Thumbnail & Cover Maker
A free in-browser editor for video thumbnails and covers. Add a punchy headline with the signature bold outline and highlight box, drop in your own photo, tweak brightness or remove the background, place arrows, shapes and emoji, then export at true resolution. Ready-made presets cover YouTube, Shorts, TikTok, Instagram, X, Twitch, VK and podcasts, plus any custom size.
How to Make a Video Thumbnail
Choose YouTube, Shorts, TikTok, Instagram, X, Twitch, VK or podcast — or set a custom size. The canvas resizes to the right dimensions.
Add bold outline or highlight-box text and keep it to 3–4 words. Pick a font, color, gradient and outline so it pops.
Drop a photo straight onto the canvas, remove its background or tweak brightness, then add arrows, shapes and emoji. Drag, resize and rotate every layer.
Toggle safe zones, run the click-through check, then download a true-resolution image as JPG, PNG or WebP.
Create high-CTR covers for video and social media
Stickers
Selected element
Layers
Click-through check
- Add your design, then run the check for high-CTR tips.
Safe-zone and UI overlays are approximate — the real layout scales by device and is never exported.
Features
FAQ
Does it upload the thumbnail to YouTube for me?
No. A YouTube thumbnail is a separate image you upload in YouTube Studio (1280×720, 16:9, under 2 MB). This tool designs that image; you then add it in Studio under your video. A verified account is required to upload a custom thumbnail.
Which platforms are supported?
There are ready presets for YouTube and Shorts, TikTok, Instagram (post and Stories), X (Twitter), Facebook, Twitch, VK and podcast cover art, plus any custom size. The canvas and export sizes adapt to the platform you pick.
Can it change the cover of my VK video post?
For VK videos and clips you can choose a cover, and this tool makes exactly that image. VK posts do not offer a custom-cover slot, so no tool — including this one — can set the cover there; that is a VK limitation, not the file.
What size should a thumbnail be?
YouTube recommends 1280×720 (16:9), JPG or PNG, under 2 MB. Other platforms differ — the export presets fill in the right values, and you can also set a custom size and choose JPG, PNG or WebP.
Why does my headline disappear against a busy photo?
Because plain white text has nothing to separate it from a light patch behind it, and a thumbnail is never seen on a neutral background — it sits in a grid, at a fraction of the size you are designing at. Two tools fix it. The thick outline, single or double, draws a hard border around every letter so the shape survives whatever is behind it. The highlight box goes further and puts a solid block under the words, which is what to reach for when the background is not just busy but bright in patches. Zoom the canvas down to the size the thumbnail will actually be seen at before deciding it reads.
Will my design survive if I close the tab or my computer crashes?
Yes. The editor saves the design in this browser on this device after every change, photos and cut-out backgrounds included. If the tab closes, the browser crashes or the computer restarts, the unfinished design opens again the next time you come back. Your recent designs are listed under “My designs”, and “New design” keeps the previous one there. The designs belong to this browser: they will not be in another browser or in a private window, and clearing the data of this site removes them.
We can! Just send us a quick message with your idea. If you'd like to discuss it in detail, leave your email and we'll get back to you. You can stay anonymous.
