YouTube Thumbnail Downloader
Download high-quality thumbnails from any YouTube video. Get HD, 4K, and standard resolution images instantly — 100% free, no signup required.
📖 How to Download YouTube Thumbnails
Follow these simple steps to download any YouTube video thumbnail:
- Copy the YouTube URL — Go to YouTube, find the video you want, and copy the URL from your browser's address bar.
- Paste the URL above — Click on the input field and paste (Ctrl+V or Cmd+V) the YouTube video link.
- Click "Get Thumbnails" — Our tool will instantly fetch all available thumbnail sizes for that video.
- Download your preferred size — Right-click on the thumbnail you want and select "Save Image As" to download.
🖼️ YouTube Thumbnail Sizes Explained
YouTube generates multiple thumbnail versions for each video. Here's what each size means:
Maximum Resolution (maxresdefault.jpg)
1280 × 720 pixels — The highest quality thumbnail available. Perfect for blog posts, presentations, and high-resolution displays. Note: Not all videos have this size; it depends on the original upload quality.
High Quality (hqdefault.jpg)
480 × 360 pixels — A good balance between quality and file size. Works well for most websites and social media posts.
Medium Quality (mqdefault.jpg)
320 × 180 pixels — Smaller file size, suitable for thumbnails in lists or mobile applications.
Standard Definition (sddefault.jpg)
640 × 480 pixels — Standard quality, good for general use when you don't need the highest resolution.
Default (default.jpg)
120 × 90 pixels — The smallest thumbnail, useful for small preview grids or when bandwidth is limited.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, downloading YouTube thumbnails for personal use is generally legal. Thumbnails are publicly accessible images that YouTube makes available. However, using them commercially without permission from the copyright holder may violate copyright laws. Always give credit when possible.
YouTube provides thumbnails in multiple sizes: Maximum Resolution (1280x720), High Quality (480x360), Medium Quality (320x180), Standard Definition (640x480), and Default (120x90). Not all videos have the maximum resolution thumbnail available.
No, this tool is completely free and requires no signup, registration, or account creation. Simply paste your YouTube URL and download thumbnails instantly. No email required!
Absolutely. This tool runs 100% in your browser using client-side JavaScript. No data is sent to any server. Your YouTube URLs and downloaded images never leave your device. We don't track, store, or share any information.
Yes! YouTube Shorts also have thumbnails and this tool works perfectly with Shorts URLs. Just paste the Shorts URL (like youtube.com/shorts/VIDEO_ID) and get the thumbnail images.
The maximum resolution thumbnail (1280x720) is only generated by YouTube for videos uploaded in HD quality or higher. Older videos or those uploaded in lower quality may not have this size available. In such cases, use the hqdefault or sddefault versions.
For personal blogs or educational purposes with proper attribution, it's generally acceptable. However, for commercial use or if you're embedding the thumbnail without linking to the original video, you should get permission from the content creator or use it under fair use guidelines.
⭐ User Reviews
Super easy to use! I needed thumbnails for a presentation and this tool gave me exactly what I needed in seconds. Love that it doesn't require any signup.
Finally a thumbnail downloader that actually works and gives you multiple quality options. Been using it daily for my blog posts. Highly recommended!
Great tool! Works perfectly. Only giving 4 stars because I wish there was a batch download option. But for single videos, it's perfect.