t click, and people who click to see a kitten will click away fast.
This thumbnail had better be for a kitten’s iPhone review video or people will click away. Fast.
A mistake a lot of creators do make is creating a thumbnail that is meant to evoke an emotion which the video itself does not justify. For example, if you see a picture of a YouTuber looking nervous alongside text that reads ‘My Secret’, you will think they are going to share something deeply personal. You will be curious, and you may even be worried about them. You’ll probably click. Then, if their secret is that they don’t like pineapple on pizza, you’ll probably be angry. This technique gets clicks, but not a lot of watch time and it will lose you subs in the long run.
2. Don’t Be Mysterious
A good thumbnail doesn’t make people guess. Your thumbnail should tell people what’s in your video, not make them wonder about it. People want to know what they’re being asked to spend time watching.
Often, they will be looking for the answer to a specific question and will completely ignore anything that doesn’t show – in the thumbnail – that it has their answer.
Sometimes big channels can get away with stuff like this, because large portions of their audiences are interested in them as people and will already be curious about anything they post. This technique will not bring in new viewers, though.
If this came up in a search for ‘smoky eye tutorial’, would you click it?
When people want answers, they want to feel confident that they video they click on will have those answers. If you have great content, then let people know it!
3. People Like People
Viewers are more likely to click on a thumbnail if they feel a connection when they look at it. One of the best ways to create a feeling of connection is through eye contact, and you can apply that principle to your YouTube thumbnails easily.
Just make sure you’re in them.
You can either compose a photo to use as your thumbnail, or use a screenshot from your video. Ideally, the image of you will convey the emotional tone of the video and tell potential viewers what it is about, besides you.
So, if you want to post a funny video that is also about making brownies, maybe a picture of you smiling while holding up a tray of brownies would be a better direction than just showing the brownies?
4. Check Out The Competition
Before you post your video, type your topic into YouTube’s search engine and see what comes up. This will give you insight into what kinds of thumbnails are performing well for other people, as well as what you can do to stand out in comparison.
Phil starts talking about thumbnails at 6:09, and he has great tips on checking out your competition!
For example, if all five of the top-ranked videos for the search ‘how to build a cabinet’ show images of the YouTuber smiling while holding a power tool, then your thumbnail for a video on the same topic should also be a picture of you smiling and holding a power tool. You know that works, so why not do it?
5. Use Color in Interesting Ways
You want to use colors that will help you stand out from the other search results. While checking out your competition if you notice that all the people in the other thumbnails are wearing black or navy blue, it will be a good idea for you to wear a brighter color for your shoot to grab a bit more attention.
Beyond simply using colors that are different from other people’s colors, you should consider the emotions different colors trigger.
Maybe don’t use a lot of green and yellow in the thumbnail for your angry video rant?
6. Make Your Text Huge
Usually, you’ll want to use a bit of text in your thumbnail. It might be the full title of your video, or just a keyword or phrase. You don’t want to use a full sentence because you won’t have room for it if you’re using huge text.
The reason you should use huge text is so that people can read it. Remember that when people see your thumbnail in their search results, it will be much smaller than it will look while you are creating it. Text that looks big enough while you are creating your thumbnail will be much smaller when people are actually trying to read it, and that goes double for viewers watching on their small smartphone screens.
Frequently Asked Questions about YouTube Thumbnail
1. What is YouTube Thumbnail?
When you upload a video on YouTube, YouTube gives you three images to choose from in the selection of your video’s thumbnail image. These three images are just freeze-frame snapshots from different parts of your video, which may not tell your viewers what your video is really all about.
2. Can You Change YouTube Thumbnail After Publishing?
Yes, you can replace the auto-generated thumbnail with the customized thumbnail you like. But YouTube only allows verified YouTube accounts to upload custom thumbnail images.
3. How Long Does It Take for a Thumbnail to Change on YouTube?
Normally, if you have a good internet connection, you can see the thumbnail is changed within 10 seconds.
4. Why YouTube Thumbnail is Important?
When you get more people watching your video for longer, it increases your watch time and tells YouTube’s search algorithm ‘people like this, rank it higher’. Being ranked higher gets you more views, and even more watch time. It’s a wonderful cycle that all begins with a great thumbnail (paired with a good title and the right tags).
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
YouTube custom thumbnails are a great way to get people’s attention to your YouTube video. It’s a pretty simple process but if you are wondering how to create a thumbnail and add the thumbnail to YouTube video and customize it with the correct size. You have come to the right place. While in this article, I will show you how to create and add a thumbnail to a YouTube video and how to customize the YouTube video thumbnail. Follow these easy steps below and add eyecatching customed thumbnails to your YouTube videos in no time.
