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YouTube thumbnail downloader

Paste a video link to see its public thumbnail in every size and save the one you need.

This tool only builds the public thumbnail addresses YouTube itself provides. The pictures load straight from YouTube to your browser. Thumbnails belong to their creators, so ask before you reuse one.

Your files stay on your device

How it works

  1. 1Paste a YouTube link or the 11-character video ID.
  2. 2See the thumbnail in every size YouTube has for that video.
  3. 3Choose Download on the size you want, or open it in a new tab.
  4. 4Check you have the right to reuse the image before you publish it.

What the options do

Maximum resolution
1280 by 720 pixels. Only exists if the video was uploaded in HD.
Standard, high, medium, small
640 by 480, 480 by 360, 320 by 180 and 120 by 90. Smaller sizes always exist.

Privacy

The tool builds the public image addresses in your browser. The pictures load directly from YouTube to your device. Your pasted link is not sent to us.

Questions people ask

Which links work?

Watch links, youtu.be short links, Shorts, embed and live links, and the bare 11-character ID.

Why is the maximum resolution missing?

YouTube makes it only for videos uploaded at HD or above. Older or low-resolution uploads have the smaller sizes only.

Can I use the thumbnail on my own video or site?

The thumbnail belongs to the video's creator. Use it only with permission, or under a licence or exception such as quotation or review where the law allows it. Credit the source.

Does it work for private or unlisted videos?

Private videos have no public thumbnail. Unlisted videos often do, since the address depends only on the ID.

Why does the Download button open a new tab?

Some browsers do not let a page fetch images from another site. The tool then opens the picture so you can save it by hand.

Can I download videos here?

No. This tool only gets thumbnails, and we do not offer downloaders for other people's videos.

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