Why is my YouTube thumbnail not showing?
You uploaded a custom thumbnail and still see the auto frame or the old image. Here are the common causes, the fix for each, and a quick checklist.
4 min read ThumbnailsYouTubeGuidesStudioYou uploaded a custom thumbnail, but YouTube still shows an auto frame, a blank gray slot, or the old image. Usually it comes down to one of the causes below, and each one has a fix. Work down the list in order.
If the thumbnail does show but looks soft, that's a different problem. See [how to fix a blurry YouTube thumbnail](/blog/how-to-fix-blurry-youtube-thumbnail).
It's still processing, or you're seeing the old one
YouTube's help page says it may take time for thumbnail changes to appear. It doesn't give a set time. So the first job is to make sure the change actually saved.
Sign in to YouTube Studio and select **Content** in the left menu, then click the video's title or thumbnail to open **Details**. Look below **Thumbnail**. If your new image is there, the change is saved, and you only need to give it time. If the old image is still there, upload it again and click **SAVE** before you leave the page.
Made the change on your phone? [How to change a YouTube thumbnail on mobile](/blog/how-to-change-youtube-thumbnail-on-mobile) shows the steps in the Studio app.
Custom thumbnails aren't turned on for your channel
If you can't upload your own image at all, your channel may not have the feature yet. Custom thumbnails are an intermediate feature, and you get them by verifying your phone number. Without it, you can only pick from the auto generated options.
To check, open YouTube Studio and click **Settings**, then **Channel**, then **Feature eligibility**. You'll see **Enabled** next to the features you can use. [How to enable custom YouTube thumbnails](/blog/how-to-enable-custom-youtube-thumbnails) walks through the verification.
There's also a daily cap on how many custom thumbnails a channel can upload. If you see the error "Daily custom thumbnail limit reached", try again in 24 hours. YouTube says limits may vary by country/region or channel history.
The file is too big or the wrong format
YouTube wants image formats such as JPG or PNG. The size limit depends on where you upload. It's 2 MB for video thumbnails on mobile and 50MB on desktop.
For a regular video, use 16:9. YouTube recommends 3840 x 2160 and a minimum width of 640 pixels.
If your file is over the limit, export it again as a JPG or shrink it, or upload from a computer instead. [YouTube thumbnail file size](/blog/youtube-thumbnail-file-size) has the full spec, and [how to compress a YouTube thumbnail](/blog/how-to-compress-youtube-thumbnail) gets the file down.
It's a Short
Shorts work a little differently. YouTube says custom thumbnails for Shorts are currently only available to add in YouTube Studio on a computer, and your account must be verified. If you tried from your phone, switch to a computer.
In YouTube Studio, select **Content**, then **Shorts** at the top, and open the Short. Below **Thumbnail**, click **Upload file**, then click **SAVE**. Use a 9:16 image. YouTube recommends 2160 x 3840 with a minimum height of 640 pixels.
One more catch. If a vertical video has a 16:9 custom thumbnail, YouTube replaces it with an auto generated 4:5 thumbnail on the home, explore, and subscription pages. Your custom thumbnail still appears on the watch feed, watch history, and non-mobile platforms. [How to change a YouTube Shorts thumbnail](/blog/how-to-change-youtube-shorts-thumbnail) has more.
A strike or policy issue turned it off
Every custom thumbnail has to follow YouTube's Community Guidelines. A thumbnail with nudity or sexually provocative content, hate speech, violence, or harmful or dangerous content may be rejected, and your channel may get a strike.
A first strike means you can't create custom thumbnails for 1 week. After that, YouTube restores your privileges on its own. Repeat offenses may lead to the removal of your custom thumbnail privileges for 30 days.
YouTube may also turn off custom thumbnails for certain search results when they're considered inappropriate for viewers. If you got a strike, you'll get an email and see an alert in your Channel Settings. If you think it's a mistake, you can appeal.
Quick checklist
Once it shows up
To swap it again later, see [how to change a YouTube thumbnail](/blog/how-to-change-youtube-thumbnail). Before your next upload, [open Thumbly Score](/thumbly-score) and drop the file in to see how it reads at small size.