- Part 1: Create and Add Custom Thumbnails to YouTube
- Part 2: Tools to Create Custom YouTube Video Thumbnails
- Part 3: How to Change A Thumbnail On YouTube
- Part 4: Things You Need to Know Before Making a YouTube Custom Thumbnail
- Part 5: Tips on How to Make Good YouTube Thumbnails to Get More Clicks
- Part 6: YouTube Thumbnail FAQs
How To Add Custom Thumbnails to Your YouTube Videos [Steps, Tools and Tips]
We have just made a video tutorial about how to make a YouTube video thumbnail, check it below to find out the tips and tricks of making customized YouTube thumbnail.
Part 1: How to Make a Thumbnail for YouTube and Add Custom Thumbnails to YouTube
After you’ve verified your account and made your thumbnail, it’s finally time to upload it to your video and make a custom thumbnail. To do this, go to Creator Studio and then Video Manager. You’ll see a button labeled “Edit” next to each video, and an arrow pointing down. Click Thumbnail Editor.
In Thumbnail Editor, you can use the still images in the video as a thumbnail, choose a solid background color for the thumbnail, or add other images from your computer. I will show you the steps of how to customize the video still as a video thumbnail.
1. Preview the video and choose the target video still. You can click the Playback button and check the video and pause it at the desired frame. Or, you can step through each frame by clicking the Preview Frame button and Next Frame icon. Click Next to continue.
2. And now, you can add text, image and shape overlays to the thumbnail. You can change the text font, size, opacity and more.
3. Click Next to save the thumbnail and you will see how the thumbnail displays on different platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. Click Save to save the video thumbnail.
In this way, you can add a custom thumbnail to the new videos and change the video thumbnail of the previously uploaded videos.
Part 2: Thumbnail Makers to Create Custom YouTube Thumbnails
Of course, you can use some of the best tools to make a YouTube video thumbnail. In this part, we will show you some of the best tools to create custom YouTube thumbnails.
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
1. Create YouTube Thumbnail with Online solution - Canva
Canva is a free, powerful online image editing program with tons of great templates to get you started. One of their templates just happens to be YouTube thumbnails. Open Canva and select the “YouTube Thumbnail” design type. Use your own photo or choose from a huge library, then add text and effects to really make it stand out. Save and share — easy as that.
Check this video tutorial to see how to Make a Youtube Thumbnail using Canva.
You may also like: Best online Photo Editor
2. Design YouTube thumbnail with a Desktop solution - Gimp
Gimp is one of the most popular image editing programs around for one very simple reason: it’s powerful and free! Where Canva uses a lot of templates, Gimp gives you absolute, full control over how you want your image to look. Make a 1280x720 image and start putting together your eye-catching thumbnail exactly how you want to.
Check this video tutorial to see how to make professional Thumbnails for YouTube Videos with Gimp:
Part 3: How to Change A Thumbnail On YouTube
Note: YouTube allows verified YouTube accounts (accounts that provided YouTube with a working phone number) to upload custom thumbnail images and change them accordingly.
In this part, we’ll be going over how to change a thumbnail image on YouTube. There are pictures to make it easy to follow along.
- After signing into YouTube with your Google account, click on your profile on the top right corner. Click on YouTube Studio from the drop-down menu.
- On the left side of the page, click on Videos and then find your video and click on the details button.
- Find the Thumbnail section in the basic video details tab, and then click the Upload thumbnail to select the image that you want to upload.
- Finally, click on the Save button on the right upper corner. And just like that, in seven easy steps, we’re done changing the thumbnail of a YouTube video.
If you don’t have an image to upload but you want to check out some online resources to make your own, check out our Top YouTube Thumbnail Makers .
Part 4: Things You Need to Know Before Making a Custom Thumbnail
- About the proper YouTube video thumbnail size: Your thumbnail should be 1280x720 pixels in size and be less than 2MB. The minimum width of the image is 640 pixels.
- About the YouTube Image thumbnail format: Use .JPG, .PNG, .GIF or .BMP files for your thumbnail image.
- You’ll want your thumbnails to stand out. Bright colored text is a simple, easy way to draw people’s attention. Red, white, yellow, or orange are all popular choices.
- You can even do a little homework to see what colors others are using for similar videos to yours, and then choose different colors to stand out.
