Achieving Top Quality on YouTube: Video Enhancement Fundamentals

How to Use YouTube Enhancements

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

YouTube has integrated a free video editor to facilitate the work of YouTubers and allow them to process their videos prior to uploading. Although nobody can claim these features can live up to the sophisticated features of the professional video editors, YouTube enhancements are useful and cool which offer a simple way to improve the quality of the videos and do not require any technical knowledge on your behalf.

---

If you are looking for a more professional approach in video editing, you should try out Wondershare Filmora(for Windows and Mac) . This is an exceptionally versatile and powerful tool, which will allow you to gain full control over the videos you wish to edit. It is very easy to use, and it will open up a new world of potentials in video editing. There is a free trial that you can benefit from, so as to see if Filmora meets your criteria in full prior to your purchase.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

---

• Part 1: How to Use YouTube Enhancements
• Part 2: How to Use Wondershare Filmora to Improve Video Qualtiy

How to Use YouTube Enhancements

First of all, you need to locate YouTube Enhancements. As soon as you have logged into your YouTube channel, you should go to the Video Manager. There you choose Edit and YouTube Enhancements, and you are ready to go. There are three distinctive categories that you can use, in order to edit your video. You can choose among Quick Fix, Filters, and Blurring Effects. As you can see, there are features that pretty much cover the basics in video editing under these categories.

Quick Fix promptly addresses issues that have to do with the contrast and saturation, as well as offers the ability to rotate or trim the video. There is nothing sophisticated there, but it is a really easy and practical solution for those who do not wish to waste time editing. It is cool that you can also stabilize your video or allow for Slow Motion or Timelapse effects. This is definitely an improvement for YouTube videos.

Filters feel a lot like those used on Instagram. They are neat and cool, of course, covering many of the demands for sophisticated editing. You can find filters like Lomo-ish, Old Fashioned, Heat Map, Cartoon, Cross Process, Festival and much more on YouTube Enhancements. You can also adjust the lighting and colors, so as to fine-tune your video.

Blurring Effects are perhaps the most advanced on YouTube Enhancements, and they provide the opportunity to maintain your privacy, by removing people’s distinctive details from the video and blurring them or putting mosaic on their face. With this tool, you can also blur objects on the video, which can increase your privacy even more. For instance, you can blur the plates of your car or your address. Last, there are some hilarious effects that you should check out.

Once you are done, there is an option to preview the video that you have edited. In this way, you will know if the editions that you have made are sufficient for you or not. Finally, you can choose either to save the video as a new file or revert to the original video. These options are welcome, as sometimes you just do not get what you have expected and you do not want to replace the video you have already uploaded.

How to Use Wondershare Filmora to improve YouTube videos

These are the steps that you need to follow, so as to proceed with high-quality video editing on Filmora:

• Open Wordershare Filmora
• Choose if you want 16:9 or 4:3 aspect ratio
• Tap Import so as to upload the files
• Drag and drop them, in order to place them in the right order

• Click Edit and adjust the settings (rotation, contrast, saturation, brightness, hue, auto de-noise and speed)

• Click OK, and you are done with the improvement of Video Quality

If you wish to fine-tune the images of the videos and place special filters, you can go ahead as follows:

• Tap the Effect button
• Drag the effect you want to use on the timeline (you can choose from a wide variety of effects, including Bokeh and Light Leaks, Old Film, etc.)

After having finished with the video editing process, you can preview the video and see if it is of acceptable quality standards. You can do that by clicking on the Play button. Then you can click on the Create button and save the video where you want, in the format of your choosing. It is also possible for you to burn the video on a DVD or share it online using YouTube or Facebook.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

YouTube has integrated a free video editor to facilitate the work of YouTubers and allow them to process their videos prior to uploading. Although nobody can claim these features can live up to the sophisticated features of the professional video editors, YouTube enhancements are useful and cool which offer a simple way to improve the quality of the videos and do not require any technical knowledge on your behalf.

