Resize Image for YouTube Thumbnail
Resize a photo to YouTube’s standard 1280×720 custom thumbnail size.
About this tool
This tool resizes an image to exact pixel dimensions using canvas, right in your browser. With aspect ratio locked (the default), changing the width automatically recalculates the height to keep the image from looking stretched or squashed, and vice versa.
Unlocking the ratio lets you set width and height independently, which is occasionally useful (matching a fixed banner slot, for instance) but will distort the image if the new proportions don't match the original.
Resizing up (making an image larger than its original resolution) doesn't add real detail — the browser interpolates new pixels from the existing ones, which can look soft. Resizing down generally looks fine since you're discarding detail rather than inventing it.
Frequently asked questions
Will enlarging a small image make it sharp?
No — enlarging interpolates new pixels from existing ones rather than adding real detail, so a heavily upscaled image will look softer than a genuinely high-resolution original.
What happens if I uncheck aspect ratio lock?
Width and height become independent, so you can force any dimensions — but this will stretch or squash the image if the new ratio doesn’t match the original.
What format is the downloaded file?
The same format as your upload where practical (JPEG stays JPEG, PNG stays PNG). Use the Format Converter afterward if you need a different format.
Will resizing to a fixed size like 1080×1080 stretch my photo?
If your photo’s original proportions don’t already match the target, yes — forcing an exact fixed size necessarily overrides the original aspect ratio. Crop it to the right shape first with the Image Cropper if you want to avoid stretching.