One word of warning: your thumbnail should be related to the content of your video. Misleading thumbnail images, if reported, will reflect poorly on your channel. You’ll get a negative rating in the community status part of your channel. This can actually remove your ability to use custom thumbnails, so keep it honest!
You may also like: How to Make YouTube Channel Art
To make a creative YouTube video, you may also need a powerful video editing software. Check how to edit a YouTube video in Filmora video editor and download it to try.
You may also like: Best video editing software for YouTube
Part 5: Tips on How to Make Good YouTube Thumbnails - Get More Clicks
The thumbnails of your videos play a huge role in convincing people to watch them; a good YouTube thumbnail will get you more views and more potential subscribers. This part will give you 6 tips on creating thumbnails that help grow your channel. Now let’s learn how to make thumbnails using Wondershare PixStudio.
1. Stay On Topic
Your thumbnail should tell a story; it should be clear from looking at it what viewers will get out of watching the video, be it knowledge or entertainment. If your thumbnail sets expectations that your video doesn’t deliver on, people will click away quickly. You may get views quickly, but you won’t get much watch time. That will tell YouTube’s search algorithm ‘people aren’t getting what they want from this, rank it lower’. That leads to fewer views over time, and gives the people who do manage to find your video a negative opinion of your channel.
Very few people intentionally use thumbnails that have nothing to do with the content of their videos – i.e, most people understand not to use a picture of a kitten in the thumbnail for their tech review, unless maybe their kitten is the one doing the review (which would be adorable, someone should do that). People who want serious advice won’t click, and people who click to see a kitten will click away fast.
This thumbnail had better be for a kitten’s iPhone review video or people will click away. Fast.
A mistake a lot of creators do make is creating a thumbnail that is meant to evoke an emotion which the video itself does not justify. For example, if you see a picture of a YouTuber looking nervous alongside text that reads ‘My Secret’, you will think they are going to share something deeply personal. You will be curious, and you may even be worried about them. You’ll probably click. Then, if their secret is that they don’t like pineapple on pizza, you’ll probably be angry. This technique gets clicks, but not a lot of watch time and it will lose you subs in the long run.
2. Don’t Be Mysterious
A good thumbnail doesn’t make people guess. Your thumbnail should tell people what’s in your video, not make them wonder about it. People want to know what they’re being asked to spend time watching.
Often, they will be looking for the answer to a specific question and will completely ignore anything that doesn’t show – in the thumbnail – that it has their answer.
Sometimes big channels can get away with stuff like this, because large portions of their audiences are interested in them as people and will already be curious about anything they post. This technique will not bring in new viewers, though.
If this came up in a search for ‘smoky eye tutorial’, would you click it?
When people want answers, they want to feel confident that they video they click on will have those answers. If you have great content, then let people know it!
3. People Like People
Viewers are more likely to click on a thumbnail if they feel a connection when they look at it. One of the best ways to create a feeling of connection is through eye contact, and you can apply that principle to your YouTube thumbnails easily.
Just make sure you’re in them.
You can either compose a photo to use as your thumbnail, or use a screenshot from your video. Ideally, the image of you will convey the emotional tone of the video and tell potential viewers what it is about, besides you.
So, if you want to post a funny video that is also about making brownies, maybe a picture of you smiling while holding up a tray of brownies would be a better direction than just showing the brownies?
4. Check Out The Competition
Before you post your video, type your topic into YouTube’s search engine and see what comes up. This will give you insight into what kinds of thumbnails are performing well for other people, as well as what you can do to stand out in comparison.
Phil starts talking about thumbnails at 6:09, and he has great tips on checking out your competition!
For example, if all five of the top-ranked videos for the search ‘how to build a cabinet’ show images of the YouTuber smiling while holding a power tool, then your thumbnail for a video on the same topic should also be a picture of you smiling and holding a power tool. You know that works, so why not do it?
5. Use Color in Interesting Ways
You want to use colors that will help you stand out from the other search results. While checking out your competition if you notice that all the people in the other thumbnails are wearing black or navy blue, it will be a good idea for you to wear a brighter color for your shoot to grab a bit more attention.
Beyond simply using colors that are different from other people’s colors, you should consider the emotions different colors trigger.
Maybe don’t use a lot of green and yellow in the thumbnail for your angry video rant?
6. Make Your Text Huge
Usually, you’ll want to use a bit of text in your thumbnail. It might be the full title of your video, or just a keyword or phrase. You don’t want to use a full sentence because you won’t have room for it if you’re using huge text.
