Resize Image for YouTube thumbnail
1280×720 px, pre-filled. Crop to exact size or fit inside, keep your format, download — processed in your browser.
Dimensions
What this tool does
It resizes any image to 1280×720 px — the size YouTube thumbnail displays — on your device, and lets you choose how to handle a different aspect ratio: Fit keeps the whole image inside the box, Crop gives exactly 1280×720 by trimming the centre, Stretch forces it (rarely what you want). The output keeps your input format (JPEG stays JPEG, PNG stays PNG, WebP stays WebP) and is downloaded straight back to your disk.
YouTube thumbnail dimensions and what the platform does
YouTube wants thumbnails at 1280×720 (16:9), minimum 640 px wide, under 2 MB, as JPG, PNG, GIF or BMP. Thumbnails are shown as small as 120 px wide in suggestions, so big shapes and three words beat detail.
Tips for a sharp result
Export JPEG at 90%+; under 2 MB is easy at 1280×720. Remember the duration badge covers the bottom-right corner.
Crop vs fit
Crop is pre-selected because platforms display a fixed box and an exact-size file avoids their own, usually worse, cropping. If your subject is not centred, crop by hand in any editor first, or use Fit and accept bars. Enlarging a small image to 1280 px will look soft — if that is your situation run it through the upscaler first, then resize.
How to do it
- Drop the image; 1280×720 is already filled in.
- Choose Fit, Crop or Stretch.
- Press Resize, then Download. Upload the file to YouTube thumbnail.
Frequently asked questions
Is my image uploaded?
No. The page is static and has no upload endpoint; your browser does the work on your own device and the result is saved straight back to your disk. The site's Content-Security-Policy only allows it to talk to its own origin, so it cannot send your file anywhere even by accident. Load the page, disconnect from the internet, and it still works.
What size does YouTube thumbnail actually want?
YouTube wants thumbnails at 1280×720 (16:9), minimum 640 px wide, under 2 MB, as JPG, PNG, GIF or BMP. Thumbnails are shown as small as 120 px wide in suggestions, so big shapes and three words beat detail..
Will it stretch my photo?
Only if you choose Stretch. The default is Crop (exact size, centre kept); Fit keeps everything and shrinks to fit inside the box.
Does it change the file format or quality?
The format is kept. JPEG and WebP are re-encoded at 92% quality, which is visually lossless; PNG stays lossless.
Can I use a different size?
Yes — the width and height fields are editable, and the resizer has presets for the other major platforms.
Is it free? Any limits or watermark?
Free, no account, no watermark, no daily quota. Because nothing runs on our servers there is nothing to meter. The only limits are your device's memory — anything up to roughly 50 megapixels is fine on a modern phone or laptop.