YouTube thumbnail downloader.
Paste a YouTube link (a normal video, a Short, or a youtu.be share link) and see the video's thumbnail in every size YouTube keeps, up to full HD where it exists. Download the one you need in a click.
- Free, no sign-up
- Runs in your browser. Nothing you enter is sent to us.
How to use the YouTube Thumbnail Downloader
- Copy the video's link from YouTube: the address bar, the Share button or a Shorts link all work.
- Paste it in the box.
- Every available size is shown, largest first.
- Click Download under the size you want.
The sizes YouTube keeps
- Max resolution: 1280 × 720 px. Only exists if the uploader added a high-resolution thumbnail or the video is HD.
- Standard: 640 × 480 px.
- High quality: 480 × 360 px. Always available.
- Medium: 320 × 180 px.
Use thumbnails fairly
Thumbnails belong to whoever made the video. Downloading one to study what works, to use in a presentation about the video, or to recover your own lost artwork is reasonable. Reusing someone else's thumbnail as your own, or in advertising, may infringe their copyright. When in doubt, ask the creator, or make your own.
What makes a thumbnail get clicks
- A clear, close-up face or subject, visible even at phone size.
- Three or four words at most, in big, high-contrast text.
- Bright colours that stand out from the rest of the page.
- An honest promise: thumbnails that mislead get clicks and then lose viewers, which YouTube notices.
Making your own
Design at 1280 × 720 px, keep important parts away from the bottom-right corner (the video length covers it), and save as JPG under 2 MB. Our image resizer and image compressor help get the size and file weight right.
About the YouTube Thumbnail Downloader.
How do I download a YouTube thumbnail?
Paste the video link above and click Download under the size you want. It works with normal videos, Shorts and youtu.be links.
Why is there no HD version?
YouTube only keeps a 1280 × 720 thumbnail for some videos, usually HD uploads or those with a custom thumbnail. Use the largest size shown.
Can I use a downloaded thumbnail on my own channel?
Not someone else's. Thumbnails are the creator's work and protected by copyright. Use downloads for reference, or for your own videos.
Does it work with private videos?
No. Only public and unlisted videos have thumbnails YouTube makes available.
Is anything uploaded or stored?
No. Your browser loads the thumbnails directly from YouTube's image server.
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