The Ultimate Handset Hack for YouTube Filmmakers

How To Make YouTube Videos on Your Smartphone

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

It is fun to be able to record a vlog entry whenever inspiration strikes you, and your smartphone is a great choice for recording on the go. Smartphones have really great cameras, and you probably always have your phone with you. You can even post directly from your phone to YouTube!

How To Make YouTube Videos on Your Smartphone

Making a video on your smartphone is similar to making a video with any other camera in a lot of ways. There are also a lot of ways in which it is different. You always have to watch out for camera shake, for example, but it can be even harder to control when you’re walking around shooting on your mobile device. Here are three things to keep in mind when vlogging with your smartphone.

Part 1. Keep It Steady

For a nice, smooth, shot consider resting your hand up on a railing, table, or anything else that will keep it steady while you film. Camera shake is always distracting to viewers, and smartphone videos are notoriously unstable because you are almost always holding your phone in your hand.

There is equipment you can use to cut out camera shake. You can get a smartphone mount for your tripod, or you can even stabilize your phone using a selfie stick. Many of the very newest smartphones have built in hardware called ‘OIS’ – optical image stabilization – that helps reduce shakiness.

Part 2. Be Heard

You have a lot to say, so make sure people can hear you say it! Smartphones do not tend to have very good microphones built in (neither do most cameras), so try to vlog from somewhere without a lot of background noise. It will help a lot if your voice has nothing to compete with.

Ideally, you should get an external mic to record your voice while you vlog on your phone. There are shotgun mics you can plug directly into the audio jack on your phone which will record great audio, or you can get a high quality MP3 recorder and carry it around in your pocket.

Part 3. Tilt Your Phone

When recording on the spur of the moment with your smartphone it is easy to automatically hold it the same way you would while texting or taking a selfie. If you record a video with your phone held so that it is tall – a ‘portrait’ shot – then your video will have thick black bars on either side when you post it to YouTube. If you tilt your phone so that it is wide you will record a ‘landscape’ shot, which will match the dimensions YouTube plays videos in.

The exception to this is videos you plan to post on Instagram. On Instagram everything is cropped into a square, and it is easier to imagine what your footage will look like as a square when you hold your phone strait up. Simply focus on the top of your screen and treat a portion of the bottom of your screen as if it is not there. When you hold your phone horizontally you need to try and estimate how much of the middle of your screen will make it in to your Instagram video, which can be awkward.

Those are the three main things to keep in mind, but if you are planning on posting directly to YouTube from your phone then you should also make sure you have a mobile app you can use to edit it first.

Filmora is a full-feature video editing app available for both Android and iPhone operating systems. With Filmora you can make awesome YouTube videos quickly using Filmora’s one-touch themes, or take a little bit more time personalizing your creation. One-touch themes are sets of related features, like filters and animated titles, which you can apply to your videos all at once. Filmora’s simple interface also makes it easy to apply filters, titles, overlays, transitions, and even royalty free music to your project one at a time.

After you’ve edited your video in Filmora you can post it directly to YouTube or other social media sites right from the app.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

It is fun to be able to record a vlog entry whenever inspiration strikes you, and your smartphone is a great choice for recording on the go. Smartphones have really great cameras, and you probably always have your phone with you. You can even post directly from your phone to YouTube!

How To Make YouTube Videos on Your Smartphone

Making a video on your smartphone is similar to making a video with any other camera in a lot of ways. There are also a lot of ways in which it is different. You always have to watch out for camera shake, for example, but it can be even harder to control when you’re walking around shooting on your mobile device. Here are three things to keep in mind when vlogging with your smartphone.

Part 1. Keep It Steady

For a nice, smooth, shot consider resting your hand up on a railing, table, or anything else that will keep it steady while you film. Camera shake is always distracting to viewers, and smartphone videos are notoriously unstable because you are almost always holding your phone in your hand.

There is equipment you can use to cut out camera shake. You can get a smartphone mount for your tripod, or you can even stabilize your phone using a selfie stick. Many of the very newest smartphones have built in hardware called ‘OIS’ – optical image stabilization – that helps reduce shakiness.

Part 2. Be Heard

You have a lot to say, so make sure people can hear you say it! Smartphones do not tend to have very good microphones built in (neither do most cameras), so try to vlog from somewhere without a lot of background noise. It will help a lot if your voice has nothing to compete with.

