Rapid Method: Converting Images Into Desktop Thumbnails for YouTube

There is a saying that first impressions last, and this is proven true, especially when it comes to YouTube video viewership. For sure, you have experienced watching a video out of curiosity because of its thumbnail. That is why content creators take time to resize YouTube thumbnails or use a YouTube thumbnail size converter to customize the preview images that represent their videos.

This technique not only attract viewers to watch your video, but it also gives a glimpse of your content. In this article, we will provide you with a quick tutorial on how to resize a YouTube thumbnail and suggest handy tools you can use to create the perfect YouTube video thumbnail!

Best YouTube Thumbnail Size

According to YouTube’s help center, there are some things to remember when creating a thumbnail for your YouTube videos.

First, make sure that the thumbnail size is 1280 pixels by 720 pixels and 640 pixels wide. It is the best YouTube thumbnail size.
When it comes to the thumbnail dimension, make sure to use an aspect ratio of 16:9.
Also, your YouTube thumbnail image should not exceed 2MB and is in either JPG, GIF or PNG format.

How To Resize Your YouTube Thumbnail

The primary reason for changing the YouTube thumbnail size is to gain more audience. If you are a content creator, your main goal is to introduce your content to a wider range of viewers, right? So you have to pay attention to even the smallest detail, such as YouTube thumbnails to increase viewership and top YouTube SEO.

In fact, YouTube recommends this technique to get more viewers. Also, resizing your YouTube thumbnail will prevent you from getting the “file larger than 2MB error” which can cause your thumbnail to be discarded.

So, how can you use this technique? Check our tutorial below as we walk you through various recommended methods for resizing a YouTube thumbnail:

Method 1: Resize YouTube Thumbnail With Windows Default App

The easiest way to resize YouTube thumbnails is through the Windows default app. Within just a few modifications, you can resize your thumbnail to fit as a preview image for your YouTube video.

Please take note that your image should be at least 2 megabytes or less to achieve the perfect YouTube thumbnail fit. If your image exceeds the limit, your thumbnail will either be rejected, or your image will have a black screen around it-which is not ideal at all.

Now, let us start the tutorial.

Step1 Open an image you want to set as a thumbnail. Then, Right-click> Resize.

Step2 Select “Define custom dimensions.”

Step3 Set the width to 1280 and the height to 720. Then tick the box for “Maintain Aspect Ratio “and click “Save Resized Copy.”

Step4 Click the upload thumbnail button on YouTube and import your resized image.

Method 2. Online YouTube Thumbnail Size Converter

The second method you can use is the online YouTube thumbnail size converter. As it completely works in browsers, you do not need to worry about any app installation to access the feature. Furthermore, using online YouTube thumbnail size converters ensures you maintain your image resolution and prevents it from getting blurry or pixelated.

There are various YouTube thumbnail resizers available online. Some of the most popular are Fotor, Super Image Converter, Pixelied, Super Image Converter , Adobe Express , Newisty, and Promo . Let us focus on the last online tool and the steps on how to use it.

Promo is a free online software you can use to convert an image to a YouTube thumbnail. It is one of the best YouTube Thumbnail tools as it uses simple operation steps and automatically resizes your image without losing its quality.

Here are the steps on how to use the Promo YouTube thumbnail size converter:

Step1 Go to Promo’s official website and import your image

Step2 Scroll down and find the YouTube thumbnail size where your resized image is displayed. Then, click “Download.”

Method 3: Convert the Image to YouTube Thumbnail Using Wondershare Filmora

It is without a doubt that online YouTube thumbnail resizers are great tools for converting your image to an ideal YouTube thumbnail. But it would be much better if you resize your video using the same app you use for editing. That way, you will save time using two separate apps, and your task will be much more efficient using an all-in-one video editing tool.

Wondershare Filmora , one of the most well-known software for creating high-quality and compelling videos, combines these functions in one app. Filmora is not just an excellent software for crafting YouTube videos but also a reliable tool you can use in creating and resizing YouTube thumbnails.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Here is the step-by-step tutorial on how to use Filmora in resizing your YouTube thumbnail. It is divided into two parts:

1. Take a Snapshot as the Thumbnail with Filmora

Step1 Open the video in the timeline, click the play icon in the player window, and pause when you reach the desired frame for the YouTube thumbnail. Click the camera icon to take a snapshot.

