Okviro Tools is not affiliated with, endorsed or sponsored by YouTube or Google. YouTube is a trademark of Google LLC. Thumbnails belong to the people who made them: download only your own, or ones you have permission to use.
How do I download a YouTube thumbnail?
Copy the video link, paste it into the box above and press Get thumbnails. The tool shows the thumbnail in every size YouTube has, from HD 1280 × 720 down to 120 × 90. Press Download JPG under the size you want and the image is saved to your device. It takes a second and needs no account.
How to download the thumbnail of a YouTube video
- Open the video on YouTube, press Share and choose Copy link.
- Paste the link into the box above. The thumbnails load automatically, or press Get thumbnails.
- Pick the size you need. The first card is the best quality available for that video.
- Press Download JPG. On a phone the image goes to your downloads or the Files app.
Which thumbnail sizes does YouTube have?
| Size | Pixels | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| HD (maxres) | 1280 × 720 | 16:9, the size creators upload. Only exists for HD videos. |
| SD | 640 × 480 | 4:3, black bars above and below a 16:9 picture |
| High | 480 × 360 | 4:3, available for every video |
| Medium | 320 × 180 | 16:9 without bars, good for small previews |
| Small | 120 × 90 | 4:3 icon size |
If a size is missing, YouTube doesn't have it for that video, usually because it was uploaded in low resolution or a long time ago. The tool only shows sizes that really exist.
What can you use a downloaded thumbnail for?
- Studying what works: collect the thumbnails of the most viewed videos in your niche and compare colours, faces and text.
- Your own videos: get back a thumbnail you uploaded but no longer have on your computer.
- Presentations and articles: show a video in a slide or blog post, with credit and, where needed, the creator's permission.
YouTube recommends uploading custom thumbnails at 1280 × 720 pixels and under 2 MB. If you are making your own, the Aspect Ratio Converter fits any image to 16:9.
Questions
Is the thumbnail downloader free?
Yes. It is free with no sign-up, no watermark and no limit on how many thumbnails you download.
Why is there no HD 1280 × 720 thumbnail?
YouTube only creates the HD size for videos uploaded in HD. For older or low-resolution videos the best size is usually 480 × 360 or 640 × 480, and the tool shows that instead.
Why do some thumbnails have black bars?
The 640 × 480, 480 × 360 and 120 × 90 sizes are 4:3, so a 16:9 picture gets black bars above and below. Use HD or the 320 × 180 size for a picture without bars.
Can I use someone else's thumbnail?
Thumbnails are the creator's work and are protected by copyright. Use them for personal reference, or ask the creator before publishing them anywhere.
Does it work with YouTube Shorts and on phones?
Yes. Paste a Shorts link (youtube.com/shorts/…) or any normal or youtu.be link. On iPhone the JPG goes to the Files app; open it and choose Save Image to put it in Photos.
Is anything uploaded or stored?
No. Your browser loads the image straight from YouTube's public image server and saves it to your device. Okviro Tools doesn't receive or store the link or the picture.