Ideally, you should get an external mic to record your voice while you vlog on your phone. There are shotgun mics you can plug directly into the audio jack on your phone which will record great audio, or you can get a high quality MP3 recorder and carry it around in your pocket.

Part 3. Tilt Your Phone

When recording on the spur of the moment with your smartphone it is easy to automatically hold it the same way you would while texting or taking a selfie. If you record a video with your phone held so that it is tall – a ‘portrait’ shot – then your video will have thick black bars on either side when you post it to YouTube. If you tilt your phone so that it is wide you will record a ‘landscape’ shot, which will match the dimensions YouTube plays videos in.

The exception to this is videos you plan to post on Instagram. On Instagram everything is cropped into a square, and it is easier to imagine what your footage will look like as a square when you hold your phone strait up. Simply focus on the top of your screen and treat a portion of the bottom of your screen as if it is not there. When you hold your phone horizontally you need to try and estimate how much of the middle of your screen will make it in to your Instagram video, which can be awkward.

Those are the three main things to keep in mind, but if you are planning on posting directly to YouTube from your phone then you should also make sure you have a mobile app you can use to edit it first.

Filmora is a full-feature video editing app available for both Android and iPhone operating systems. With Filmora you can make awesome YouTube videos quickly using Filmora’s one-touch themes, or take a little bit more time personalizing your creation. One-touch themes are sets of related features, like filters and animated titles, which you can apply to your videos all at once. Filmora’s simple interface also makes it easy to apply filters, titles, overlays, transitions, and even royalty free music to your project one at a time.

After you’ve edited your video in Filmora you can post it directly to YouTube or other social media sites right from the app.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

It is fun to be able to record a vlog entry whenever inspiration strikes you, and your smartphone is a great choice for recording on the go. Smartphones have really great cameras, and you probably always have your phone with you. You can even post directly from your phone to YouTube!

How To Make YouTube Videos on Your Smartphone

Making a video on your smartphone is similar to making a video with any other camera in a lot of ways. There are also a lot of ways in which it is different. You always have to watch out for camera shake, for example, but it can be even harder to control when you’re walking around shooting on your mobile device. Here are three things to keep in mind when vlogging with your smartphone.

Part 1. Keep It Steady

For a nice, smooth, shot consider resting your hand up on a railing, table, or anything else that will keep it steady while you film. Camera shake is always distracting to viewers, and smartphone videos are notoriously unstable because you are almost always holding your phone in your hand.

There is equipment you can use to cut out camera shake. You can get a smartphone mount for your tripod, or you can even stabilize your phone using a selfie stick. Many of the very newest smartphones have built in hardware called ‘OIS’ – optical image stabilization – that helps reduce shakiness.

Part 2. Be Heard

You have a lot to say, so make sure people can hear you say it! Smartphones do not tend to have very good microphones built in (neither do most cameras), so try to vlog from somewhere without a lot of background noise. It will help a lot if your voice has nothing to compete with.

Ideally, you should get an external mic to record your voice while you vlog on your phone. There are shotgun mics you can plug directly into the audio jack on your phone which will record great audio, or you can get a high quality MP3 recorder and carry it around in your pocket.

Part 3. Tilt Your Phone

When recording on the spur of the moment with your smartphone it is easy to automatically hold it the same way you would while texting or taking a selfie. If you record a video with your phone held so that it is tall – a ‘portrait’ shot – then your video will have thick black bars on either side when you post it to YouTube. If you tilt your phone so that it is wide you will record a ‘landscape’ shot, which will match the dimensions YouTube plays videos in.

The exception to this is videos you plan to post on Instagram. On Instagram everything is cropped into a square, and it is easier to imagine what your footage will look like as a square when you hold your phone strait up. Simply focus on the top of your screen and treat a portion of the bottom of your screen as if it is not there. When you hold your phone horizontally you need to try and estimate how much of the middle of your screen will make it in to your Instagram video, which can be awkward.

Those are the three main things to keep in mind, but if you are planning on posting directly to YouTube from your phone then you should also make sure you have a mobile app you can use to edit it first.

