As a YouTuber, one of the first things you should learn is how to add custom thumbnails to your videos.

Thumbnail is a small, clickable static image that either grabs attention – or lets them scroll on by. It’s also the first thing your viewers or subscribers will set their eyes on after clicking on a video. So, selecting a thumbnail that captures the essence of your video accurately and appeals to potential viewers is crucial.

There are three different situations when adding a custom thumbnail.

First, the very common kind – adding thumbnails while uploading a new video.

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Then, add thumbnails to the videos that have been uploaded in the past.

Lastly, add thumbnails to the videos of a brand-new channel. 

How to add custom thumbnails while uploading a new video?

Adding a custom thumbnail to your YouTube video is easy and only takes a few minutes.

Open YouTube and sign in. Go to the My Videos page and click on the Edit button for the video you want to add a thumbnail to. Under the Video Thumbnails section, click on the Upload Custom Thumbnail button. Select the picture you want to use as your thumbnail from your computer and click Open. Once the red border appears around the image, everything is up to the mark. Now, click on the Save Changes button.

Sometimes the option to customize a thumbnail picture doesn’t appear until the video is partly uploaded. Don’t get overwhelmed if you don’t see the button immediately. Hold your horses and be patient!

How to add custom thumbnails to YouTube that have been uploaded in the past?

All you need to do is, go to YouTube Studio. From the dashboard, click on the video you want to change the thumbnail of. You’ll see the Custom Thumbnail button there, right beside three auto-generated thumbnails.

Now, upload your custom thumbnail just by clicking on and saving the image.

How to add custom thumbnails to YouTube videos of a brand-new channel?

If you are a new creator or haven’t reached the 1000 subscriber milestone yet, YouTube won’t let you upload a custom thumbnail. Keep in mind that you need to verify your account before uploading custom thumbnails. 

Don’t get upset, verify your channel first. That’s all there is to it! YouTube verification is an extremely simple 2-step procedure. Verify your channel, then be able to upload custom-made thumbnails from the very beginning. 

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