Step2 In the snapshot window, choose to save the snapshot as a PNG or JPG file.

Step3 Select the output storage location and click OK.

2. Resize the YouTube Thumbnail

Step1 Import the image into the app timeline.

Step2 Drag and drop the image into the timeline and click the green “Export“ button. In the popup Export window, select GIF. Next, click “Settings“ to adjust the resolution.

Step3 As the recommended size of a YouTube Thumbnail is 1280 * 720 pixels, you can set the resolution to 1280 * 720. Then click Apply and Export the GIF. You can now upload the GIF thumbnail to your YouTube account.

Method 4. Convert Images to YouTube Thumbnail Using Third-Party Software

In addition to using dedicated video editing software, several third-party image editing programs can be used to resize images for use as YouTube thumbnails. Programs like GIMP are popular for this purpose, as it offers a wide range of tools and features for editing and resizing images.

This program allows you to import an image, resize it to the dimensions required for a YouTube thumbnail (typically 1280 x 720 pixels), and save the edited version to your desired location. Using an image editing program can be a good option if you need more control over the appearance of your thumbnail or if you want to make more extensive edits beyond simply resizing the image.

To resize an image using an image editing program like GIMP, follow these steps:

Step1 Install and launch GIMP on your computer.

Step2 Click on “File“ > “Open,” then search for the file you want to resize.

Step3 Click on “Image“ > “Scale Image“ and make sure that the resolution is 1920 by 1080.

Step4 Click on “File“ > “Export As“ and toggle the “Select File Type (By Extension)“ option. Choose JPG/JPEG format because it can compress the thumbnail enough to stay within the limit of 2 megabytes.

Step5 You can change the quality of the image and click the “Export“ button to save the thumbnail.

Comparison of These 4 YouTube Thumbnail Resizing Methods

Now that we’ve explored the four methods for resizing YouTube thumbnails, it’s time to compare the pros and cons of each method. In this section, we’ll consider factors such as ease of use, speed, quality, cost, and compatibility to help you determine the best option for your needs.

Take a look at the table below for a more detailed comparison.

| | Windows Default App | Online YouTube Thumbnail Size Converter | Wondershare Filmora | Third-Party Software | |
| ————————————————– | ——————————————- | ———————– | ———————— | ——– |
| Other Software Required or Not | No | Yes (Internet Browser) | Yes | Yes |
| Internet Connection Required | No | Yes | No | No |
| Complexity of Operations | Easy | Easy | Easy | Moderate |
| Support Other Editing of the YouTube Thumbnail | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| File Size Limit | None | 25MB | None | None |

Resizing YouTube thumbnails using the Windows default app is a quick and easy method that requires no additional software or tools. However, the quality of the resized thumbnail may improve if the original image is low resolution, and this method is only suitable for users on Windows operating systems.

Online YouTube thumbnail size converters are convenient and easy to use, and they can be accessed from any device with an internet connection. They also typically preserve the quality of the original image. However, some online converters may have size limits or require a subscription to unlock all features, and using an online converter can be slower than using a dedicated software tool.

Using Wondershare Filmora allows you to create and edit YouTube thumbnails within a single application, which can be a time-saving advantage if you’re already using Filmora for other video editing tasks. However, Filmora is a paid software, so there is a cost associated with using it, and it may have a steeper learning curve for users new to video editing.

Image editing programs like GIMP offer many features and tools for customizing your thumbnail, including adding text, applying filters, and making more extensive edits beyond simply resizing the image. They also typically offer more control over the quality and appearance of the resized thumbnail.

However, using a third-party image editing program may require a learning curve and maybe more time-consuming than other methods, and there may be a cost associated with purchasing the software.

Each of the four methods for resizing YouTube thumbnails has its pros and cons, and the best method will depend on the user’s specific needs and preferences.

Conclusion

This article explored four methods for resizing YouTube thumbnails: using the Windows default app, online converters, Wondershare Filmora, and image editing programs like GIMP. Each method has advantages and disadvantages; the best one depends on your specific needs and preferences. No matter your chosen method, you can resize YouTube thumbnails confidently with these tools and techniques.