Filmora is a full-feature video editing app available for both Android and iPhone operating systems. With Filmora you can make awesome YouTube videos quickly using Filmora’s one-touch themes, or take a little bit more time personalizing your creation. One-touch themes are sets of related features, like filters and animated titles, which you can apply to your videos all at once. Filmora’s simple interface also makes it easy to apply filters, titles, overlays, transitions, and even royalty free music to your project one at a time.

After you’ve edited your video in Filmora you can post it directly to YouTube or other social media sites right from the app.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

It is fun to be able to record a vlog entry whenever inspiration strikes you, and your smartphone is a great choice for recording on the go. Smartphones have really great cameras, and you probably always have your phone with you. You can even post directly from your phone to YouTube!

How To Make YouTube Videos on Your Smartphone

Making a video on your smartphone is similar to making a video with any other camera in a lot of ways. There are also a lot of ways in which it is different. You always have to watch out for camera shake, for example, but it can be even harder to control when you’re walking around shooting on your mobile device. Here are three things to keep in mind when vlogging with your smartphone.

Part 1. Keep It Steady

For a nice, smooth, shot consider resting your hand up on a railing, table, or anything else that will keep it steady while you film. Camera shake is always distracting to viewers, and smartphone videos are notoriously unstable because you are almost always holding your phone in your hand.

There is equipment you can use to cut out camera shake. You can get a smartphone mount for your tripod, or you can even stabilize your phone using a selfie stick. Many of the very newest smartphones have built in hardware called ‘OIS’ – optical image stabilization – that helps reduce shakiness.

Part 2. Be Heard

You have a lot to say, so make sure people can hear you say it! Smartphones do not tend to have very good microphones built in (neither do most cameras), so try to vlog from somewhere without a lot of background noise. It will help a lot if your voice has nothing to compete with.

Ideally, you should get an external mic to record your voice while you vlog on your phone. There are shotgun mics you can plug directly into the audio jack on your phone which will record great audio, or you can get a high quality MP3 recorder and carry it around in your pocket.

Part 3. Tilt Your Phone

When recording on the spur of the moment with your smartphone it is easy to automatically hold it the same way you would while texting or taking a selfie. If you record a video with your phone held so that it is tall – a ‘portrait’ shot – then your video will have thick black bars on either side when you post it to YouTube. If you tilt your phone so that it is wide you will record a ‘landscape’ shot, which will match the dimensions YouTube plays videos in.

The exception to this is videos you plan to post on Instagram. On Instagram everything is cropped into a square, and it is easier to imagine what your footage will look like as a square when you hold your phone strait up. Simply focus on the top of your screen and treat a portion of the bottom of your screen as if it is not there. When you hold your phone horizontally you need to try and estimate how much of the middle of your screen will make it in to your Instagram video, which can be awkward.

Those are the three main things to keep in mind, but if you are planning on posting directly to YouTube from your phone then you should also make sure you have a mobile app you can use to edit it first.

Filmora is a full-feature video editing app available for both Android and iPhone operating systems. With Filmora you can make awesome YouTube videos quickly using Filmora’s one-touch themes, or take a little bit more time personalizing your creation. One-touch themes are sets of related features, like filters and animated titles, which you can apply to your videos all at once. Filmora’s simple interface also makes it easy to apply filters, titles, overlays, transitions, and even royalty free music to your project one at a time.

After you’ve edited your video in Filmora you can post it directly to YouTube or other social media sites right from the app.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Achieve More Engagement on YouTube: Learn the Best Thumbnail Size

Best YouTube Thumbnail Size You Should Know[The Ultimate Guide]

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Around 300 hours of video is uploaded to Youtube in every single minute. Then content creators need to be more innovative and creative than others in the market. A thumbnail is worth a thousand words that show its real meaning in the case where every month YouTube records a whopping 2 billion active users. To create an impressive and tempting thumbnail, you should set a perfect youtube thumbnail size first.

So you may be wondering what the best youtube thumbnail size is, and how to create a attractive thumbnail for your YouTube videos? Don’t worry I’ll explain everything here. You will learn:

• Part 1: The Ultimate Guide of YouTube Thumbnail Size
• Part 2: Upload and Change a Custom YouTube Thumbnail to Your Video
• Part 3: Q&A– About Creating YouTube Thumbnails

Part 1: The Ultimate Guide of Youtube Thumbnail Size

Every content creator needs to select the right youtube thumbnail size for any given video.