---

If you are looking for a more professional approach in video editing, you should try out Wondershare Filmora(for Windows and Mac) . This is an exceptionally versatile and powerful tool, which will allow you to gain full control over the videos you wish to edit. It is very easy to use, and it will open up a new world of potentials in video editing. There is a free trial that you can benefit from, so as to see if Filmora meets your criteria in full prior to your purchase.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

---

• Part 1: How to Use YouTube Enhancements
• Part 2: How to Use Wondershare Filmora to Improve Video Qualtiy

How to Use YouTube Enhancements

First of all, you need to locate YouTube Enhancements. As soon as you have logged into your YouTube channel, you should go to the Video Manager. There you choose Edit and YouTube Enhancements, and you are ready to go. There are three distinctive categories that you can use, in order to edit your video. You can choose among Quick Fix, Filters, and Blurring Effects. As you can see, there are features that pretty much cover the basics in video editing under these categories.

Quick Fix promptly addresses issues that have to do with the contrast and saturation, as well as offers the ability to rotate or trim the video. There is nothing sophisticated there, but it is a really easy and practical solution for those who do not wish to waste time editing. It is cool that you can also stabilize your video or allow for Slow Motion or Timelapse effects. This is definitely an improvement for YouTube videos.

Filters feel a lot like those used on Instagram. They are neat and cool, of course, covering many of the demands for sophisticated editing. You can find filters like Lomo-ish, Old Fashioned, Heat Map, Cartoon, Cross Process, Festival and much more on YouTube Enhancements. You can also adjust the lighting and colors, so as to fine-tune your video.

Blurring Effects are perhaps the most advanced on YouTube Enhancements, and they provide the opportunity to maintain your privacy, by removing people’s distinctive details from the video and blurring them or putting mosaic on their face. With this tool, you can also blur objects on the video, which can increase your privacy even more. For instance, you can blur the plates of your car or your address. Last, there are some hilarious effects that you should check out.

Once you are done, there is an option to preview the video that you have edited. In this way, you will know if the editions that you have made are sufficient for you or not. Finally, you can choose either to save the video as a new file or revert to the original video. These options are welcome, as sometimes you just do not get what you have expected and you do not want to replace the video you have already uploaded.

How to Use Wondershare Filmora to improve YouTube videos

These are the steps that you need to follow, so as to proceed with high-quality video editing on Filmora:

• Open Wordershare Filmora
• Choose if you want 16:9 or 4:3 aspect ratio
• Tap Import so as to upload the files
• Drag and drop them, in order to place them in the right order

• Click Edit and adjust the settings (rotation, contrast, saturation, brightness, hue, auto de-noise and speed)

• Click OK, and you are done with the improvement of Video Quality

If you wish to fine-tune the images of the videos and place special filters, you can go ahead as follows:

• Tap the Effect button
• Drag the effect you want to use on the timeline (you can choose from a wide variety of effects, including Bokeh and Light Leaks, Old Film, etc.)

After having finished with the video editing process, you can preview the video and see if it is of acceptable quality standards. You can do that by clicking on the Play button. Then you can click on the Create button and save the video where you want, in the format of your choosing. It is also possible for you to burn the video on a DVD or share it online using YouTube or Facebook.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

YouTube has integrated a free video editor to facilitate the work of YouTubers and allow them to process their videos prior to uploading. Although nobody can claim these features can live up to the sophisticated features of the professional video editors, YouTube enhancements are useful and cool which offer a simple way to improve the quality of the videos and do not require any technical knowledge on your behalf.