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Here is the step-by-step tutorial on how to use Filmora in resizing your YouTube thumbnail. It is divided into two parts:

1. Take a Snapshot as the Thumbnail with Filmora

Step2 In the snapshot window, choose to save the snapshot as a PNG or JPG file.

Step3 Select the output storage location and click OK.

2. Resize the YouTube Thumbnail

Step1 Import the image into the app timeline.

Step2 Drag and drop the image into the timeline and click the green “Export“ button. In the popup Export window, select GIF. Next, click “Settings“ to adjust the resolution.

Method 4. Convert Images to YouTube Thumbnail Using Third-Party Software

To resize an image using an image editing program like GIMP, follow these steps:

Step1 Install and launch GIMP on your computer.

Step2 Click on “File“ > “Open,” then search for the file you want to resize.

Step3 Click on “Image“ > “Scale Image“ and make sure that the resolution is 1920 by 1080.

Step5 You can change the quality of the image and click the “Export“ button to save the thumbnail.

Comparison of These 4 YouTube Thumbnail Resizing Methods

Take a look at the table below for a more detailed comparison.

However, using a third-party image editing program may require a learning curve and maybe more time-consuming than other methods, and there may be a cost associated with purchasing the software.

Each of the four methods for resizing YouTube thumbnails has its pros and cons, and the best method will depend on the user’s specific needs and preferences.

Conclusion

Discover the Leading Free iOS Video Editor: A Comprehensive Guide

Best Free YouTube Video Editing Apps for iPhone & iPad [2024]

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

iPhones and iPads can capture footage in high resolution, however, video clips you record with an iPhone or an iPad may contain imperfections sometimes. Removing parts of a video clip you don’t want to share publicly, or stabilizing the shaky footage are just a few ways in which you can improve the quality of the videos you’re creating.

The good news is that the iPhone and iPad support a broad range of video editing apps, which enables you to edit all videos you record on these devices before you post them on YouTube or other social media platforms.

There are hundreds of video editing apps to choose from at the App Store , but such a wide range of options can make the process of choosing a video editing app you are going to use to edit your videos, more complicated.

So, in this article, we are going to take you through the some of the best video editing apps for YouTube videos on iPhones and iPads and help you determine which of these apps is the right choice for you.

Part 1: Best Video Editing Apps for YouTube Video [Free & Paid]
Part 2: Edit YouTube Videos on iPhone with YouTube Studio

Before we get started, I want to recommend thebest video editing software for YouTubers - Wondershare Filmora video editor , an easy to use while powerful video editor that allows you not only cut, split, crop, resize, reverse your videos, but also offers you multiple video effects specially designed for Fashion, Beauty, Gaming, Travel, Education, etc. Check the video to know more fantastic features:

Free Download

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Secure Download

Free Download

For macOS 10.14 or later

Secure Download

Click here to get Filmora for PC by email
or Try Filmora App for mobile >>>

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Windows & Mac Cross-Platform compatible
Various Templates, Effects, Elements, Transitions, Filters for making Hollywood like movie easily
Practical Audio Editing Tools and Color Grading Feature

Part 1: Best Free Video Editing Apps for iPhone to Edit YouTube Videos You Should Know

Before you opt for one of the apps we’ve featured in our top list, you must first make sure that the app you’re interested in offers all the video editing tools you need to process the footage you recorded for your YouTube channel. Considering the number of audio and video tracks an app supports, the number of visual effects it offers or its file-sharing capabilities can make it easier for you to decide which app you are going to install on your device. However, your choice ultimately depends on how frequently and how professionally you want to edit your YouTube videos. Here are the top 5 video editing apps for iPhones and iPads.

1. Filmora

Price: Free, but offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: Requires iOS 9.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

This is an easy and convenient video editing app that is going to allow you to turn regular videos into artistic renditions that are going to look as if they were production-valued. All you need to do is choose the video and select the overall theme for it as well as the design and music. Furthermore, the app delivers some fantastic visual effects such as overlays, filters, elements and transitions, basic function. It also allows you to trim and split video clips, rotate and crop the footage, change the video speed, play the video backwards or add your own voiceover. Another special feature is that you can automate the video by selecting the best parts and letting the application handle everything else.