The reason you should use huge text is so that people can read it. Remember that when people see your thumbnail in their search results, it will be much smaller than it will look while you are creating it. Text that looks big enough while you are creating your thumbnail will be much smaller when people are actually trying to read it, and that goes double for viewers watching on their small smartphone screens.
Frequently Asked Questions about YouTube Thumbnail
1. What is YouTube Thumbnail?
When you upload a video on YouTube, YouTube gives you three images to choose from in the selection of your video’s thumbnail image. These three images are just freeze-frame snapshots from different parts of your video, which may not tell your viewers what your video is really all about.
2. Can You Change YouTube Thumbnail After Publishing?
Yes, you can replace the auto-generated thumbnail with the customized thumbnail you like. But YouTube only allows verified YouTube accounts to upload custom thumbnail images.
3. How Long Does It Take for a Thumbnail to Change on YouTube?
Normally, if you have a good internet connection, you can see the thumbnail is changed within 10 seconds.
4. Why YouTube Thumbnail is Important?
When you get more people watching your video for longer, it increases your watch time and tells YouTube’s search algorithm ‘people like this, rank it higher’. Being ranked higher gets you more views, and even more watch time. It’s a wonderful cycle that all begins with a great thumbnail (paired with a good title and the right tags).
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
YouTube custom thumbnails are a great way to get people’s attention to your YouTube video. It’s a pretty simple process but if you are wondering how to create a thumbnail and add the thumbnail to YouTube video and customize it with the correct size. You have come to the right place. While in this article, I will show you how to create and add a thumbnail to a YouTube video and how to customize the YouTube video thumbnail. Follow these easy steps below and add eyecatching customed thumbnails to your YouTube videos in no time.
- Part 1: Create and Add Custom Thumbnails to YouTube
- Part 2: Tools to Create Custom YouTube Video Thumbnails
- Part 3: How to Change A Thumbnail On YouTube
- Part 4: Things You Need to Know Before Making a YouTube Custom Thumbnail
- Part 5: Tips on How to Make Good YouTube Thumbnails to Get More Clicks
- Part 6: YouTube Thumbnail FAQs
How To Add Custom Thumbnails to Your YouTube Videos [Steps, Tools and Tips]
We have just made a video tutorial about how to make a YouTube video thumbnail, check it below to find out the tips and tricks of making customized YouTube thumbnail.
Part 1: How to Make a Thumbnail for YouTube and Add Custom Thumbnails to YouTube
After you’ve verified your account and made your thumbnail, it’s finally time to upload it to your video and make a custom thumbnail. To do this, go to Creator Studio and then Video Manager. You’ll see a button labeled “Edit” next to each video, and an arrow pointing down. Click Thumbnail Editor.
In Thumbnail Editor, you can use the still images in the video as a thumbnail, choose a solid background color for the thumbnail, or add other images from your computer. I will show you the steps of how to customize the video still as a video thumbnail.
1. Preview the video and choose the target video still. You can click the Playback button and check the video and pause it at the desired frame. Or, you can step through each frame by clicking the Preview Frame button and Next Frame icon. Click Next to continue.
2. And now, you can add text, image and shape overlays to the thumbnail. You can change the text font, size, opacity and more.
3. Click Next to save the thumbnail and you will see how the thumbnail displays on different platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. Click Save to save the video thumbnail.
In this way, you can add a custom thumbnail to the new videos and change the video thumbnail of the previously uploaded videos.
Part 2: Thumbnail Makers to Create Custom YouTube Thumbnails
Of course, you can use some of the best tools to make a YouTube video thumbnail. In this part, we will show you some of the best tools to create custom YouTube thumbnails.
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
1. Create YouTube Thumbnail with Online solution - Canva
Canva is a free, powerful online image editing program with tons of great templates to get you started. One of their templates just happens to be YouTube thumbnails. Open Canva and select the “YouTube Thumbnail” design type. Use your own photo or choose from a huge library, then add text and effects to really make it stand out. Save and share — easy as that.
Check this video tutorial to see how to Make a Youtube Thumbnail using Canva.
You may also like: Best online Photo Editor
2. Design YouTube thumbnail with a Desktop solution - Gimp
Gimp is one of the most popular image editing programs around for one very simple reason: it’s powerful and free! Where Canva uses a lot of templates, Gimp gives you absolute, full control over how you want your image to look. Make a 1280x720 image and start putting together your eye-catching thumbnail exactly how you want to.