1. What’s the Best YouTube Thumbnail Size(Dimensions)?

According to the YouTube guidelines , the best-suited youtube thumbnail size is 1280x720 pixels with a minimum pixel width of 640 pixels. Also, the custom thumbnail image must be as large as possible as it will be utilized as a preview image in the embedded player.

2. What Are the Compatible Formats for YouTube Thumbnail Image?

The recommended thumbnail image formats are .JPG, .PNG, .GIF, .BMP

3. What’s the Maximum YouTube Thumbnail Size?

The maximum YouTube thumbnail size must be below 2MB. Keeping the limit in mind design your thumbnail image as high-resolution as possible. This will ensure your custom thumbnail doesn’t get rejected by YouTube.

4. What’s the Recommended Aspect Ratio of YouTube Thumbnail?

Usually, the 16:9 ratio is deemed an ideal choice for any YouTube video aiming high view volume. As it is most widely used in YouTube players and previews.

Part 2: Upload and Change a Custom YouTube Thumbnail

With a verified account, you can upload custom thumbnail on new videos as well as change the thumbnail of uploaded videos.

1. For New Video

YouTube makes it very simple and easy for any content creator to publish custom YouTube thumbnail on their video while uploading the video onto the platform. Here’s the method to do so:

• Upload your desired video to YouTube in the Upload section.

• When your upload to the YouTube is completed a section will appear at the down portion of the browser screen showing Video Thumbnails. Here YouTube automatically creates some thumbnail images from your uploaded video and shows them here. These are the screenshots from your video, and you can select any one of them to be your thumbnail.

• You will be able to see a button right next to the image – Custom thumbnail. Click on the button and you can upload a set of images of your choice as the thumbnail of your video.
• Once done you can see the custom image just uploaded as the thumbnail of your video.

• If you want to update the image or change it with another one you can just click on the same image in the video thumbnail section and swap it with any other image.

2. For Already Uploaded Video

To change the thumbnail on an already uploaded video you need to follow these steps:

• Sign in to YouTube Studio associated with your YouTube channel.
• From the menu go to Videos and then select the video you want to upload a custom thumbnail to via its title or thumbnail

• Now in the thumbnail section if you already haven’t uploaded a custom thumbnail, click Custom thumbnail.
• Select your intended thumbnail file and click Save.

Part 3: Q&A– About YouTube Thumbnail Images

You may want to know:

• Question 1: How do I make my youtube thumbnail less than 2mb?
• Question 2: How can I create an attractive youtube thumbnail?

1. How do I make my youtube thumbnail less than 2mb?

YouTube will not allow you to upload a custom thumbnail image if it is bigger than the 2MB limit. So, you need to make sure the file size is below the limit to be able to successfully upload a custom thumbnail. To reduce the image size you can follow the steps below:

• 1. Open Microsoft Paint and open the thumbnail image that is above 2MB size
• 2. Now go to the File menu and click Save as then select JPEG picture
• 3. Select the location you want the file to be saved to
• 4. The thumbnail picture will be reduced to Kilobytes only while maintaining the image quality

2. How can I create an attractive youtube thumbnail?

Utilizing online platforms and software tools to make your thumbnail image informative and attractive can potentially increase your views and traffic. You can use any advanced tools like Wondershare Filmora, Wondershare PixStudio, or Canva to create an aspiring and luring image that will get more views on YouTube just because of the thumbnail image. Here we will show you how to do it with Wondershare Filmora, Wondershare PixStudio and Canva:

1. Try Wondershare Filmora>>

Wondershare Filmora is an outstanding tool if you want to make a perfect thumbnail image. Consider and optimize your thumbnail for mobile devices to offer the best experience to your users on every possible device. Make it stand out as the thumbnail can be the very first thing that might attract a viewer.

Let’s see how you can create your thumbnail using Wondershare Filmora:

2. Try Wondershare PixStudio>>

Wondershare PixStudio provides you massive pre-designed templates which help you to create attractive YouTube Thumbnail. Let’s see the video below and see how you can design your YouTube Thumbnail easily.

3. Try Canva>>

With Canva you can make a distinct and stand-out YouTube thumbnail image. Canva hosts a number of readymade designs that you can use to design and customize it for your use.