---

If you are looking for a more professional approach in video editing, you should try out Wondershare Filmora(for Windows and Mac) . This is an exceptionally versatile and powerful tool, which will allow you to gain full control over the videos you wish to edit. It is very easy to use, and it will open up a new world of potentials in video editing. There is a free trial that you can benefit from, so as to see if Filmora meets your criteria in full prior to your purchase.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

---

• Part 1: How to Use YouTube Enhancements
• Part 2: How to Use Wondershare Filmora to Improve Video Qualtiy

How to Use YouTube Enhancements

First of all, you need to locate YouTube Enhancements. As soon as you have logged into your YouTube channel, you should go to the Video Manager. There you choose Edit and YouTube Enhancements, and you are ready to go. There are three distinctive categories that you can use, in order to edit your video. You can choose among Quick Fix, Filters, and Blurring Effects. As you can see, there are features that pretty much cover the basics in video editing under these categories.

Quick Fix promptly addresses issues that have to do with the contrast and saturation, as well as offers the ability to rotate or trim the video. There is nothing sophisticated there, but it is a really easy and practical solution for those who do not wish to waste time editing. It is cool that you can also stabilize your video or allow for Slow Motion or Timelapse effects. This is definitely an improvement for YouTube videos.

Filters feel a lot like those used on Instagram. They are neat and cool, of course, covering many of the demands for sophisticated editing. You can find filters like Lomo-ish, Old Fashioned, Heat Map, Cartoon, Cross Process, Festival and much more on YouTube Enhancements. You can also adjust the lighting and colors, so as to fine-tune your video.

Blurring Effects are perhaps the most advanced on YouTube Enhancements, and they provide the opportunity to maintain your privacy, by removing people’s distinctive details from the video and blurring them or putting mosaic on their face. With this tool, you can also blur objects on the video, which can increase your privacy even more. For instance, you can blur the plates of your car or your address. Last, there are some hilarious effects that you should check out.

Once you are done, there is an option to preview the video that you have edited. In this way, you will know if the editions that you have made are sufficient for you or not. Finally, you can choose either to save the video as a new file or revert to the original video. These options are welcome, as sometimes you just do not get what you have expected and you do not want to replace the video you have already uploaded.

How to Use Wondershare Filmora to improve YouTube videos

These are the steps that you need to follow, so as to proceed with high-quality video editing on Filmora:

• Open Wordershare Filmora
• Choose if you want 16:9 or 4:3 aspect ratio
• Tap Import so as to upload the files
• Drag and drop them, in order to place them in the right order

• Click Edit and adjust the settings (rotation, contrast, saturation, brightness, hue, auto de-noise and speed)

• Click OK, and you are done with the improvement of Video Quality

If you wish to fine-tune the images of the videos and place special filters, you can go ahead as follows:

• Tap the Effect button
• Drag the effect you want to use on the timeline (you can choose from a wide variety of effects, including Bokeh and Light Leaks, Old Film, etc.)

After having finished with the video editing process, you can preview the video and see if it is of acceptable quality standards. You can do that by clicking on the Play button. Then you can click on the Create button and save the video where you want, in the format of your choosing. It is also possible for you to burn the video on a DVD or share it online using YouTube or Facebook.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

YouTube has integrated a free video editor to facilitate the work of YouTubers and allow them to process their videos prior to uploading. Although nobody can claim these features can live up to the sophisticated features of the professional video editors, YouTube enhancements are useful and cool which offer a simple way to improve the quality of the videos and do not require any technical knowledge on your behalf.

---

If you are looking for a more professional approach in video editing, you should try out Wondershare Filmora(for Windows and Mac) . This is an exceptionally versatile and powerful tool, which will allow you to gain full control over the videos you wish to edit. It is very easy to use, and it will open up a new world of potentials in video editing. There is a free trial that you can benefit from, so as to see if Filmora meets your criteria in full prior to your purchase.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

---

• Part 1: How to Use YouTube Enhancements
• Part 2: How to Use Wondershare Filmora to Improve Video Qualtiy

How to Use YouTube Enhancements

First of all, you need to locate YouTube Enhancements. As soon as you have logged into your YouTube channel, you should go to the Video Manager. There you choose Edit and YouTube Enhancements, and you are ready to go. There are three distinctive categories that you can use, in order to edit your video. You can choose among Quick Fix, Filters, and Blurring Effects. As you can see, there are features that pretty much cover the basics in video editing under these categories.