Check this video tutorial to see how to make professional Thumbnails for YouTube Videos with Gimp:
Part 3: How to Change A Thumbnail On YouTube
Note: YouTube allows verified YouTube accounts (accounts that provided YouTube with a working phone number) to upload custom thumbnail images and change them accordingly.
In this part, we’ll be going over how to change a thumbnail image on YouTube. There are pictures to make it easy to follow along.
- After signing into YouTube with your Google account, click on your profile on the top right corner. Click on YouTube Studio from the drop-down menu.
- On the left side of the page, click on Videos and then find your video and click on the details button.
- Find the Thumbnail section in the basic video details tab, and then click the Upload thumbnail to select the image that you want to upload.
- Finally, click on the Save button on the right upper corner. And just like that, in seven easy steps, we’re done changing the thumbnail of a YouTube video.
If you don’t have an image to upload but you want to check out some online resources to make your own, check out our Top YouTube Thumbnail Makers .
Part 4: Things You Need to Know Before Making a Custom Thumbnail
- About the proper YouTube video thumbnail size: Your thumbnail should be 1280x720 pixels in size and be less than 2MB. The minimum width of the image is 640 pixels.
- About the YouTube Image thumbnail format: Use .JPG, .PNG, .GIF or .BMP files for your thumbnail image.
- You’ll want your thumbnails to stand out. Bright colored text is a simple, easy way to draw people’s attention. Red, white, yellow, or orange are all popular choices.
- You can even do a little homework to see what colors others are using for similar videos to yours, and then choose different colors to stand out.
One word of warning: your thumbnail should be related to the content of your video. Misleading thumbnail images, if reported, will reflect poorly on your channel. You’ll get a negative rating in the community status part of your channel. This can actually remove your ability to use custom thumbnails, so keep it honest!
You may also like: How to Make YouTube Channel Art
To make a creative YouTube video, you may also need a powerful video editing software. Check how to edit a YouTube video in Filmora video editor and download it to try.
You may also like: Best video editing software for YouTube
Part 5: Tips on How to Make Good YouTube Thumbnails - Get More Clicks
The thumbnails of your videos play a huge role in convincing people to watch them; a good YouTube thumbnail will get you more views and more potential subscribers. This part will give you 6 tips on creating thumbnails that help grow your channel. Now let’s learn how to make thumbnails using Wondershare PixStudio.
1. Stay On Topic
Your thumbnail should tell a story; it should be clear from looking at it what viewers will get out of watching the video, be it knowledge or entertainment. If your thumbnail sets expectations that your video doesn’t deliver on, people will click away quickly. You may get views quickly, but you won’t get much watch time. That will tell YouTube’s search algorithm ‘people aren’t getting what they want from this, rank it lower’. That leads to fewer views over time, and gives the people who do manage to find your video a negative opinion of your channel.
Very few people intentionally use thumbnails that have nothing to do with the content of their videos – i.e, most people understand not to use a picture of a kitten in the thumbnail for their tech review, unless maybe their kitten is the one doing the review (which would be adorable, someone should do that). People who want serious advice won’t click, and people who click to see a kitten will click away fast.
This thumbnail had better be for a kitten’s iPhone review video or people will click away. Fast.
A mistake a lot of creators do make is creating a thumbnail that is meant to evoke an emotion which the video itself does not justify. For example, if you see a picture of a YouTuber looking nervous alongside text that reads ‘My Secret’, you will think they are going to share something deeply personal. You will be curious, and you may even be worried about them. You’ll probably click. Then, if their secret is that they don’t like pineapple on pizza, you’ll probably be angry. This technique gets clicks, but not a lot of watch time and it will lose you subs in the long run.
2. Don’t Be Mysterious
A good thumbnail doesn’t make people guess. Your thumbnail should tell people what’s in your video, not make them wonder about it. People want to know what they’re being asked to spend time watching.
Often, they will be looking for the answer to a specific question and will completely ignore anything that doesn’t show – in the thumbnail – that it has their answer.
Sometimes big channels can get away with stuff like this, because large portions of their audiences are interested in them as people and will already be curious about anything they post. This technique will not bring in new viewers, though.
If this came up in a search for ‘smoky eye tutorial’, would you click it?
When people want answers, they want to feel confident that they video they click on will have those answers. If you have great content, then let people know it!
3. People Like People
Viewers are more likely to click on a thumbnail if they feel a connection when they look at it. One of the best ways to create a feeling of connection is through eye contact, and you can apply that principle to your YouTube thumbnails easily.
Just make sure you’re in them.
You can either compose a photo to use as your thumbnail, or use a screenshot from your video. Ideally, the image of you will convey the emotional tone of the video and tell potential viewers what it is about, besides you.
