How to change a YouTube thumbnail

Before you start

• A verified account. Uploading a custom thumbnail is an intermediate feature, so you have to verify your channel with a phone number first. Without it, you can only choose from the thumbnails YouTube suggests.
• The right image. Use a JPG or PNG at 16:9 for videos and 9:16 for Shorts. It must be at least 640 pixels wide for a video, or 640 pixels tall for a Short. YouTube recommends 3840 × 2160 for videos. See YouTube thumbnail size for the full list.
• The file size limit. 50 MB from a computer. From a phone, 2 MB for a video thumbnail.
• A daily limit. If you see "Daily custom thumbnail limit reached", wait 24 hours and try again.

Change a video thumbnail on a computer

1. Sign in to YouTube Studio.
2. From the left menu, select Content.
3. Go to the video and click the edit icon.
4. Below "Thumbnail", click Upload file and choose your image. You can also click Get suggestions to pick one YouTube generates.
5. Click Save.

Change a Shorts thumbnail

You can only do this on a computer for now. It works when you upload the Short or at any time after.

1. Sign in to YouTube Studio.
2. From the left menu, select Content, then pick Shorts at the top.
3. Go to the Short and click the edit icon.
4. Below "Thumbnail", click Upload file and choose an image. YouTube recommends 9:16.
5. Click Save.

Change a thumbnail on your phone

The steps are the same on Android, iPhone and iPad.

In the YouTube Studio app:

1. Open the app and tap Content in the bottom menu.
2. Select the video.
3. Tap Edit, then Edit thumbnail.
4. Pick a suggested thumbnail, or tap Custom thumbnail and choose an image from your phone.
5. Tap Select, then Save.

In the YouTube app:

1. Tap your profile picture, then Your videos.
2. Next to the video, tap More, then Edit, then Edit thumbnail.
3. Pick a suggested thumbnail, or tap Custom thumbnail and choose an image.
4. Tap Select, then Save.

Neither app can change a Shorts thumbnail yet.

Check that the new thumbnail is live

YouTube warns that thumbnail changes can take time to appear. Browsers and other sites may also keep the old image for a while: when we checked, YouTube's image server let browsers reuse a copy for up to two hours.

Paste your video's link below to see the thumbnail YouTube is serving right now, in every size. If you still see the old one, give it time before you upload again.

If it doesn't work

• No "Upload file" or "Custom thumbnail" option. Your account isn't verified. Verify it with a phone number, then try again.
• You're on your phone and it's a Short. Use YouTube Studio on a computer.
• An A/B test is running on the video. Changing the thumbnail during a test stops the test. Finish or stop the test first if you want its result.
• The upload is rejected. Check the file type, the size limit and the 640-pixel minimum. Thumbnails also have to follow YouTube's Community Guidelines; see YouTube thumbnail guidelines.
• The old thumbnail still shows. See YouTube thumbnail not showing.