Note:

To download the image without the watermark you’ll need to sign-up for a premium account on the Canva.

To sum up

YouTube thumbnail plays an important part for the audience’s first impression on your video. And it is of essential essence as it can attract more viewers to your content. So you should get the right youtube thumbnail size before you start customing your thumbnail. We’ve gone through all the detailed requirements of youtube thumbnail size and how to make the best thumbnail by using the best software solutions. Please leave your comments below if any suggestions. We’d love to hear them!

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Around 300 hours of video is uploaded to Youtube in every single minute. Then content creators need to be more innovative and creative than others in the market. A thumbnail is worth a thousand words that show its real meaning in the case where every month YouTube records a whopping 2 billion active users. To create an impressive and tempting thumbnail, you should set a perfect youtube thumbnail size first.

So you may be wondering what the best youtube thumbnail size is, and how to create a attractive thumbnail for your YouTube videos? Don’t worry I’ll explain everything here. You will learn:

• Part 1: The Ultimate Guide of YouTube Thumbnail Size
• Part 2: Upload and Change a Custom YouTube Thumbnail to Your Video
• Part 3: Q&A– About Creating YouTube Thumbnails

Part 1: The Ultimate Guide of Youtube Thumbnail Size

Every content creator needs to select the right youtube thumbnail size for any given video.

1. What’s the Best YouTube Thumbnail Size(Dimensions)?

According to the YouTube guidelines , the best-suited youtube thumbnail size is 1280x720 pixels with a minimum pixel width of 640 pixels. Also, the custom thumbnail image must be as large as possible as it will be utilized as a preview image in the embedded player.

2. What Are the Compatible Formats for YouTube Thumbnail Image?

The recommended thumbnail image formats are .JPG, .PNG, .GIF, .BMP

3. What’s the Maximum YouTube Thumbnail Size?

The maximum YouTube thumbnail size must be below 2MB. Keeping the limit in mind design your thumbnail image as high-resolution as possible. This will ensure your custom thumbnail doesn’t get rejected by YouTube.

4. What’s the Recommended Aspect Ratio of YouTube Thumbnail?

Usually, the 16:9 ratio is deemed an ideal choice for any YouTube video aiming high view volume. As it is most widely used in YouTube players and previews.

Part 2: Upload and Change a Custom YouTube Thumbnail

With a verified account, you can upload custom thumbnail on new videos as well as change the thumbnail of uploaded videos.

1. For New Video

YouTube makes it very simple and easy for any content creator to publish custom YouTube thumbnail on their video while uploading the video onto the platform. Here’s the method to do so:

• Upload your desired video to YouTube in the Upload section.

• When your upload to the YouTube is completed a section will appear at the down portion of the browser screen showing Video Thumbnails. Here YouTube automatically creates some thumbnail images from your uploaded video and shows them here. These are the screenshots from your video, and you can select any one of them to be your thumbnail.

• You will be able to see a button right next to the image – Custom thumbnail. Click on the button and you can upload a set of images of your choice as the thumbnail of your video.
• Once done you can see the custom image just uploaded as the thumbnail of your video.

• If you want to update the image or change it with another one you can just click on the same image in the video thumbnail section and swap it with any other image.

2. For Already Uploaded Video

To change the thumbnail on an already uploaded video you need to follow these steps:

• Sign in to YouTube Studio associated with your YouTube channel.
• From the menu go to Videos and then select the video you want to upload a custom thumbnail to via its title or thumbnail

• Now in the thumbnail section if you already haven’t uploaded a custom thumbnail, click Custom thumbnail.
• Select your intended thumbnail file and click Save.

Part 3: Q&A– About YouTube Thumbnail Images

You may want to know:

• Question 1: How do I make my youtube thumbnail less than 2mb?
• Question 2: How can I create an attractive youtube thumbnail?

