{"id":9447,"date":"2025-07-03T06:35:40","date_gmt":"2025-07-03T13:35:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tubebuddy.com\/?p=9447"},"modified":"2025-09-29T00:49:53","modified_gmt":"2025-09-29T07:49:53","slug":"how-to-add-thumbnail-youtube-shorts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tubebuddy.com\/blog\/how-to-add-thumbnail-youtube-shorts\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Add a Thumbnail to YouTube Shorts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>In this post, we&#8217;ll talk through how to add a thumbnail to YouTube Shorts videos but first, let&#8217;s quickly talk about why you might want to do so. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even long-form video creators\u2014perhaps <em>especially<\/em> long-form video creators\u2014can benefit from the wider audience that YouTube Shorts offers; using the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tubebuddy.com\/blog\/youtube-shorts-flood-method\/\">YouTube Shorts flood method<\/a> to send Shorts viewers to a long-form video. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Success in YouTube Shorts is all about grabbing attention early and stopping the scroll. A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tubebuddy.com\/blog\/11-youtube-thumbnail-tips-from-big-creators\/\">great YouTube thumbnail<\/a> can help there. But adding a thumbnail to your YouTube Shorts isn\u2019t as simple as adding a thumbnail to your YouTube long-form videos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That will all become clear as we talk about how to add a thumbnail to YouTube Shorts. So let&#8217;s get into it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"How To Add Custom Thumbnails For YouTube Shorts\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/CVlNON0nshM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<script src=\"https:\/\/apis.google.com\/js\/platform.js\"><\/script>\n\n<div class=\"g-ytsubscribe\" data-channelid=\"UCo33niDKpTpgwZ_dohqvylg\" data-layout=\"full\" data-count=\"default\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-designing-the-perfect-thumbnail\"><strong>1. Designing the perfect thumbnail<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The first step in adding custom thumbnails to your YouTube Shorts is to <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/OZS4aTW8kkk?si=VO3CjQkJYRs0YPoH\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">create the perfect thumbnail<\/a>. It should be in a 9:16 format. i.e. the same aspect ratio as Shorts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Design a thumbnail that looks great, that grabs attention, and that tells viewers what your video is about. Viewers often decide whether to watch a video based on its thumbnail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Make sure it piques curiosity and has depth and contrast to draw attention. If you&#8217;re new to creating compelling thumbnails, consider using graphic design <a href=\"https:\/\/www.canva.com\/create\/youtube-thumbnails\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">tools or templates<\/a> to make this process easier.<\/p>\n\n\n<section class=\"blog-cta-global\">\n    <div><\/div>\n    <article>\n        <header>\n<!--DONT EDIT THIS IMAMGE-->\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tubebuddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/tubebuddy_by_BENlabs_logo_on_dark_bg.svg\" \/>\n        <\/header>\n        \n<!--EDIT INFO FROM HERE DOWN-->\n        \n        \n<!--HEADER-->\n        <h3>\n            Get an unfair advantage on YouTube\n        <\/h3>\n        \n        \n<!--DESCRIPTION-->\n        <p>\n            Give your YouTube channel the upper hand and easily optimize for more views, more subs, and more of every metric that matters.\n        <\/p>\n        \n<!--CTA LINK &amp; TEXT-->\n        <section>\n            \n    <!--LINK-->\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tubebuddy.com\/pricing?utm_source=site&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=blog-cta&amp;utm_id=standard-cta\">\n                \n    <!--TEXT-->\n                get started\n            <\/a>\n        <\/section>\n        \n<!--BOTTOM IMAGE (REMOVE SRC IF NONE)-->\n  \n     <img \/> \n   \n        \n    <\/article>\n<\/section>\t\t<style>.blog-cta-global{\n    width: 100%;\n    max-width: 800px!important;\n    border-radius: 12px;\n    box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 0px 4px 12px;\n    background-image: url('https:\/\/www.tubebuddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/bg_triangle_green_light_gray-1.png');\n    position: relative;\n    background-size: 300px;\n    background-repeat: repeat;\n    caret-color: transparent;\n}\n\n.blog-cta-global div{\n    position: absolute;\n    height: 100%;\n    width: 100%;\n    background: red;\n    border-radius: 12px;\n    background: linear-gradient(#fafaff, rgba(250,250,255,0.80));\n    z-index: 2;\n}\n.blog-cta-global article{\n  position: relative;\n  z-index: 3;\n  padding-bottom: 5%;\n}\n.blog-cta-global header{\n    background: #0c1942;\n    display: