Question 1

How do I download a YouTube video thumbnail?

Accepted Answer

Copy the YouTube video URL (e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abc123XYZ) and paste it into the input field. The tool will extract the video ID and display thumbnails in all available resolutions. Click 'Download' to save the image, or 'Open' to view it in a new tab.

Question 2

What is the highest resolution YouTube thumbnail available?

Accepted Answer

YouTube provides 'maxresdefault' thumbnails at 1280×720 pixels for most popular videos, and 'sddefault' at 640×480 as a fallback. Newer or lower-view videos may only have 'hqdefault' (480×360) available. Our tool tries maxres first, then falls back to lower resolutions automatically.

Question 3

Can I download thumbnails from YouTube Shorts?

Accepted Answer

Yes. YouTube Shorts URLs (youtube.com/shorts/ID or youtu.be/ID) work the same as regular video URLs. The tool extracts the video ID and loads the same thumbnail set, though Shorts typically use the vertical-style '1' or '2' numbered thumbnails when present.

Question 4

Is downloading YouTube thumbnails legal?

Accepted Answer

Thumbnails are publicly accessible images served by YouTube's CDN. You can download them for personal reference, fair-use commentary, or design inspiration. Do not republish thumbnails as your own content or use them commercially without the creator's permission.