1. How do I make my youtube thumbnail less than 2mb?

YouTube will not allow you to upload a custom thumbnail image if it is bigger than the 2MB limit. So, you need to make sure the file size is below the limit to be able to successfully upload a custom thumbnail. To reduce the image size you can follow the steps below:

• 1. Open Microsoft Paint and open the thumbnail image that is above 2MB size
• 2. Now go to the File menu and click Save as then select JPEG picture
• 3. Select the location you want the file to be saved to
• 4. The thumbnail picture will be reduced to Kilobytes only while maintaining the image quality

2. How can I create an attractive youtube thumbnail?

Utilizing online platforms and software tools to make your thumbnail image informative and attractive can potentially increase your views and traffic. You can use any advanced tools like Wondershare Filmora, Wondershare PixStudio, or Canva to create an aspiring and luring image that will get more views on YouTube just because of the thumbnail image. Here we will show you how to do it with Wondershare Filmora, Wondershare PixStudio and Canva:

1. Try Wondershare Filmora>>

Wondershare Filmora is an outstanding tool if you want to make a perfect thumbnail image. Consider and optimize your thumbnail for mobile devices to offer the best experience to your users on every possible device. Make it stand out as the thumbnail can be the very first thing that might attract a viewer.

Let’s see how you can create your thumbnail using Wondershare Filmora:

2. Try Wondershare PixStudio>>

Wondershare PixStudio provides you massive pre-designed templates which help you to create attractive YouTube Thumbnail. Let’s see the video below and see how you can design your YouTube Thumbnail easily.

3. Try Canva>>

With Canva you can make a distinct and stand-out YouTube thumbnail image. Canva hosts a number of readymade designs that you can use to design and customize it for your use.

Note:

To download the image without the watermark you’ll need to sign-up for a premium account on the Canva.

To sum up

YouTube thumbnail plays an important part for the audience’s first impression on your video. And it is of essential essence as it can attract more viewers to your content. So you should get the right youtube thumbnail size before you start customing your thumbnail. We’ve gone through all the detailed requirements of youtube thumbnail size and how to make the best thumbnail by using the best software solutions. Please leave your comments below if any suggestions. We’d love to hear them!

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Around 300 hours of video is uploaded to Youtube in every single minute. Then content creators need to be more innovative and creative than others in the market. A thumbnail is worth a thousand words that show its real meaning in the case where every month YouTube records a whopping 2 billion active users. To create an impressive and tempting thumbnail, you should set a perfect youtube thumbnail size first.

So you may be wondering what the best youtube thumbnail size is, and how to create a attractive thumbnail for your YouTube videos? Don’t worry I’ll explain everything here. You will learn:

• Part 1: The Ultimate Guide of YouTube Thumbnail Size
• Part 2: Upload and Change a Custom YouTube Thumbnail to Your Video
• Part 3: Q&A– About Creating YouTube Thumbnails

Part 1: The Ultimate Guide of Youtube Thumbnail Size

Every content creator needs to select the right youtube thumbnail size for any given video.

1. What’s the Best YouTube Thumbnail Size(Dimensions)?

According to the YouTube guidelines , the best-suited youtube thumbnail size is 1280x720 pixels with a minimum pixel width of 640 pixels. Also, the custom thumbnail image must be as large as possible as it will be utilized as a preview image in the embedded player.

2. What Are the Compatible Formats for YouTube Thumbnail Image?

The recommended thumbnail image formats are .JPG, .PNG, .GIF, .BMP

3. What’s the Maximum YouTube Thumbnail Size?

The maximum YouTube thumbnail size must be below 2MB. Keeping the limit in mind design your thumbnail image as high-resolution as possible. This will ensure your custom thumbnail doesn’t get rejected by YouTube.

4. What’s the Recommended Aspect Ratio of YouTube Thumbnail?

Usually, the 16:9 ratio is deemed an ideal choice for any YouTube video aiming high view volume. As it is most widely used in YouTube players and previews.

Part 2: Upload and Change a Custom YouTube Thumbnail

With a verified account, you can upload custom thumbnail on new videos as well as change the thumbnail of uploaded videos.

1. For New Video

YouTube makes it very simple and easy for any content creator to publish custom YouTube thumbnail on their video while uploading the video onto the platform. Here’s the method to do so:

• Upload your desired video to YouTube in the Upload section.

• When your upload to the YouTube is completed a section will appear at the down portion of the browser screen showing Video Thumbnails. Here YouTube automatically creates some thumbnail images from your uploaded video and shows them here. These are the screenshots from your video, and you can select any one of them to be your thumbnail.

• You will be able to see a button right next to the image – Custom thumbnail. Click on the button and you can upload a set of images of your choice as the thumbnail of your video.
• Once done you can see the custom image just uploaded as the thumbnail of your video.