flex;\n    justify-content: center;\n    border-top-left-radius: 12px;\n    border-top-right-radius: 12px;\n    padding: 10px;\n}\n.blog-cta-global header img{\n    width: 180px!important;\n}\n.blog-cta-global article h3{\n    margin: auto;\n    text-align: center;\n    width: 85%;\n    font-size: 40px;\n    padding: 20px;\n}\n.blog-cta-global article p{\n    margin: auto;\n    text-align: center;\n    width: 85%;\n    font-size: 25px;\n    padding-bottom: 20px;\n}\n\n.blog-cta-global article a{\n    padding: 15px 30px;\n    background: #4BEAD7;\n    color: black;\n    margin: auto;\n    font-weight: 600;\n    border-radius: 100px;\n}\n\n.blog-cta-global article section{\n    display: flex;\n    justify-content: center;\n    margin-bottom: 30px;\n}    \n.blog-cta-global article img{\n    width: 80%;\n    display: flex;\n    margin: auto;\n}\n\n@media only screen and (max-width: 475px)  {\n    .blog-cta-global article h3{\n        font-size: 30px;\n        width: 100%;\n    }\n    .blog-cta-global article p{\n        font-size: 20px;\n    }\n}<\/style>\n\t\t\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-add-the-thumbnail-image-to-your-shorts-video\"><strong>2. Add the thumbnail image to your Shorts video<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Custom thumbnail in hand, it&#8217;s time for the next step: getting it into your Shorts video.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In your editing software, add the thumbnail image to the beginning or end of your video&#8217;s timeline. Don&#8217;t worry about it disrupting your video&#8217;s content as we&#8217;ll be fixing it later in the editing process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-upload-your-edited-video\"><strong>3. Upload your edited video<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>After adding the custom thumbnail to your video, export the video and transfer it to your phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There, open the YT Studio app and create a Short. Add the edited video to your Shorts library and follow the standard upload process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the video Details page, you&#8217;ll find a pencil icon next to the image. Tap it, and you&#8217;ll be able to scrub the timeline to select your custom thumbnail image.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can fill in the rest of the video details here including title, description, and tags or you can do that in the next step when you&#8217;re back on your desktop or laptop.  Once everything is set, just hit upload.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-trim-your-video-in-youtube-studio\"><strong>4. Trim your video in YouTube Studio<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Back to the desktop or laptop, head over to the video Details page in YouTube Studio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Select the video edit option, and there you&#8217;ll find the trim and cut feature. This is where you&#8217;ll remove the part of the video containing the custom thumbnail image, leaving you with your original YouTube Short.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Trimming is essential to ensure that your Shorts look clean and professional, as viewers often judge the video&#8217;s quality based on the opening moments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-final-thoughts-how-to-add-a-thumbnail-to-youtube-shorts\">Final thoughts &#8211; how to add a thumbnail to YouTube Shorts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While the process for how to add a thumbnail to YouTube Shorts is a bit convoluted, the fact remains: a custom thumbnail can really help your YouTube Shorts stand out in the crowd. Adding a thumbnail in YouTube Shorts requires some work-around steps but the extra effort is worth it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A compelling thumbnail is often the first impression viewers have of your video, so <a href=\"https:\/\/youtube.com\/shorts\/Jva6C_pk1gA?si=6t5qzZV_2WSGt3dZ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">investing time and effort<\/a> into creating one is well worth it. So, get creative, design your custom thumbnail so your YouTube Shorts stand out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, it&#8217;s time to put these steps into action and enhance the visual appeal of your Shorts, attracting more viewers and growing your channel.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Adding a thumbnail to YouTube Shorts requires a bit of a work-around, but here\u2019s exactly how to do it in four simple steps\u2026 with video.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":65,"featured_media":9454,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","tubebuddy_blocks_plugin_header_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[117,29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9447","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-youtube-shorts","category-youtube-strategy-tips","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized 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