Thumbnail Generator

Thumbnail Generator

the #1 YouTube thumbnail generator

Use still frames from your videos, layer text or images, and create professional-looking thumbnails easily. Capture viewer attention and boost your CTR effortlessly—no design skills needed.

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get more people clicking through your videos with custom thumbnails

Thumbnails are the key to stopping people in their tracks and getting them to click and watch your content. They are art and science. Creating compelling thumbnails requires an eye for design and Photoshop skills few part-time creators have.

With Thumbnail Generator, you can design custom thumbnails in a snap by adding text, images, shapes, and emojis to a still frame from your videos. Save and reuse templates for consistent branding across your channel.

Just open the tool, select a still frame (or solid background, if you prefer), and overlay your desired design elements. The best part? It's 100% free to use and requires no prior design experience.

Embrace the power of visually compelling thumbnails to attract more viewers and significantly enhance your channel's impact.

create custom thumbnails with Thumbnail Generator

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here's how the Thumbnail Generator works

feature available on

free*

pro

legend

* denotes limited use

how to generate YouTube thumbnails

  • Step 1: In your YouTube Studio dashboard, click the TubeBuddy icon next to any video.
  • Step 2: Click "Thumbnail Generator" under "Misc."
  • Step 3: Choose the background type, add layers, and preview your thumbnail.
  • Step 4: Save and publish your new thumbnail for higher CTRs.

checkout what other creators are saying

Karl Oftebro

“Once it got my videos ranking #1 in search I was hooked.”

@KarlOftebro

Danie Jay

“TubeBuddy is VITAL for any YouTuber who is serious about making their channel a lucrative side-hustle or full-time job!”

@DanieJay

Karin Carr

“TubeBuddy is like having a YouTube expert on staff who will give you advice and direction whenever you need it.”

@KarinCarr

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Thumbnail Generator?

The Thumbnail Generator is a tool that helps you create eye-catching thumbnails for your YouTube videos without the need for complex design software or skills.

Instead of creating a unique image from scratch using Photoshop or Canva, you can reuse your video's still frames and add text, images, shapes, and emojis to create a compelling thumbnail. You can even save and reuse templates for consistent branding across your videos.

By using the Thumbnail Generator, you'll enhance the visual appeal of your content, helping to attract more viewers and increase engagement on your channel. Plus, it’s available within TubeBuddy’s suite of tools, making it a seamless part of your content creation workflow.

Why do I need a custom thumbnail?

Custom thumbnails are crucial to the first impression viewers have of your channel's content. A thumbnail significantly influences a viewer's decision to click and watch. Moreover, custom thumbnails help in building a consistent brand identity. They allow creators to maintain a uniform style and theme across all videos, making their content instantly recognizable to their audience.

Additionally, thumbnails allow you to convey the essence of your video in a snapshot, often leading to better engagement and higher click-through rates as they stand out in the sea of generic still frame thumbnails.

In a platform as competitive as YouTube, having a custom thumbnail can be the difference between a viewer choosing your content over your competitors.

Can I make any changes to my thumbnail?

Yes, you can. If you decide to change a thumbnail's design, you can easily do so, save the changes, and publish the edited design again.

How complicated is it to create a thumbnail with the Thumbnail Generator?

It's as easy as opening the tool, deciding on the background type (video still frame or solid background), and editing the frame or background. To do so, add as many layers as you want to add text, images, shapes, or emojis onto your thumbnail. Once you finish creating your thumbnail, preview it, save it, and publish your video. You can save your design as a template to reuse for other videos.

What's a layer?

A layer is any text, shapes, images, or emojis you add to an image (whether a solid background or a still frame). Think of them as a transparent sheet stacked over or under another within the same image. Each layer can contain text, shapes, images, or effects that work independently. That means you can edit or adjust one layer without affecting the rest of the image or the other layers.

For instance, you might have a background layer, a text layer for your title, an image layer for graphics or photos, and perhaps another layer for additional effects or overlays. By using layers, you can experiment with different design elements, adjust their order (bring forward or send backward), and fine-tune each aspect of your thumbnail or image independently.

Can I save and reuse my custom thumbnail designs for future videos?

Yes. One of the best parts of the Thumbnail Generator is that you can easily save a design for future use, making it easier to create compelling thumbnails quickly while sustaining your branding.

Can I add my own images and logos to the thumbnails using the Thumbnail Generator?

Yes. Images are one of the four main design elements you can add to your thumbnails. You can upload a unique image or logo once you add an image box to a video still frame or solid color background.

Is the Thumbnail Generator free to use?

Yes. We made the Thumbnail Generator free so anyone can create professional-looking thumbnails effortlessly. However, free users can only add one custom image and can't create templates or download image copies.

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