• If you want to update the image or change it with another one you can just click on the same image in the video thumbnail section and swap it with any other image.

2. For Already Uploaded Video

To change the thumbnail on an already uploaded video you need to follow these steps:

• Sign in to YouTube Studio associated with your YouTube channel.
• From the menu go to Videos and then select the video you want to upload a custom thumbnail to via its title or thumbnail

• Now in the thumbnail section if you already haven’t uploaded a custom thumbnail, click Custom thumbnail.
• Select your intended thumbnail file and click Save.

Part 3: Q&A– About YouTube Thumbnail Images

You may want to know:

• Question 1: How do I make my youtube thumbnail less than 2mb?
• Question 2: How can I create an attractive youtube thumbnail?

1. How do I make my youtube thumbnail less than 2mb?

YouTube will not allow you to upload a custom thumbnail image if it is bigger than the 2MB limit. So, you need to make sure the file size is below the limit to be able to successfully upload a custom thumbnail. To reduce the image size you can follow the steps below:

• 1. Open Microsoft Paint and open the thumbnail image that is above 2MB size
• 2. Now go to the File menu and click Save as then select JPEG picture
• 3. Select the location you want the file to be saved to
• 4. The thumbnail picture will be reduced to Kilobytes only while maintaining the image quality

2. How can I create an attractive youtube thumbnail?

Utilizing online platforms and software tools to make your thumbnail image informative and attractive can potentially increase your views and traffic. You can use any advanced tools like Wondershare Filmora, Wondershare PixStudio, or Canva to create an aspiring and luring image that will get more views on YouTube just because of the thumbnail image. Here we will show you how to do it with Wondershare Filmora, Wondershare PixStudio and Canva:

1. Try Wondershare Filmora>>

Wondershare Filmora is an outstanding tool if you want to make a perfect thumbnail image. Consider and optimize your thumbnail for mobile devices to offer the best experience to your users on every possible device. Make it stand out as the thumbnail can be the very first thing that might attract a viewer.

Let’s see how you can create your thumbnail using Wondershare Filmora:

2. Try Wondershare PixStudio>>

Wondershare PixStudio provides you massive pre-designed templates which help you to create attractive YouTube Thumbnail. Let’s see the video below and see how you can design your YouTube Thumbnail easily.

3. Try Canva>>

With Canva you can make a distinct and stand-out YouTube thumbnail image. Canva hosts a number of readymade designs that you can use to design and customize it for your use.

Note:

To download the image without the watermark you’ll need to sign-up for a premium account on the Canva.

To sum up

YouTube thumbnail plays an important part for the audience’s first impression on your video. And it is of essential essence as it can attract more viewers to your content. So you should get the right youtube thumbnail size before you start customing your thumbnail. We’ve gone through all the detailed requirements of youtube thumbnail size and how to make the best thumbnail by using the best software solutions. Please leave your comments below if any suggestions. We’d love to hear them!

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Around 300 hours of video is uploaded to Youtube in every single minute. Then content creators need to be more innovative and creative than others in the market. A thumbnail is worth a thousand words that show its real meaning in the case where every month YouTube records a whopping 2 billion active users. To create an impressive and tempting thumbnail, you should set a perfect youtube thumbnail size first.

So you may be wondering what the best youtube thumbnail size is, and how to create a attractive thumbnail for your YouTube videos? Don’t worry I’ll explain everything here. You will learn:

• Part 1: The Ultimate Guide of YouTube Thumbnail Size
• Part 2: Upload and Change a Custom YouTube Thumbnail to Your Video
• Part 3: Q&A– About Creating YouTube Thumbnails

Part 1: The Ultimate Guide of Youtube Thumbnail Size

Every content creator needs to select the right youtube thumbnail size for any given video.

1. What’s the Best YouTube Thumbnail Size(Dimensions)?

According to the YouTube guidelines , the best-suited youtube thumbnail size is 1280x720 pixels with a minimum pixel width of 640 pixels. Also, the custom thumbnail image must be as large as possible as it will be utilized as a preview image in the embedded player.

