What size are YouTube Shorts thumbnails?

Shorts use vertical 9:16 video. Custom thumbnail uploads follow the same 1280×720 minimum width guidance when the feature is available on your channel.

Can I set a custom thumbnail on Shorts?

Custom Shorts thumbnails are available on eligible channels via YouTube Studio, similar to long-form uploads.

Do Shorts thumbnail URLs work like regular videos?

Yes. Shorts have a standard video ID and use the same img.youtube.com CDN patterns.

YouTube Shorts Thumbnail Size

Shorts feel like a separate format, but thumbnail mechanics overlap with long-form video— with a vertical twist.

Shorts video dimensions

Shorts are vertical 9:16 video, typically 1080×1920 pixels. The in-feed preview is vertical, not the classic 16:9 box.

When YouTube allows a custom thumbnail on a Short, upload requirements align with standard thumbnail guidance:

Minimum width 640 px
Recommended 1280×720 or proportional high-quality source
Maximum file size 2 MB
Formats: JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP

See the full spec sheet: YouTube Thumbnail Size.

Custom thumbnails on Shorts

Availability depends on channel features and app version. When enabled:

Open YouTube Studio.
Select the Short under Content.
Upload a custom thumbnail like any long-form video.

If upload is unavailable, YouTube selects a frame from the vertical video automatically.

Designing for vertical previews

Vertical composition differs from widescreen thumbnails:

Center the subject. Faces and products should sit in the middle third.
Fewer words. Vertical frames have less horizontal space for headlines.
High contrast still wins. Mobile feeds remain the primary surface.

Gaming and podcast niches: see YouTube thumbnail templates for layout ideas adapted to bold vertical crops.

Download Shorts thumbnails

Shorts URLs include a normal video ID:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VIDEO_ID

Paste any Shorts link into the YouTube Thumbnail Downloader or build CDN URLs manually via YouTube Thumbnail URL.

Shorts vs. long-form checklist

	Long-form	Shorts
Video ratio	16:9	9:16
Feed preview	Widescreen	Vertical
Video ID format	Standard 11-char	Standard 11-char
CDN patterns	img.youtube.com/vi/…	Same