So, if you want to post a funny video that is also about making brownies, maybe a picture of you smiling while holding up a tray of brownies would be a better direction than just showing the brownies?
4. Check Out The Competition
Before you post your video, type your topic into YouTube’s search engine and see what comes up. This will give you insight into what kinds of thumbnails are performing well for other people, as well as what you can do to stand out in comparison.
Phil starts talking about thumbnails at 6:09, and he has great tips on checking out your competition!
For example, if all five of the top-ranked videos for the search ‘how to build a cabinet’ show images of the YouTuber smiling while holding a power tool, then your thumbnail for a video on the same topic should also be a picture of you smiling and holding a power tool. You know that works, so why not do it?
5. Use Color in Interesting Ways
You want to use colors that will help you stand out from the other search results. While checking out your competition if you notice that all the people in the other thumbnails are wearing black or navy blue, it will be a good idea for you to wear a brighter color for your shoot to grab a bit more attention.
Beyond simply using colors that are different from other people’s colors, you should consider the emotions different colors trigger.
Maybe don’t use a lot of green and yellow in the thumbnail for your angry video rant?
6. Make Your Text Huge
Usually, you’ll want to use a bit of text in your thumbnail. It might be the full title of your video, or just a keyword or phrase. You don’t want to use a full sentence because you won’t have room for it if you’re using huge text.
The reason you should use huge text is so that people can read it. Remember that when people see your thumbnail in their search results, it will be much smaller than it will look while you are creating it. Text that looks big enough while you are creating your thumbnail will be much smaller when people are actually trying to read it, and that goes double for viewers watching on their small smartphone screens.
Frequently Asked Questions about YouTube Thumbnail
1. What is YouTube Thumbnail?
When you upload a video on YouTube, YouTube gives you three images to choose from in the selection of your video’s thumbnail image. These three images are just freeze-frame snapshots from different parts of your video, which may not tell your viewers what your video is really all about.
2. Can You Change YouTube Thumbnail After Publishing?
Yes, you can replace the auto-generated thumbnail with the customized thumbnail you like. But YouTube only allows verified YouTube accounts to upload custom thumbnail images.
3. How Long Does It Take for a Thumbnail to Change on YouTube?
Normally, if you have a good internet connection, you can see the thumbnail is changed within 10 seconds.
4. Why YouTube Thumbnail is Important?
When you get more people watching your video for longer, it increases your watch time and tells YouTube’s search algorithm ‘people like this, rank it higher’. Being ranked higher gets you more views, and even more watch time. It’s a wonderful cycle that all begins with a great thumbnail (paired with a good title and the right tags).
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
YouTube custom thumbnails are a great way to get people’s attention to your YouTube video. It’s a pretty simple process but if you are wondering how to create a thumbnail and add the thumbnail to YouTube video and customize it with the correct size. You have come to the right place. While in this article, I will show you how to create and add a thumbnail to a YouTube video and how to customize the YouTube video thumbnail. Follow these easy steps below and add eyecatching customed thumbnails to your YouTube videos in no time.
- Part 1: Create and Add Custom Thumbnails to YouTube
- Part 2: Tools to Create Custom YouTube Video Thumbnails
- Part 3: How to Change A Thumbnail On YouTube
- Part 4: Things You Need to Know Before Making a YouTube Custom Thumbnail
- Part 5: Tips on How to Make Good YouTube Thumbnails to Get More Clicks
- Part 6: YouTube Thumbnail FAQs
How To Add Custom Thumbnails to Your YouTube Videos [Steps, Tools and Tips]
We have just made a video tutorial about how to make a YouTube video thumbnail, check it below to find out the tips and tricks of making customized YouTube thumbnail.
Part 1: How to Make a Thumbnail for YouTube and Add Custom Thumbnails to YouTube
After you’ve verified your account and made your thumbnail, it’s finally time to upload it to your video and make a custom thumbnail. To do this, go to Creator Studio and then Video Manager. You’ll see a button labeled “Edit” next to each video, and an arrow pointing down. Click Thumbnail Editor.
In Thumbnail Editor, you can use the still images in the video as a thumbnail, choose a solid background color for the thumbnail, or add other images from your computer. I will show you the steps of how to customize the video still as a video thumbnail.
1. Preview the video and choose the target video still. You can click the Playback button and check the video and pause it at the desired frame. Or, you can step through each frame by clicking the Preview Frame button and Next Frame icon. Click Next to continue.
