Resize a thumbnail to 16:9 or 9:16 without stretching it.
Fit the whole image or crop it cleanly into a 1280 × 720 or Full HD 1920 × 1080 export for YouTube videos, or a 1080 × 1920 export for Shorts.
Drop one still image here, or choose a JPG, PNG, or WebP.
No account required. Select one image at a time.
Choose an image to inspect the crop before downloading.
HOW IT WORKS
How to resize an image to 16:9 for a YouTube thumbnail.
- Choose the image.To resize an image for a YouTube thumbnail, start from a JPG, PNG, or WebP on your device. It never leaves this browser.
- Pick the frame.Video 16:9 exports 1280 × 720 or Full HD 1920 × 1080 for a YouTube thumbnail; Shorts 9:16 exports 1080 × 1920.
- Fit or fill, then download.Fit keeps the whole image inside the frame; Fill crops the edges. Neither stretches the subject.
The YouTube thumbnail size guide lists what YouTube asks for, and the size and quality checker tests a file against it. For Shorts, a thumbnail designed for the tall frame usually beats a crop; the Shorts thumbnail maker builds one. Over 2 MB? The thumbnail compressor brings it under the phone app's limit. Then see it at feed size in the thumbnail tester.
HOW TO USE IT
Choose the frame, then control the crop.
Fit keeps the full image and may add empty space. Fill covers the frame and crops the edges without distorting the subject.
QUESTIONS
YouTube thumbnail resizer questions.
No. Your image stays in this browser. WThumb does not upload or save it.
One still image at a time, as a JPG, PNG, or WebP file. Drop it on the tool or choose it from your device. No account required.
Yes, it works as an aspect ratio converter. Choose Video 16:9, then Fit to keep the whole image with empty space around it, or Fill to crop the edges. The subject is never stretched.
1280 × 720 or Full HD 1920 × 1080 for Video 16:9, and 1080 × 1920 for Shorts 9:16, as a JPG or PNG. YouTube accepts any 16:9 image at least 640 pixels wide, so either video size uploads as it is.
Yes. Choose Video 16:9, then 1920 × 1080 (Full HD) under Video size. Enlarging a smaller image to Full HD changes its dimensions but cannot add detail the source does not have, so for the best image quality start from the largest image you have.
YouTube's Add custom thumbnails page recommends 3840 by 2160 for videos and accepts any 16:9 image at least 640 pixels wide. This resizer's largest video export is Full HD 1920 × 1080. Enlarging a smaller image to 4K changes its dimensions but adds no detail, so export at the size your source can fill.
Choose Shorts 9:16 for a 1080 × 1920 export. Fill crops a landscape image to about a third of its width, so check that the subject survives the crop; Fit keeps everything but leaves space above and below.
YouTube sets 2 MB for a video thumbnail uploaded from the mobile app and 50 MB from a computer. A detailed PNG can pass 2 MB. If a phone upload refuses the file, run it through the free thumbnail compressor: its Target 2 MB setting finds the highest quality that fits.
Enlarging a small source image changes its dimensions but cannot restore detail that is not in the original file.
Studio opens separately and will ask you to select the image again.
Ready for a fresh direction?
Start with a reference you like and make a new thumbnail around your channel.
Make a new thumbnail in WThumbStudio opens separately and will ask you to select the image again.