Question 1

What sizes are YouTube thumbnails available in?

Accepted Answer

YouTube stores thumbnails in 5 sizes: maxresdefault (1280×720), sddefault (640×480), hqdefault (480×360), mqdefault (320×180), default (120×90).

Question 2

What is the best size to download?

Accepted Answer

Download maxresdefault (1280×720) for the highest quality. If not available, sddefault (640×480) is the next best.

Question 3

Why isn't maxresdefault available for some videos?

Accepted Answer

Not all videos have the HD thumbnail. It depends on the video resolution and whether a custom thumbnail was uploaded.

Question 4

What size should I use for social media?

Accepted Answer

maxresdefault works best for most platforms. For Twitter previews, mqdefault may be sufficient.

Question 5

What's the aspect ratio of YouTube thumbnails?

Accepted Answer

YouTube thumbnails are 16:9 aspect ratio. The standard size is 1280×720 pixels.

Question 6

Can I get thumbnails larger than 1280×720?

Accepted Answer

No, YouTube doesn't store thumbnails larger than 1280×720. This is the maximum resolution available.

Question 7

Which size is best for blog posts?

Accepted Answer

maxresdefault (1280×720) is ideal. It's high enough quality for full-width images while keeping file size reasonable.

YouTube Thumbnail Sizes FAQ

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