Compress Images for YouTube
YouTube thumbnails are the single most impactful factor in video click-through rate. Compressed, well-sized thumbnails load quickly and display crisply across all devices. Use ImageSmith to compress your YouTube images before sending — free, instant, and entirely in your browser. No account needed, no watermarks. Target under 2,048KB for best results on YouTube.
Max size
2,048 KB
Format
JPEG
Size
1280×720 (thumbnails), 2560×1440 (channel art)
- 1Custom thumbnails must be under 2MB file size
- 2Use 1280×720 pixels — displayed at various sizes across devices
- 3High contrast with bold, readable text increases click-through rate
- 4Bright, saturated colors stand out in recommendation feeds
Compress by format
Other platforms
YouTube image compression FAQ
YouTube thumbnails must be under 2MB. Use 1280×720 pixels in JPEG or PNG format. High-contrast thumbnails with readable text consistently achieve higher click-through rates.
YouTube channel art should be 2560×1440 pixels. The safe area that displays on all devices is the center 1546×423 pixels. Keep the total file under 6MB.