YouTube Thumbnail Measurements: The Right Size for 2024

Learn the correct YouTube thumbnail measurements for 2024 and how to optimize them for the best quality and viewer engagement!

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Thumbnails are one of the biggest pain points for new creators, and an important one to solve. Thumbnails are the "book cover" of your video—something that needs to grab attention in just a fraction of a second.

There are so many elements that go into making that winning thumbnail for your content, and it's simply not possible to address all of that here. So, watch our weekly live thumbnail reviews with expert, John Scott, to get all your thumbnail queries answered.

In this post, we'll walk you through the ideal YouTube thumbnail size, some key best practices for creating thumbnails that stand out!

Why Thumbnail Size Matters on YouTube

First impressions are critical in the endless ocean of YouTube content. The thumbnail plays a massive role in getting viewers to click on your video over countless others. For new YouTubers trying to gain traction, getting your thumbnail right can be the difference between a low-performing video and that ever-alluring viral hit. Here’s why size specifically matters:

Optimized Display: YouTube thumbnails appear across a wide range of devices—desktops, tablets, and, most importantly, mobile phones. Therefore, you need a thumbnail that remains sharp and eye-catching across all these platforms.

Professional Appearance: Thumbnails with the correct size and dimensions ensure a polished, professional look. Low-quality, blurry images won’t just make your video less appealing—they’ll make it look amateurish.

The Best Size for YouTube Thumbnails in 2024

When designing your thumbnail, the recommended size is 1280 x 720 pixels with a 16:9 aspect ratio. This size works across devices and ensures your thumbnail looks pleasing to the eye. Additionally, the minimum width YouTube accepts is 640 pixels but going lower than the recommended size is probably not a good idea. To keep things simple, here's what you need to follow.

Dimensions: 1280 x 720 pixels
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 (standard YouTube video aspect ratio)
File Size Limit: 2MB
File Types: JPEG, PNG, GIF

Image: https://www.oberlo.com/blog/youtube-thumbnail-size

Using the optimal size guarantees that your thumbnail will look crisp, regardless of the screen size it's being viewed on. It also helps your video stand out in YouTube search results and suggested video sections, making it an essential element of your overall video SEO strategy.

Best Practices for Creating YouTube Thumbnails

Creating a well-designed thumbnail is more than just getting the size right. It’s about crafting something that resonates with your audience and drives them to click. Let’s break down some important design strategies that’ll help your thumbnails pop in 2024:

1. Simplicity is Key

Your thumbnail needs to deliver a clear message in a split second. Overloading it with too many details, colors, or text can be overwhelming, especially when viewed on smaller screens like mobile phones. Stick to one focal point and keep the design clean.

2. Use Bold, Easy-to-Read Text

Text on thumbnails can be incredibly effective—if done right. Use large, bold fonts that stand out against the background. Avoid cramming too many words; instead, aim for short, snappy phrases that intrigue viewers. Also, contrast is essential. If your background is dark, make sure your text is light, and vice versa.

3. Choose High-Contrast Colors

Your thumbnail should immediately grab attention, even when it’s displayed alongside hundreds of others. Using high-contrast colors can help your image stand out. Consider using colors that are complementary or that contrast sharply with YouTube’s default red, black, and white color scheme.

4. Show Human Faces (with Emotions)

Thumbnails that feature human faces—especially ones that show strong emotions—tend to get higher engagement. Whether it’s excitement, surprise, or curiosity, showing a human expression can create an instant connection with potential viewers.

5. Consistency Across Your Channel

One great trick for building brand recognition is to use a consistent style for all your thumbnails. This could include specific color schemes, text placement, or the use of your logo in a corner. Over time, viewers will come to recognize your videos at a glance, making it more likely they’ll click on your content.

For example, this is how the vidIQ channel home page looks at first glance. As you can see, there is homogeneity in the way we use our creators faces and other graphical elements across videos./

Common Mistakes to Avoid

While designing thumbnails can be fun, it’s wise to avoid a few traps. Here are some common mistakes that you should avoid at all costs:

Using Misleading Thumbnails: Never use clickbait or misleading images that have nothing to do with your video’s content. This will only frustrate viewers, hurt your channel’s reputation, and lead to a high bounce rate—something YouTube’s algorithm won’t like.
Too Much Text: You don’t want to clutter your thumbnail with unnecessary text. Keep it short and to the point. Let the title of your video do the talking, and use text on your thumbnail sparingly.
Ignoring Mobile Viewers: More than half of YouTube’s traffic comes from mobile devices, so always ensure your thumbnails are legible on small screens. If you’re adding text, make sure it’s large and bold enough to read easily on a smartphone.
Low-Quality Images: A blurry or pixelated thumbnail can significantly reduce your video’s chances of getting clicked. Always use high-resolution images, and if you’re unsure, err on the side of larger file sizes (up to 2MB) rather than sacrificing quality.

Tips for Testing and Optimizing Thumbnails

If you’re not sure which thumbnail design will work best, don’t be afraid to experiment. YouTube allows you to change thumbnails even after your video has been published. Here are some tips for testing and optimizing your thumbnails over time:

A/B Testing: Try switching between different thumbnails on the same video and track their performance in YouTube Analytics. This way, you can identify which design drives more clicks.
Analyze Your CTR: Pay attention to the Click-Through Rate (CTR) of your videos. A higher CTR means more people are engaging with your content, which helps boost your visibility in YouTube’s algorithm.
Track Viewer Behavior: Beyond the CTR, also look at how long people are watching your video. If your audience is dropping off quickly after clicking, your thumbnail might not accurately represent your content.

YouTube also has its own tool for optimizing, testing, and comparing different thumbnail options for the same video by using the above metrics.

According to YouTube, 90% of the best-performing videos use custom thumbnails. In 2024, making it on YouTube involves more than just creating great content—you need to package it well, starting with your thumbnail. Understanding the best size for YouTube thumbnails and following design best practices will set you on the path to success.

Whether you’re just starting or looking to level up your YouTube game, getting your thumbnail right is a crucial step to increasing your views, engagement, and subscriber count. Now it’s time to create that killer thumbnail and let your content shine!