YouTube Thumbnail Resolution
Understand resolution requirements for YouTube thumbnails and how to export the highest quality images within the file size limit.
| Recommended Resolution | 1280 x 720 px (720p) |
| DPI/PPI | 72 PPI(Standard for web/screen display) |
| Color Space | sRGB(Standard for web content) |
| Color Depth | 8-bit (24-bit color) |
| Maximum File Size | 2 MB |
| JPG Quality | 80-95%(Best balance of quality and size) |
| PNG Compression | Lossless(Better for text and graphics) |
- Export JPG at 85-90% quality for the best balance of sharpness and file size.
- Use PNG format when your thumbnail contains sharp text or graphic elements.
- Set your canvas to 72 PPI - higher DPI does not improve web display quality.
- Always use sRGB color space to ensure colors look correct on all screens.
- If your file exceeds 2 MB, reduce JPG quality or simplify the design before resizing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The best resolution for YouTube thumbnails is 1280x720 pixels. This is the maximum resolution YouTube supports for thumbnail images and ensures sharp display on all devices.
No, DPI (dots per inch) does not affect how thumbnails display on screens. Web images are measured in pixels, not DPI. Set 72 PPI to keep file sizes small, as the pixel dimensions (1280x720) are what matter.
No. YouTube will downscale any image to fit. Using 1280x720 is optimal because it is the native display resolution. Larger images only increase file size without improving quality.
Blurry thumbnails are usually caused by uploading images smaller than 1280x720, using heavy JPG compression, or upscaling a low-resolution image. Always design at 1280x720 from the start.
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