Quick Fix promptly addresses issues that have to do with the contrast and saturation, as well as offers the ability to rotate or trim the video. There is nothing sophisticated there, but it is a really easy and practical solution for those who do not wish to waste time editing. It is cool that you can also stabilize your video or allow for Slow Motion or Timelapse effects. This is definitely an improvement for YouTube videos.

Filters feel a lot like those used on Instagram. They are neat and cool, of course, covering many of the demands for sophisticated editing. You can find filters like Lomo-ish, Old Fashioned, Heat Map, Cartoon, Cross Process, Festival and much more on YouTube Enhancements. You can also adjust the lighting and colors, so as to fine-tune your video.

Blurring Effects are perhaps the most advanced on YouTube Enhancements, and they provide the opportunity to maintain your privacy, by removing people’s distinctive details from the video and blurring them or putting mosaic on their face. With this tool, you can also blur objects on the video, which can increase your privacy even more. For instance, you can blur the plates of your car or your address. Last, there are some hilarious effects that you should check out.

Once you are done, there is an option to preview the video that you have edited. In this way, you will know if the editions that you have made are sufficient for you or not. Finally, you can choose either to save the video as a new file or revert to the original video. These options are welcome, as sometimes you just do not get what you have expected and you do not want to replace the video you have already uploaded.

How to Use Wondershare Filmora to improve YouTube videos

These are the steps that you need to follow, so as to proceed with high-quality video editing on Filmora:

• Open Wordershare Filmora
• Choose if you want 16:9 or 4:3 aspect ratio
• Tap Import so as to upload the files
• Drag and drop them, in order to place them in the right order

• Click Edit and adjust the settings (rotation, contrast, saturation, brightness, hue, auto de-noise and speed)

• Click OK, and you are done with the improvement of Video Quality

If you wish to fine-tune the images of the videos and place special filters, you can go ahead as follows:

• Tap the Effect button
• Drag the effect you want to use on the timeline (you can choose from a wide variety of effects, including Bokeh and Light Leaks, Old Film, etc.)

After having finished with the video editing process, you can preview the video and see if it is of acceptable quality standards. You can do that by clicking on the Play button. Then you can click on the Create button and save the video where you want, in the format of your choosing. It is also possible for you to burn the video on a DVD or share it online using YouTube or Facebook.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Enhancing YouTube Thumbnails: Neon Borders - Top 3 Methods

Your YouTube video, or any other clip published on any forum, gets a larger number of hits if it has an attractive thumbnail. And, the fact is, a thumbnail becomes 10x more attractive when the main character that the image has have a neon border around it.

With that said, in the following sections, you will learn a couple of methods on how to add a YouTube thumbnail border around the main characters and/or objects that are significant to the clip.

In this article

01 Add Glowing Neon Border to YouTube Thumbnail with Filmora

02 Add a Glowing Neon Border in YouTube Thumbnail with Canva

03 Outline a Person in a YouTube Thumbnail with Photoshop

Part 1: How to Add Neon Border to YouTube Thumbnail for Free with Filmora

Being one of the most versatile and intuitive post-production tools available in the market today, Wondershare Filmora X allows you to add a neon border to a YouTube thumbnail quite conveniently. You can learn how to get this done on Windows or Mac by following the steps given below.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Step 1: Define Project Settings and Add Image to the Timeline

Launch Wondershare Filmora X on your PC (a MacBook Pro M1 is used here), ensure that the project aspect ratio is set to 16:9 (Widescreen) on the splash screen, and click New Project. On the main interface, click the Preview quality and display settings icon from the upper-right area of the Timeline, click Change Project Aspect Ratio, click to select 1280 x 720 (HD) from the Resolution menu of the Project Settings box, and click OK to save the custom project settings.

Then select My Media from the menu bar if not already selected, click Project Media from the navigation pane, and click Import from the Media box to select and import the image of the main character or object that you want to use in the thumbnail.

