Download any YouTube thumbnail in HD
Every resolution · Full 1280×720 maxres · Free, no signup · Straight from YouTube to your device
Every thumbnail size, one paste away
Works with normal video links, Shorts, youtu.be share links, and bare video IDs.
Why use it
One paste returns all five sizes YouTube stores, from the full 1280×720 maxres file down to the 120×90 sidebar version, each with its exact dimensions and file size.
Thumbnails come straight from YouTube's image servers to your browser. There's no upload queue, no processing step and no ads between you and the file.
Your browser talks directly to Google's image CDN. We never proxy, store or log the images or the links you paste.
Every YouTube thumbnail size explained
| Name | Filename | Dimensions | Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max Resolution | maxresdefault.jpg | 1280 × 720 | 16:9 | HD uploads only |
| Standard Definition | sddefault.jpg | 640 × 480 | 4:3 | Letterboxed |
| High Quality | hqdefault.jpg | 480 × 360 | 4:3 | Always available |
| Medium Quality | mqdefault.jpg | 320 × 180 | 16:9 | True widescreen crop |
| Default | default.jpg | 120 × 90 | 4:3 | Smallest |
About the thumbnail downloader
Every YouTube video stores its thumbnails at fixed, public addresses derived from the video's ID. This tool reads the ID out of whatever link you paste — a watch URL, a Shorts link, a youtu.be share link, or the bare ID — and requests each size directly from Google's image servers. Nothing is uploaded to us, and nothing is stored.
The five sizes aren't just scaled copies of each other. Maxres and MQ are true 16:9 crops, while SD, HQ and default are 4:3 and add letterbox bars to a widescreen image. If you need the clean widescreen frame at a usable size, maxres is the one you want — and it only exists when the uploader provided an HD thumbnail.
Downloading a thumbnail for research is fine; republishing one as your own is not. Thumbnails belong to the channels that made them. Use them to study what works in your niche, then score your own thumbnail against the same rules. If you believe your work is being misused, see our DMCA policy.
Frequently asked questions
How do I download a YouTube thumbnail?
Copy the video's URL from your browser or the Share button, paste it into the box above, and press Get thumbnails. Every available resolution appears with its own Download button. It works with normal video links, Shorts, youtu.be share links and bare video IDs.
Why is the maxres (1280×720) version missing for some videos?
YouTube only stores a maxres thumbnail when the uploader supplied a high-definition image or the video itself was uploaded in HD. Older and lower-resolution videos genuinely don't have one, so we show it as unavailable rather than serving you a blurry upscale. The HQ version is always there.
What resolution is a YouTube thumbnail?
The full-size version is 1280×720 (16:9). YouTube also generates 640×480 (SD), 480×360 (HQ), 320×180 (MQ) and 120×90 (default). Note that SD, HQ and default are 4:3, so they add letterbox bars to a widescreen image — MQ and maxres are the true 16:9 crops.
Can I download thumbnails from Shorts?
Yes. Paste the /shorts/ link exactly as you copied it. Shorts are vertical, so YouTube's stored thumbnails are the 16:9 frames it generates for them, which is what you'll get here.
Is it free, and is there a limit?
It's completely free with no account and no daily limit. The tool is supported by ads, like the rest of our toolbox.
Can I use someone else's thumbnail on my own video?
No. Thumbnails are the copyright of whoever made them. This tool is for reference, research, competitive analysis and other fair-use purposes — reuploading someone's thumbnail as your own is a copyright issue and can get your video taken down.
You've seen what the competition is doing. Score your own thumbnail, check the tags they ranked with, or work out what that traffic is actually worth.