YouTube Thumbnail URL
YouTube thumbnail URL patterns for maxresdefault, hqdefault, and sddefault images—plus a live URL builder from any video link.
Live URL builder
Paste a YouTube link to generate thumbnail URLs.
Standard CDN patterns
Replace VIDEO_ID with the 11-character key from any YouTube URL.
| Key | Typical use |
|---|---|
maxresdefault.jpg | Largest available (~1280 px wide when present) |
sddefault.jpg | Standard definition fallback |
hqdefault.jpg | High quality 480p frame |
mqdefault.jpg | Medium quality |
default.jpg | Smallest preview |
Example
https://img.youtube.com/vi/dQw4w9WgXcQ/maxresdefault.jpgDownload instead of copying URLs
Use the YouTube Thumbnail Downloader to preview every size and save the file in one step.
Frequently asked questions
What is the YouTube thumbnail URL format? +
https://img.youtube.com/vi/VIDEO_ID/maxresdefault.jpg replaces VIDEO_ID with the 11-character video key.
Why does maxresdefault return a small image? +
Not every video has a high-resolution maxres asset. Try hqdefault.jpg or sddefault.jpg instead.
Do Shorts use the same thumbnail URLs? +
Yes. Shorts videos still have a video ID and use the same img.youtube.com paths.