Design for stamp size
1280×720 is the master, but users see it tiny. Three elements max. Long copy belongs in the video title, not the thumb.
Expressive faces beat pretty landscapes. Contrast subject vs background.
主打格式
YouTube 缩略图尺寸：1280×720 提升点击
A thumbnail isn’t a poster—it’s a stamp in a sea of stamps. Design mobile-first: big face, little text, brutal contrast.
CTR killers
Thin or script text.
Same face/expression on every thumb (fatigue).
Crops that clip eyes or key products.
Adapt in SMALLADAPT
YouTube → Thumbnail → frame with fill → download. No third-party upload of your master.
常见问题
Official YouTube thumbnail size?
1280×720, 16:9, usually JPG under 2 MB.
Can I use 1920×1080?
YouTube rescales, but composing at 1280×720 avoids sharpness/compression surprises.