YouTube thumbnail size
YouTube recommends 1280 × 720 pixels (16:9), with a minimum width of 640 pixels. Thumbnails are shown tiny in search and suggestions, so text must be big and short.
Thumbnails that get clicked
- Three to five words, not the full title.
- High contrast: light text on a dark photo or the reverse: use the darken slider.
- One focal point: a face, the product, or the result.
- Keep the bottom-right corner clear: the video length covers it (red guide).
- Match fonts across videos so your channel is recognizable. Heavy display fonts like Anton and Bebas Neue are built for this.