Pricing

YouTube Thumbnail Maker & Preview

Design 1280 × 720 YouTube thumbnails with templates, text, images and shapes, preview them at real sizes, and download JPG or PNG.

Using this tool is free. Each download or copy of a result uses 1 export; the same result again within 24 hours is free.

Make YouTube thumbnails that are readable at every size

The YouTube Thumbnail Maker & Preview is a simple online editor for 1280 × 720 (16:9) thumbnails. Start from a template or a blank canvas, add your photos, bold headlines, shapes and arrows, then preview the thumbnail in a video-site style home grid, search results and small phone sizes before you download it.

How it works

  1. Pick a templateGaming, tutorial, education, business, vlog, review, news and podcast layouts, all fully editable, or a blank canvas.
  2. DesignAdd text with outlines, shadows and background panels, pictures (crop, flip, round corners), boxes, circles, arrows and lines. Drag, resize and rotate.
  3. PreviewSee it at real sizes next to example videos, in light and dark mode, with the time stamp corner shown.
  4. DownloadA JPG or PNG of exactly 1280 × 720 pixels, kept under 2 MB where possible.

  • Backgrounds

    Solid colours, gradients or your own picture, with zoom, positioning and a colour overlay to make text stand out.

  • Readable text

    Bold fonts, outlines and shadows help headlines stay readable when the thumbnail is small.

  • Layers and undo

    Reorder, duplicate and delete elements, nudge them with the arrow keys, and undo or redo any change.

  • AI ideas (optional)

    Describe your video to get short headline ideas, colour palettes and layout suggestions. Headlines go into real, editable text: the tool doesn’t generate images.

  • Saved designs

    Save designs with their pictures in your browser and come back to them later.

  • Private

    Your pictures are processed in your browser and never uploaded.

Price

Designing and previewing are free. Each download uses 1 export, and downloading the same design again within 24 hours is free. AI ideas need a free account and are paid from bought exports or the Monthly 50 allowance (usually 1 export). See pricing. This tool isn’t affiliated with YouTube; check YouTube’s current thumbnail guidelines. To crop or convert a photo first, use the Image Cropper.

Got a video to publish?

Make a thumbnail

How to use the YouTube Thumbnail Maker & Preview

  1. Choose a template or a blank canvas, then add your photos, headlines, boxes, circles and arrows.
  2. Click any element to change its text, font, colours, outline, shadow, size or rotation; drag to move it and use the handles to resize or rotate.
  3. Check the preview at real sizes in light and dark mode, then download a 1280 × 720 JPG or PNG.

Questions about this tool

Is the YouTube Thumbnail Maker & Preview free?

Using it and previewing the result are free. Downloading, copying or saving the final result uses 1 export: from £1.00 for 5, or included in a monthly plan. The same result again within 24 hours is free.

What size is a YouTube thumbnail?

YouTube commonly recommends 1280 × 720 pixels (16:9), at least 640 pixels wide, as JPG, PNG or GIF under 2 MB. This tool always exports exactly 1280 × 720 and keeps JPGs under 2 MB where possible. Check YouTube’s current help pages, as limits can change.

Can I preview how my thumbnail will look?

Yes. The preview shows your thumbnail at real sizes in a generic video-site home grid, search results and a small phone or sidebar size, in light or dark mode, with a time stamp in the corner where YouTube places one.

Does it generate images with AI?

No. AI ideas give you short headlines, colour palettes and layout suggestions as text, which you apply to real, editable elements. Add your own photos or screenshots for the picture.

Are my pictures kept or sent anywhere?

No. Pictures are processed in your browser and never uploaded. Saved designs stay in your browser. For AI ideas, only the topic you type is sent to Anthropic’s Claude.

Can I use the templates commercially?

Yes. The templates are made only of shapes and text from this tool, and the fonts are system fonts or open-licence fonts (Roboto, Dancing Script). Make sure you have the rights to any pictures you add.

Does it work on my phone?

Yes. It works in any modern browser on phones, tablets and computers, with nothing to install.

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