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YouTube thumbnail downloader
Paste a link and save every thumbnail YouTube published for it. Full HD where it exists, in PNG, JPG or WebP, with the black bars trimmed off.
Available images
- Paste the video linkwatch, youtu.be, Shorts or embed. All handled.
- See every size that existsOnly the ones YouTube actually generated, never a placeholder.
- Download one or allSingle image, or the whole set as a ZIP.
Every thumbnail size YouTube generates
YouTube renders a fixed set of thumbnails for each upload. These are the exact files, and what each one is good for.
| File | Resolution | Aspect | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
maxresdefault.jpg | 1280×720 | 16:9 | Full HD. Only exists if the uploader provided a high-res thumbnail. |
sddefault.jpg | 640×480 | 4:3 | Standard definition, padded with black bars. |
hqdefault.jpg | 480×360 | 4:3 | Always available for every video. Padded. |
mqdefault.jpg | 320×180 | 16:9 | Clean 16:9, no padding. Good for listings. |
default.jpg | 120×90 | 4:3 | Tiny preview used in sidebars. |
hq1 / hq2 / hq3.jpg | 480×360 | 4:3 | Auto-captured frames from ~25%, 50% and 75% of the video. |
floi probes all of them and only shows the ones that actually exist for your video, so you never download a placeholder by mistake.
Getting the highest-quality thumbnail
The single most useful file is maxresdefault.jpg at 1280×720. It is the only thumbnail YouTube stores at true HD, and the only one worth using in a video, thumbnail mock-up or presentation slide.
It is also the one most likely to be missing. YouTube generates it only when the original upload was high enough resolution, so older uploads and low-quality re-uploads simply do not have one. When that happens the next best option is hqdefault.jpg at 480×360. Note that it is stored in a 4:3 box with black bars top and bottom. Turning on Trim black bars gives you a clean 480×270 16:9 image instead of a padded one.
Thumbnails are not frames
A thumbnail is a cover image, not necessarily a moment from the video. If you need an actual still from a specific point, the three hq1–hq3 files are real auto-captured frames from roughly a quarter, half and three-quarters of the way through. For anything more precise, use the YouTube screenshot tool or the video frame extractor.
Choosing a format
- JPG. Smallest files. Ideal when you are just re-sharing the image.
- PNG. A lossless re-encode. Use it if the image will be edited further.
- WebP. Roughly 30% smaller than JPG at the same visual quality, and well supported on the modern web.
YouTube serves these thumbnails as JPEG, so exporting to PNG cannot recover detail already lost. It just avoids adding a second round of compression.
Frequently asked questions
How do I download a YouTube thumbnail in HD?
Paste the video link above and press Get images. If the uploader supplied a high-resolution thumbnail, the 1280×720 maxresdefault version appears first, marked Best quality. Click download and it saves straight to your device.
Why is there no 1280×720 version for my video?
YouTube only generates maxresdefault when the source upload was high resolution enough. Older videos, low-resolution uploads and some Shorts never get one. floi shows you exactly which sizes exist rather than returning a broken image. The next best size is listed instead.
Can I download the thumbnail without the black bars?
Yes. Several YouTube thumbnails are stored in a 4:3 frame with black padding around a 16:9 image. Leave Trim black bars enabled and floi detects the real content edges and crops them off before saving.
Can I get a 4K or 1080p YouTube thumbnail?
No, and neither can anything else. maxresdefault at 1280×720 is the largest file YouTube stores. There is no 4K or 1080p thumbnail to download. Any tool advertising one is upscaling the 1280×720 image and inventing the extra pixels, which adds size without adding detail. If you need a genuinely higher-resolution still from the video, take it from the video itself: screen capture gives you your display resolution, and the video frame extractor gives you the file's true native resolution.
Do I need a Chrome extension to download thumbnails?
No. Extensions are the common answer, but they ask for permission to read every page you visit in order to do a job a plain web page can do from a link alone. Paste the URL here instead. There is nothing to install, nothing to keep updated, and nothing watching your browsing.
Can I download thumbnails from Shorts?
Yes. Paste the /shorts/ URL and it is handled like any other video. Note that Shorts are vertical, so YouTube's thumbnails are a centre-crop of the tall frame.
Is downloading a YouTube thumbnail legal?
Thumbnails are copyrighted by whoever created them. Downloading one for reference, commentary, criticism or research is generally fine in most jurisdictions, but republishing it as your own is not. Use your own videos, get permission, or rely on a legitimate fair-use case.
Do you store the videos or links I paste?
No. floi is a static site with no backend and no analytics on your input. The thumbnail request goes from your browser directly to YouTube's image servers.