2. And now, you can add text, image and shape overlays to the thumbnail. You can change the text font, size, opacity and more.
3. Click Next to save the thumbnail and you will see how the thumbnail displays on different platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. Click Save to save the video thumbnail.
In this way, you can add a custom thumbnail to the new videos and change the video thumbnail of the previously uploaded videos.
Part 2: Thumbnail Makers to Create Custom YouTube Thumbnails
Of course, you can use some of the best tools to make a YouTube video thumbnail. In this part, we will show you some of the best tools to create custom YouTube thumbnails.
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
1. Create YouTube Thumbnail with Online solution - Canva
Canva is a free, powerful online image editing program with tons of great templates to get you started. One of their templates just happens to be YouTube thumbnails. Open Canva and select the “YouTube Thumbnail” design type. Use your own photo or choose from a huge library, then add text and effects to really make it stand out. Save and share — easy as that.
Check this video tutorial to see how to Make a Youtube Thumbnail using Canva.
You may also like: Best online Photo Editor
2. Design YouTube thumbnail with a Desktop solution - Gimp
Gimp is one of the most popular image editing programs around for one very simple reason: it’s powerful and free! Where Canva uses a lot of templates, Gimp gives you absolute, full control over how you want your image to look. Make a 1280x720 image and start putting together your eye-catching thumbnail exactly how you want to.
Check this video tutorial to see how to make professional Thumbnails for YouTube Videos with Gimp:
Part 3: How to Change A Thumbnail On YouTube
Note: YouTube allows verified YouTube accounts (accounts that provided YouTube with a working phone number) to upload custom thumbnail images and change them accordingly.
In this part, we’ll be going over how to change a thumbnail image on YouTube. There are pictures to make it easy to follow along.
- After signing into YouTube with your Google account, click on your profile on the top right corner. Click on YouTube Studio from the drop-down menu.
- On the left side of the page, click on Videos and then find your video and click on the details button.
- Find the Thumbnail section in the basic video details tab, and then click the Upload thumbnail to select the image that you want to upload.
- Finally, click on the Save button on the right upper corner. And just like that, in seven easy steps, we’re done changing the thumbnail of a YouTube video.
If you don’t have an image to upload but you want to check out some online resources to make your own, check out our Top YouTube Thumbnail Makers .
Part 4: Things You Need to Know Before Making a Custom Thumbnail
- About the proper YouTube video thumbnail size: Your thumbnail should be 1280x720 pixels in size and be less than 2MB. The minimum width of the image is 640 pixels.
- About the YouTube Image thumbnail format: Use .JPG, .PNG, .GIF or .BMP files for your thumbnail image.
- You’ll want your thumbnails to stand out. Bright colored text is a simple, easy way to draw people’s attention. Red, white, yellow, or orange are all popular choices.
- You can even do a little homework to see what colors others are using for similar videos to yours, and then choose different colors to stand out.
One word of warning: your thumbnail should be related to the content of your video. Misleading thumbnail images, if reported, will reflect poorly on your channel. You’ll get a negative rating in the community status part of your channel. This can actually remove your ability to use custom thumbnails, so keep it honest!
You may also like: How to Make YouTube Channel Art
To make a creative YouTube video, you may also need a powerful video editing software. Check how to edit a YouTube video in Filmora video editor and download it to try.
You may also like: Best video editing software for YouTube
Part 5: Tips on How to Make Good YouTube Thumbnails - Get More Clicks
The thumbnails of your videos play a huge role in convincing people to watch them; a good YouTube thumbnail will get you more views and more potential subscribers. This part will give you 6 tips on creating thumbnails that help grow your channel. Now let’s learn how to make thumbnails using Wondershare PixStudio.
1. Stay On Topic
Your thumbnail should tell a story; it should be clear from looking at it what viewers will get out of watching the video, be it knowledge or entertainment. If your thumbnail sets expectations that your video doesn’t deliver on, people will click away quickly. You may get views quickly, but you won’t get much watch time. That will tell YouTube’s search algorithm ‘people aren’t getting what they want from this, rank it lower’. That leads to fewer views over time, and gives the people who do manage to find your video a negative opinion of your channel.
Very few people intentionally use thumbnails that have nothing to do with the content of their videos – i.e, most people understand not to use a picture of a kitten in the thumbnail for their tech review, unless maybe their kitten is the one doing the review (which would be adorable, someone should do that). People who want serious advice won’t click, and people who click to see a kitten will click away fast.
This thumbnail had better be for a kitten’s iPhone review video or people will click away. Fast.
