YouTube stores every thumbnail in several sizes on its image server. Right-clicking the thumbnail on the page often saves a small version, but once you know the video ID you can open the largest one directly.
Step 1: find the video ID
The video ID is an 11-character code:
- Regular video: the 11 characters after
youtube.com/watch?v= - Short link: the 11 characters after
youtu.be/ - Shorts: the 11 characters after
youtube.com/shorts/
Step 2: open the image URL
Replace VIDEO_ID with your 11 characters and open the address in your browser. Then right-click the image and save it.
| Size | Address |
|---|---|
| 1280×720 (maximum resolution) | i.ytimg.com/vi/VIDEO_ID/maxresdefault.jpg |
| 1280×720 (HD 720p, most recent videos) | i.ytimg.com/vi/VIDEO_ID/hq720.jpg |
| 640×480 (standard) | i.ytimg.com/vi/VIDEO_ID/sddefault.jpg |
| 480×360 (high) | i.ytimg.com/vi/VIDEO_ID/hqdefault.jpg |
| 320×180 (medium) | i.ytimg.com/vi/VIDEO_ID/mqdefault.jpg |
| 120×90 (default) | i.ytimg.com/vi/VIDEO_ID/default.jpg |
A few things trip people up:
- The maximum-resolution file isn't always there. It exists only if the creator uploaded a big enough image.
- Missing sizes don't show an error. YouTube sends a small gray placeholder instead, so if your file is gray, step down one size.
- Black bars. The 640×480, 480×360 and 120×90 files are 4:3, so a widescreen thumbnail gets black bars at the top and bottom. The 320×180 file has none.
If it's your own video, the original image file you designed is always sharper than anything you can download. This method is for when that file is lost.
How our Thumbnail Downloader helps
Paste a video or Shorts URL into the Thumbnail Downloader and you'll see every size YouTube has for that video, from 120×90 up to 1280×720, on one screen. We check each size before showing it and mark the ones that don't exist, so you never save a gray placeholder by mistake. Click download on the size you want, or copy its address to use elsewhere.
The images come straight from YouTube's servers. We pass them through without storing them. Thumbnails of private or deleted videos can't be downloaded, because YouTube no longer serves them publicly.
Which size should you use?
- Design reference or mood boards: the largest size available.
- Spreadsheets, documents and small previews: 320×180, which has no black bars.
- No maximum resolution? The HD 720p or standard size is the next best choice.
On a phone
The YouTube app has no option to save a thumbnail. Use Share, then Copy link to copy the video's address, open your phone's browser and paste it into the Thumbnail Downloader. Tap download on the size you want, or long-press the image and save it to your photos. The direct image URLs above work on a phone too, but typing an 11-character ID by hand is easy to get wrong.
Use thumbnails responsibly
A thumbnail is the creator's work and is protected by copyright. Saving one to study design, or referring to it in a review, is not the same as reposting it, putting it in your own video, or selling it. For those uses, ask the rights holder first.