How to make a YouTube thumbnail in Adobe Express
Start from Adobe Express's 1280x720 canvas, pick a free template, cut out your subject with Remove Background, add a short line, and download it. Then upload it in YouTube Studio yourself.
4 min read ThumbnailsYouTubeGuidesStudioAdobe Express is Adobe's design app, and it has a free plan. You make the thumbnail in Adobe Express, download it, and upload it yourself in YouTube Studio.
This post sticks to the Adobe Express clicks. If you want the thinking behind a good thumbnail first, [how to make a YouTube thumbnail](/blog/how-to-make-a-youtube-thumbnail) covers it. If you use Canva instead, see [how to make a YouTube thumbnail in Canva](/blog/how-to-make-a-youtube-thumbnail-in-canva).
Start from the YouTube thumbnail size
Adobe Express sets a YouTube thumbnail canvas to **1280 × 720 px** by default, which is 16:9. You don't need to type a size.
That's the only size you need. The full spec, including YouTube's 4K recommendation, lives in [YouTube thumbnail size](/blog/youtube-thumbnail-size).
Pick a free template or start blank
Adobe Express has free YouTube thumbnail templates, or you can start from a blank canvas.
A template is a fine starting layout. Swap out the photo, the words, and usually the colors. If you keep most of it, your thumbnail looks like every other channel that grabbed the same one.
Starting blank is better when your channel already has a look. It also makes it easier to stick to one subject and one line.
Add one subject and remove the background
Upload your own photo. A face or one clear object works best. Drop it on the page and make it big.
To cut the subject out, select the image, then in the left **Image** panel select **Remove Background**. Look at the edges afterward, since Adobe says it can drop fine details or low-contrast areas. Adobe's plan comparison lists Remove Background on the free plan.
One subject reads at phone size. Two or three fight each other.
Add your logo, fonts and colors with a Brand Kit
A Brand Kit keeps your logo, colors, and fonts in one place so every thumbnail looks like your channel. Brand Kits are a Premium feature. On the free plan, set your fonts and colors by hand each time.
To make one, navigate to **Brands** from Home or the Editor and select **Create brand**. Type in a brand name and click **Create**. Then upload your logo, colors, and fonts.
To use it, click the font or color picker in the Editor and your brand fonts and colors are right there. Your logos are in **Brands**.
Keep the logo out of the bottom-right corner. YouTube puts the video length there, so anything in that spot gets covered. [YouTube thumbnail safe zones](/blog/youtube-thumbnail-safe-zones) shows everything YouTube lays over the image.
Add a 3 to 5 word line
Add one short line of text. Three to five words is plenty. Say something the title doesn't, so the two work together instead of repeating each other.
Make the text big and bold, with strong contrast against the background. Keep it out of the bottom-right corner too. [How to add text to a YouTube thumbnail](/blog/how-to-add-text-to-youtube-thumbnail) has more on fonts and placement.
Generate an image from a text prompt
This step is optional. It's handy for a background or a prop, not for your own face.
On the Adobe Express homepage, select **Generate AI > Generate image**. Describe what you want in the **Prompt** box and select **Generate**. Pick a result and select **Open in editor** to keep working on it.
Generations are limited. Adobe says free users get a limited number of free daily generations, and those limits refresh each day. Premium includes 250 generative credits a month, and Adobe notes the numbers can change.
Download it as a JPG or PNG
Select **Download** and save the file to your device as a JPG or PNG.
YouTube takes JPG or PNG. The size limit is 2 MB when you upload from a phone and up to 50 MB from desktop YouTube Studio. The rest of the spec is in [YouTube thumbnail size](/blog/youtube-thumbnail-size). If your file is too big for a phone upload, [how to compress a YouTube thumbnail](/blog/how-to-compress-youtube-thumbnail) gets it down without making it mushy.
Upload it in YouTube Studio
Sign in to YouTube Studio and select **Content** in the left menu, then click the video's title or thumbnail to open **Details**. Under **Thumbnail**, click **Upload file**, pick your JPG, and click **SAVE**.
Don't see **Upload file**? Your channel probably needs phone verification first, and [how to enable custom YouTube thumbnails](/blog/how-to-enable-custom-youtube-thumbnails) walks through it. To swap a thumbnail later, see [how to change a YouTube thumbnail](/blog/how-to-change-youtube-thumbnail).
Check clarity before you upload
Run the export through [Thumbly Score](/thumbly-score) and check **Clarity** before it goes live.
