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Help CenterGenerating Thumbnails with AI
AI Generation

Generating Thumbnails with AI

Create thumbnails from text descriptions using AI — learn about prompt writing, aspect ratios, resolution settings, and generation options.

The AI Thumbnail Generator creates YouTube thumbnails from text descriptions. Describe what you want, and the AI produces a professional thumbnail in seconds.

Getting to the Generator

  1. Go to Utilities in the sidebar
  2. Click AI Thumbnail Generator
  3. You'll see the generation form with a prompt field and settings

Writing Good Prompts

The prompt is the most important part of generation. Here's what works:

Be specific and visual

  • Good: "A shocked person looking at a massive pile of cash, bold yellow text 'I QUIT MY JOB', dark moody background"
  • Bad: "Money video thumbnail"

Include key elements

  • Subject: Who or what is in the thumbnail (person, object, scene)
  • Expression/Action: What the subject is doing (shocked face, pointing, holding something)
  • Text: Any words you want on the thumbnail (keep it to 3-5 words max)
  • Colors/Mood: Dark, bright, warm, neon, etc.
  • Composition: Where elements should be placed

Prompt tips

  • Mention "YouTube thumbnail" in your prompt for optimized framing
  • Specify text placement: "bold text in the top left"
  • Reference emotions: "surprised", "excited", "curious"
  • Keep prompts under 200 words for best results

Aspect Ratio

Choose your aspect ratio before generating:

  • 16:9 — Standard YouTube thumbnail (1280x720). Use this for most videos.
  • 9:16 — Vertical format for YouTube Shorts, Instagram Stories, TikTok.

Generation Options

  • Number of variations: Generate 1-10 thumbnails at once to compare options
  • Face reference: If you have a trained face model, the AI can include your face
  • Style reference: Apply a saved style to maintain visual consistency

After Generation

Once your thumbnails are generated:

  1. Browse through the variations
  2. Click on any thumbnail to open it in the editor for refinement
  3. Give feedback (thumbs up/down) to help the AI learn your preferences
  4. Download or continue editing with AI tools

Tips

  • Generate 3-5 variations and pick the best one — variety helps you find what clicks
  • Use design rules to enforce brand constraints automatically
  • Combine generation with the editor for fine-tuning specific elements
  • If a face looks wrong, give a thumbs down with details — the system learns from feedback