How to make a YouTube thumbnail in Photoshop
Make a 1280 × 720 document in Photoshop, place one subject, remove the background, add a short line, export a JPG with Export As, and upload it in YouTube Studio.
5 min read ThumbnailsYouTubeGuidesStudioPhotoshop is the full version of the editor that tools like Photopea copy. You get layers, masks, and real type controls. Photoshop can't put the image on your video for you, so you export a JPG and upload it yourself in YouTube Studio.
This post sticks to the Photoshop 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. Don't have Photoshop? Try [how to make a YouTube thumbnail in Photopea](/blog/how-to-make-a-youtube-thumbnail-in-photopea) or [how to make a YouTube thumbnail in Canva](/blog/how-to-make-a-youtube-thumbnail-in-canva).
Start with a 1280 × 720 document
Click **File > New**, or press **Ctrl + N** (**Command + N** on a Mac). Photoshop doesn't have a YouTube thumbnail preset, so pick any preset in the **Web** tab and change the numbers.
In the **Preset Details** pane, type **1280** into **Width** and **720** into **Height**, with the unit set to **Pixels**. Keep **RGB Color** and 72 pixels/inch, then click **Create**. To skip this next time, click the save icon in **Preset Details**, and the size shows up in the **Saved** tab.
1280 × 720 at 16:9 is the safe pick. YouTube now recommends going as large as 3840 × 2160, and it needs at least 640 pixels wide. The full spec is in [YouTube thumbnail size](/blog/youtube-thumbnail-size), and [how to resize a YouTube thumbnail](/blog/how-to-resize-youtube-thumbnail) helps if you already made one at the wrong size.
Place one subject
Click **File > Place Embedded**, pick your photo, and click **Place**. Hold **Shift** while you drag a corner to keep its proportions, then press **Enter** (**Return** on a Mac) to commit.
The photo lands as a Smart Object layer, so you can resize it later without losing quality. A face or one clear object works best, so make it big.
One subject reads at phone size, while two or three fight each other. Keep it out of the bottom right corner, where YouTube shows the video length. [YouTube thumbnail safe zones](/blog/youtube-thumbnail-safe-zones) shows everything YouTube puts over the image.
Cut the subject out
The quick way is a Quick Action. Make sure the photo layer is selected and unlocked. Open the **Discover** panel with the search icon or **Help > Photoshop Help**, then go to **Browse > Quick Actions > Remove Background**. Photoshop leaves you with a transparent background or a masked layer.
The cleaner way takes two steps. Pick a selection tool and click **Select Subject** in the options bar, then use **Select and Mask** if hair or edges look rough. Then choose **Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal Selection**.
The mask hides the background without deleting it. If something got cut off, paint on the mask with the **Brush** tool to fix it. Got more than one person in the shot? The **Object Selection** tool picks just one.
Add a 3 to 5 word line
Pick the **Horizontal Type** tool (**T**) from the toolbar, click once on the canvas, and type one short line. A single click makes point text, which is made for headlines. It shows up as its own type layer in the **Layers** panel.
Three to five words is plenty. Say something the title doesn't, so the two work together instead of repeating each other. Make it big, bold, and high contrast. [How to add text to a YouTube thumbnail](/blog/how-to-add-text-to-youtube-thumbnail) covers fonts, size, and contrast.
Check it at small size
Most people see your thumbnail at phone size, so look at it small before you export. Zoom out until the canvas is about as small as a thumbnail in the feed. If the words or the face stop reading, make them bigger.
Then save a PSD with all the layers. That way you can change the words for your next video without starting over.
Export a JPG
Click **File > Export > Export As**. Pick **JPG** from the **Format** dropdown, set the quality, and click **Export**.
Make the same kind of file every time? Set JPG and a quality once in the Export preferences, then use **File > Export > Quick Export as JPG** to skip the dialog. If you'd rather watch the file size while you tweak the quality, **File > Export > Save for Web** is still there and shows a preview.
YouTube takes JPG or PNG. The size limit is 2 MB when you upload from a phone and 50 MB from desktop YouTube Studio. The rest of the spec is in [YouTube thumbnail file size](/blog/youtube-thumbnail-file-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 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).
One more look before you publish
Before you upload, run the JPG through Thumbly Score and watch the **Clarity** number. Clarity is whether someone gets the idea at a glance, which is exactly what one subject and a short line are for. [How to use Thumbly Score](/blog/how-to-use-thumbly-score) explains the numbers, or [open Thumbly Score](/thumbly-score) and drop the file in.
