Toolastic

YouTube Thumbnail Downloader

Paste any YouTube video or Shorts link and download its thumbnail in HD and every other available resolution, instantly and for free.

Thumbnails are fetched directly from YouTube inside your browser, nothing you enter is sent to or stored on our servers.

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How to use YouTube Thumbnail Downloader

  1. 1Copy the link of the YouTube video whose thumbnail you want.
  2. 2Paste the link (or just the 11-character video ID) into the box above and click “Get Thumbnails”.
  3. 3Preview every available resolution, from Max HD (1280×720) down to the default size.
  4. 4Click “Download” under the resolution you want, the image saves straight to your device.

About the YouTube Thumbnail Downloader

A YouTube thumbnail is the cover image viewers see before they click a video. With this free downloader you can grab that image in its original quality, perfect for design inspiration, reaction videos, research or building a moodboard of titles in your niche.

Just paste a full link from youtube.com/watch, ayoutu.be short link, a Shorts URL, or the 11-character video ID on its own. The tool shows every resolution YouTube has generated so you can pick the sharpest one available, all without uploading anything.

YouTube thumbnail URL formats

Every YouTube thumbnail follows a fixed URL pattern. Just replace VIDEO_ID with the video’s 11-character ID:

Max HD (1280×720)https://i.ytimg.com/vi/VIDEO_ID/maxresdefault.jpg
Standard (640×480)https://i.ytimg.com/vi/VIDEO_ID/sddefault.jpg
High (480×360)https://i.ytimg.com/vi/VIDEO_ID/hqdefault.jpg
Medium (320×180)https://i.ytimg.com/vi/VIDEO_ID/mqdefault.jpg
Default (120×90)https://i.ytimg.com/vi/VIDEO_ID/default.jpg

Frequently asked questions

Is the YouTube Thumbnail Downloader free?

Yes. It is completely free with no sign-up, no watermark and no daily limit.

What resolutions can I download?

You can download the Max HD (1280×720), SD (640×480), HQ (480×360), MQ (320×180) and default (120×90) thumbnails, whenever the video provides them.

Why is the HD (maxres) thumbnail sometimes missing?

Not every video has a high-resolution thumbnail. Older or low-resolution uploads may only offer smaller sizes, so that option simply will not appear.

Do you store the videos or thumbnails I download?

No. The tool only reads the public thumbnail image directly from YouTube in your browser. Nothing is uploaded to or stored on our servers.

Can I use the thumbnails I download?

Thumbnails are owned by the original creator and protected by copyright. Use them only for permitted purposes such as fair use, reference or with the owner’s permission.

Does it work for YouTube Shorts?

Yes. Paste a Shorts link (youtube.com/shorts/...) and the tool grabs its thumbnail just like a regular video.

What is the best YouTube thumbnail size?

YouTube recommends 1280×720 pixels (16:9 aspect ratio), under 2 MB, in JPG, PNG or GIF. The Max HD option here gives you that resolution when available.

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