Making thumbnails easier on YouTube

The art of crafting the perfect thumbnail can take time. Today, we're introducing new updates that can help make the thumbnail process easier.

First, YouTube Partner Program creators can start uploading custom thumbnails for Shorts. This top-requested feature gives you more control over how your Shorts look, making it easier for viewers to discover your content and know what to expect. We’ll expand this to more creators over time.

You can also now choose from three suggested thumbnail frames for Shorts on desktop, just like you’ve been able to do for long-form videos. You can still pick any frame from the video through the YouTube app on mobile.

Finally, we're bringing thumbnail generation directly into Ask Studio for long form videos. Simply ask for a thumbnail for your latest video. Then adjust elements like colors and layouts by chatting with Ask Studio. Thumbnails created will be tailored to your video's specific themes and to your specific style.

Together, these tools help creators save time while giving viewers a more visually engaging browsing experience.