A mistake a lot of creators do make is creating a thumbnail that is meant to evoke an emotion which the video itself does not justify. For example, if you see a picture of a YouTuber looking nervous alongside text that reads ‘My Secret’, you will think they are going to share something deeply personal. You will be curious, and you may even be worried about them. You’ll probably click. Then, if their secret is that they don’t like pineapple on pizza, you’ll probably be angry. This technique gets clicks, but not a lot of watch time and it will lose you subs in the long run.
2. Don’t Be Mysterious
A good thumbnail doesn’t make people guess. Your thumbnail should tell people what’s in your video, not make them wonder about it. People want to know what they’re being asked to spend time watching.
Often, they will be looking for the answer to a specific question and will completely ignore anything that doesn’t show – in the thumbnail – that it has their answer.
Sometimes big channels can get away with stuff like this, because large portions of their audiences are interested in them as people and will already be curious about anything they post. This technique will not bring in new viewers, though.
If this came up in a search for ‘smoky eye tutorial’, would you click it?
When people want answers, they want to feel confident that they video they click on will have those answers. If you have great content, then let people know it!
3. People Like People
Viewers are more likely to click on a thumbnail if they feel a connection when they look at it. One of the best ways to create a feeling of connection is through eye contact, and you can apply that principle to your YouTube thumbnails easily.
Just make sure you’re in them.
You can either compose a photo to use as your thumbnail, or use a screenshot from your video. Ideally, the image of you will convey the emotional tone of the video and tell potential viewers what it is about, besides you.
So, if you want to post a funny video that is also about making brownies, maybe a picture of you smiling while holding up a tray of brownies would be a better direction than just showing the brownies?
4. Check Out The Competition
Before you post your video, type your topic into YouTube’s search engine and see what comes up. This will give you insight into what kinds of thumbnails are performing well for other people, as well as what you can do to stand out in comparison.
Phil starts talking about thumbnails at 6:09, and he has great tips on checking out your competition!
For example, if all five of the top-ranked videos for the search ‘how to build a cabinet’ show images of the YouTuber smiling while holding a power tool, then your thumbnail for a video on the same topic should also be a picture of you smiling and holding a power tool. You know that works, so why not do it?
5. Use Color in Interesting Ways
You want to use colors that will help you stand out from the other search results. While checking out your competition if you notice that all the people in the other thumbnails are wearing black or navy blue, it will be a good idea for you to wear a brighter color for your shoot to grab a bit more attention.
Beyond simply using colors that are different from other people’s colors, you should consider the emotions different colors trigger.
Maybe don’t use a lot of green and yellow in the thumbnail for your angry video rant?
6. Make Your Text Huge
Usually, you’ll want to use a bit of text in your thumbnail. It might be the full title of your video, or just a keyword or phrase. You don’t want to use a full sentence because you won’t have room for it if you’re using huge text.
The reason you should use huge text is so that people can read it. Remember that when people see your thumbnail in their search results, it will be much smaller than it will look while you are creating it. Text that looks big enough while you are creating your thumbnail will be much smaller when people are actually trying to read it, and that goes double for viewers watching on their small smartphone screens.
Frequently Asked Questions about YouTube Thumbnail
1. What is YouTube Thumbnail?
When you upload a video on YouTube, YouTube gives you three images to choose from in the selection of your video’s thumbnail image. These three images are just freeze-frame snapshots from different parts of your video, which may not tell your viewers what your video is really all about.
2. Can You Change YouTube Thumbnail After Publishing?
Yes, you can replace the auto-generated thumbnail with the customized thumbnail you like. But YouTube only allows verified YouTube accounts to upload custom thumbnail images.
3. How Long Does It Take for a Thumbnail to Change on YouTube?
Normally, if you have a good internet connection, you can see the thumbnail is changed within 10 seconds.
4. Why YouTube Thumbnail is Important?
When you get more people watching your video for longer, it increases your watch time and tells YouTube’s search algorithm ‘people like this, rank it higher’. Being ranked higher gets you more views, and even more watch time. It’s a wonderful cycle that all begins with a great thumbnail (paired with a good title and the right tags).
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
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- Title: "2024 Approved Safely Stream Your Soundtracks Three Methods From YouTube"
- Author: Joseph
- Created at : 2024-05-31 13:49:04
- Updated at : 2024-06-01 13:49:04
- Link: https://youtube-stream.techidaily.com/2024-approved-safely-stream-your-soundtracks-three-methods-from-youtube/
- License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