2. What Are the Compatible Formats for YouTube Thumbnail Image?

The recommended thumbnail image formats are .JPG, .PNG, .GIF, .BMP

3. What’s the Maximum YouTube Thumbnail Size?

The maximum YouTube thumbnail size must be below 2MB. Keeping the limit in mind design your thumbnail image as high-resolution as possible. This will ensure your custom thumbnail doesn’t get rejected by YouTube.

4. What’s the Recommended Aspect Ratio of YouTube Thumbnail?

Usually, the 16:9 ratio is deemed an ideal choice for any YouTube video aiming high view volume. As it is most widely used in YouTube players and previews.

Part 2: Upload and Change a Custom YouTube Thumbnail

With a verified account, you can upload custom thumbnail on new videos as well as change the thumbnail of uploaded videos.

1. For New Video

YouTube makes it very simple and easy for any content creator to publish custom YouTube thumbnail on their video while uploading the video onto the platform. Here’s the method to do so:

• Upload your desired video to YouTube in the Upload section.

• When your upload to the YouTube is completed a section will appear at the down portion of the browser screen showing Video Thumbnails. Here YouTube automatically creates some thumbnail images from your uploaded video and shows them here. These are the screenshots from your video, and you can select any one of them to be your thumbnail.

• You will be able to see a button right next to the image – Custom thumbnail. Click on the button and you can upload a set of images of your choice as the thumbnail of your video.
• Once done you can see the custom image just uploaded as the thumbnail of your video.

• If you want to update the image or change it with another one you can just click on the same image in the video thumbnail section and swap it with any other image.

2. For Already Uploaded Video

To change the thumbnail on an already uploaded video you need to follow these steps:

• Sign in to YouTube Studio associated with your YouTube channel.
• From the menu go to Videos and then select the video you want to upload a custom thumbnail to via its title or thumbnail

• Now in the thumbnail section if you already haven’t uploaded a custom thumbnail, click Custom thumbnail.
• Select your intended thumbnail file and click Save.

Part 3: Q&A– About YouTube Thumbnail Images

You may want to know:

• Question 1: How do I make my youtube thumbnail less than 2mb?
• Question 2: How can I create an attractive youtube thumbnail?

1. How do I make my youtube thumbnail less than 2mb?

YouTube will not allow you to upload a custom thumbnail image if it is bigger than the 2MB limit. So, you need to make sure the file size is below the limit to be able to successfully upload a custom thumbnail. To reduce the image size you can follow the steps below:

• 1. Open Microsoft Paint and open the thumbnail image that is above 2MB size
• 2. Now go to the File menu and click Save as then select JPEG picture
• 3. Select the location you want the file to be saved to
• 4. The thumbnail picture will be reduced to Kilobytes only while maintaining the image quality

2. How can I create an attractive youtube thumbnail?

Utilizing online platforms and software tools to make your thumbnail image informative and attractive can potentially increase your views and traffic. You can use any advanced tools like Wondershare Filmora, Wondershare PixStudio, or Canva to create an aspiring and luring image that will get more views on YouTube just because of the thumbnail image. Here we will show you how to do it with Wondershare Filmora, Wondershare PixStudio and Canva:

1. Try Wondershare Filmora>>

Wondershare Filmora is an outstanding tool if you want to make a perfect thumbnail image. Consider and optimize your thumbnail for mobile devices to offer the best experience to your users on every possible device. Make it stand out as the thumbnail can be the very first thing that might attract a viewer.

Let’s see how you can create your thumbnail using Wondershare Filmora:

2. Try Wondershare PixStudio>>

Wondershare PixStudio provides you massive pre-designed templates which help you to create attractive YouTube Thumbnail. Let’s see the video below and see how you can design your YouTube Thumbnail easily.

3. Try Canva>>

With Canva you can make a distinct and stand-out YouTube thumbnail image. Canva hosts a number of readymade designs that you can use to design and customize it for your use.

Note:

To download the image without the watermark you’ll need to sign-up for a premium account on the Canva.

To sum up

YouTube thumbnail plays an important part for the audience’s first impression on your video. And it is of essential essence as it can attract more viewers to your content. So you should get the right youtube thumbnail size before you start customing your thumbnail. We’ve gone through all the detailed requirements of youtube thumbnail size and how to make the best thumbnail by using the best software solutions. Please leave your comments below if any suggestions. We’d love to hear them!

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

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