Generating from YouTube Videos

ThumbnailCreator works directly with YouTube URLs — you can extract existing thumbnails for editing or generate entirely new ones based on video content.

Extracting Existing Thumbnails

The fastest way to start editing is to extract a thumbnail from a YouTube video:

1. Go to the Editor
2. Under the Upload Image tab, paste a YouTube URL or video ID
3. Click Extract
4. The current thumbnail is pulled from YouTube and loaded into the editor

This is perfect when you want to edit or refresh an existing thumbnail without starting from scratch.

Supported URL formats

• Full URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABC123
• Short URL: https://youtu.be/ABC123
• Video ID only: ABC123

Generating from Video Content

You can also generate a new thumbnail informed by your video's content:

1. Go to Utilities > Video to Thumbnail
2. Paste your YouTube URL
3. The AI analyzes the video title, description, and content
4. It generates thumbnail concepts that match the video's topic
5. Choose from the generated options or refine with editing

This is especially useful for:

• Channels that want thumbnails that match their content automatically
• Refreshing older videos with modern thumbnail styles
• Creating thumbnails before the video is published (using just the title/topic)

Extracting Video Stills

If you want to use an actual frame from your video:

1. Go to Utilities > Extract Stills
2. Paste your YouTube URL
3. The tool extracts key frames from the video
4. Select a still to use as your thumbnail base
5. Edit it further in the AI editor

Tips

• Extract thumbnails from top-performing competitors to study what works, then create your own version
• When generating from a URL, the AI considers the video title — make sure your title is finalized first
• Combine extracted stills with AI editing for a natural, authentic look that still pops