Pros

Lots of titles, overlays, filters, elements, transitions, themes for making artistic video
Enough editing tools to trim, split, rotate, crop videos on iPhone and iPad

Cons

NO advanced features such as Green Screen video compositing
Not connected to Filmora desktop video editor

2. iMovie

Price: Free

Compatibility: Requires iOS 11.4 or later.

This is a very comprehensive video editing app and a benchmark release for Apple. It is very similar to the desktop iMovie version, and it should definitely be featured on your device if you’re looking for a free YouTube video editing app for iOS. You can use it to add voiceovers, music, titles as well as photos to your work. There are a lot of templates, themes as well as filters for movie trailers that you can take advantage of if you want to make the video even better. You can enhance the video with slow motion and fast forward by changing video speed and add your own narration as well.

Pros

Totally Free for iPhone and iPad Users
Trailer Templates, Themes, Filters Available
Projects can edit on Mac with iMovie or Final Cut Pro X

Cons

No elements
Speed up limited to 2X

Learn more details about How to Edit YouTube videos with iMovie >>

3. Adobe Premiere Rush

Price: Free, but offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: Requires iOS 11.0 or later

Adobe’s software products have been at the center of the video editing world for several decades, but most of the company’s video and audio editing products are aimed athigh-end professional users .

Adobe Premiere Rush has a built-in camera feature, which allows you to capture high-resolution footage from the app and edit it as soon as you stop recording. Creating a soundtrack for a video, arranging video clips in any way you want or customizing a title template are just a few among countless video editing options Adobe Premiere Rush offers.

Its file-sharing capabilities are also impressive since you can share your videos to all major social media platforms directly from the app or edit the file on desktop with Premiere Pro CC. This makes Adobe Premiere Rush an excellent choice for YouTubers, vloggers and all other video content creators who often shoot their videos on different locations.

Pros:

Let users change a video’s aspect ratio effortlessly
Records high-definition footage
Rich title template library
Multitrack timeline

Cons:

A limited selection of video effects
The rendering process can be slow
Offers only a basic set of transitions

4. LumaFusion

Price: $29,00 – offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: Requires iOS 11 or later

The LumaFusion app is equipped with a wide spectrum of professional video editing tools, that enable video content creators to edit their footage with ease. You can choose a project’s frame rate or its aspect ratio in order to meet the content specifications of the social network on which you want to share your videos.

There are six separate video tracks as well as six audio tracks on the app’s timeline, which means that you can use media files like photos, videos and motion graphics in your projects or create stunning soundtracks.

LumaFusion’s selection of visual effects includes effects like Chroma Key or LUTs and you can also utilize the app’s color correction tools to make your own effects. This iOS-based video editor supports fast and slow-motion effects so that you can create smooth slow-motion videos at 120fps or 240fps.

Pros

Rich media library that contains free videos, sounds, and backgrounds
Lets users animate effects with keyframes
The app’s titler grants users full creative control over the process of creating titles for a video
Excellent file-sharing capabilities

Cons:

No video recording features
Requires previous video editing experience

Check the detailed comparison between LumaFusion and Premiere Rush

5. KineMaster

Price: Free, but offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: Requires iOS 10.3 or later

This video editor for iPhones and iPads grants you access to all the tools you are going to need to create videos that attract a lot of attention on YouTube. In fact, a lot of content creators who share their videos on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube are already using KineMaster to edit their footage.

Adding text layers, stickers or overlaying several videos or photos is easy with KineMaster, while you can also choose from a variety of blending modes that let you decide how the images are going to be combined.

The app features rich filters, music, visual and audio effect libraries and it supports 4K video editing. However, each video you create with the free version of KineMaster is going to be watermarked, and you must purchase the monthly or the annual subscription in order to remove the watermark and gain access to all of the app’s features.

Pros:

Excellent time-lapse and slow-motion video editing tools
Offers a broad range of image and text overlays
Allows users to animate layers with keyframes
The app’s Asset Store contains hundreds of free stickers, transitions, and music

Cons

You must make an in-app purchase to remove the watermark
No video recording capability
Limited color correction options

6. Magisto

Price: Free, but offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: Requires iOS 11.0 or later

Creating a new video with Magisto won’t take much more than a few moments of your time. You just have to select one of the available templates such as Birthday or Wedding, import the footage from your phone’s camera roll and add music to your project. Magisto’s AI-powered super-smart editor will do the rest for you.

Such a quick and simple video editing process makes this video editor for iPhones and iPads an excellent choice for digital marketers who want to create tutorials or promotional videos they can share on social media.

Purchasing the Magisto’s Business Plan will grant you access to dozens of business-based templates that can help you grow your online audience and improve your brand’s visibility. Keep in mind that purchasing one of the available subscription models is necessary if you want to use Magisto for professional purposes.

Pros:

A simple 3-step video creation process
Huge library of royalty-free songs
Offers a wide range of themes and templates
Lets users create video collages and videos from photos

Cons:

No 4K video editing support
The free version of the app has limited capabilities
More expensive than the competition

7. Filmmaker Pro Video Editor

Price: Free, but offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: Requires iOS 11.0 or later

Filmmaker Pro Video Editor is equipped with a versatile set of video editing tools that allow users to create attention-grabbing video content from their iPhones and iPads. The app lets you create as many audio and video tracks as your project demands, while it also supports 4K editing, although only on iPad Pro, iPhone SE and later iPhone models.

The Filmmaker Pro Video Editor provides more than thirty filters, as well as color grading tools that enable you to adjust a video’s contrast, exposure or brightness. Moreover, the app grants you access to Green Screen and Ken Burns effects that can be used to make your videos more visually dynamic.

In case you’re editing videos with the Filmmaker Pro Video Editor from an iPad you can use Apple Pen to draw over the footage you’re editing. The only downside is that you must make an in-app purchase to remove the watermark from the videos you export from this app.

Pros

Excellent font selection
Built-in fade-in and fade-out audio effects
Offers support for 4K video editing
The app doesn’t limit the number of projects you can create

Cons

Pricy
Limited file-sharing capabilities
Requires previous video editing experience

8. QUIK

This is an app which was initially designed for Instagram users, but it quickly transitioned to being one of the best apps for video editing on iPhone. You can make a variety of tweaks to your videos such as fonts, titles, filters, styles and pace of the video and trims. It is easy and convenient for usage.

9. SPLICE

This is another convenient option that you can take advantage of. You would be provided with the chance to add transitions, filters, and text. You can adjust the speed as well as trim the video as you see fit. There is a lot of flexibility delivered by the video which is quite convenient.

Part 2: How to Edit YouTube Videos on iPhone with the YouTube Studio Application

Being able to edit the videos you’ve uploaded to YouTube on your iPhone is without a doubt something very beneficial. The YouTube iOS application - YouTube Studio is a powerful mini video-editing tool. You can easily trim your video, add different effects and filters in order to prominently enhance the way that your video looks as well as to add music as a background and many more.

To edit videos with YouTube Studio, you need to upload the video footge first. To upload the video, navigate to the upper corner of your home screen, and click on the icon like a camera. Now that you can allow access to camera and go through and select your videos, you can easily take advantage of the three convenient tools.

You can trim the beginning as well as the ending of the video quickly, and you can select new start as well as end points. However, you wouldn’t be able to separate the clip in two different ones. Once you are through with that, you can easily add different filter effects through the filter option – there are six of them that you can take advantage of. Furthermore, you can easily add background music by tapping on the music icon which is located in the lower-right part of your screen.

The YouTube Studio app might be a good idea, but it doesn’t provide you with all the necessary capabilities as it is rather limited.

As you can see, there are quite a lot of different ways to edit YouTube videos on iPhone and all you need to do is download a specific application or use the one which YouTube has built-in. There is no need for any previous specific knowledge or skills in video editing as they provide quite comprehensive features.

Free Download

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Secure Download

Free Download

For macOS 10.14 or later

Secure Download

Click here to get Filmora for PC by email
or Try Filmora App for mobile >>>

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Check our guide for beginners about How to Edit YouTube videos with Filmora.

Richard Bennett

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

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