Now, drag the image from the Media box to the Timeline at the bottom.

Step 2: Clear Image Background, Add Border, and Add Custom Background

Go to Effects from the menu bar, click to select the Default tab and then AI Portrait from the navigation pane, and click and drag the Human Segmentation preset from the right box, and place it over the image track in the Timeline.

Double-click the image layer, scroll down the upper-left box to the Video Effects section, and use the Edge Thickness and Edge Feather sliders to adjust the character’s edges to make them as realistic as possible. Click OK when done.

Next, click and drag the Human Border preset over the image track in the Timeline, and follow the same procedure to customize the border. This will give the character a neon border effect.

Now, use the method explained earlier to import a custom image for the background, and drag and place it under the previous track in the Timeline.

If you are running the latest version of Filmora, you will find there are some neon light effects available under AI Portrait as well.

Step 3: Add Titles to Thumbnail

Go to Titles from the menu bar, click to select the Default tab and then Lower 3rds from the navigation pane, and click and drag your preferred lower-third preset from the right window to a separate layer in the Timeline. Double-click the lower-third layer, and use the available options in the upper-left window to change the text, its color, etc., and drag the textbox to place it to your preferred position on the image as well. Click OK to save the changes.

Next, click to select Titles from the navigation pane, and drag your preferred title from the right window to the upper-most track in the Timeline. Now use the method explained earlier to edit the text, its color, position, etc. to make it look professional.

For more tips and tricks for creating YouTube thumbnail, you can check this You Tube thumbnail creating guide.

Step 4: Get the Neon Border Thumbnail

Click the Snapshot (Camera) icon from the upper-right area of the Timeline, go to My Media from the menu bar, right-click the thumbnail of the screenshot you captured, and click Reveal in Finder (on Mac) or Reveal in Explorer (on Windows) to get to the folder the YouTube thumbnail border is saved in.

Part 2: How to Add a Glowing Neon Border in Your YouTube Thumbnail with Canva

Canva is another intuitive editing program that works on the web interface rather than having you download and install an app on your PC. You can add a neon border for YouTube thumbnails using Canva by following the instructions given below:

Step 1: Define Project Settings and Add a Background

After signing in to your Canva account, click Create a design from the top-right corner of the page, click Custom size from the bottom, define 1280 and 720 in the Width and Height fields on the box that appears respectively, and click Create new design.

Now, click to select Background from the navigation bar on the left (if the Background tool is not visible, click More and then choose Background from the expanded list), and click to select a background from the images available in the center pane.

Step 2: Upload an Image and Add Effects

Click Uploads from the navigation bar, click the More icon from the right of the Upload media button present at the top of the center pane, choose your preferred method to upload the image (with the transparent background) that you want to use, upload the image, and drag it from the center pane to the Canvas.

Note: You can use any of the tools available online to remove the background from your image for free.

To add a YouTube thumbnail border, make sure that the image that you added to the Canvas is selected, click the Duplicate icon from the upper-right area, and use the scaling handles of the copy of the image to increase its size a bit. Reposition the image back to its original location as well.

Then, click Edit image from the upper-left corner of the Canvas, click Duotone from the Edit image pane at the center, if need be, click See all, choose your preferred duotone effect to apply on the image, choose your preferred highlight and shadow colors from the box that appears next, and click Back from the top of the pane.

Next, click See all next to the Adjust section from the center pane, and drag the Blur slider to the right to increase the blur effect on the image.

Step 3: Position the Layers

While keeping the duplicate image selected, click the Position button from the upper-right area of the Canvas, and click Background to send the second image behind the first one to get the neon border effect for the photo.

Part 3: How to Outline a Person in a YouTube Thumbnail with Photoshop

Because YouTube thumbnails are nothing but static images, creating YouTube thumbnail border with Adobe Photoshop is comparatively easier. The process of doing this is given below:

Step 1: Define Document Preferences and Import an Image

Launch Adobe Photoshop on your PC, click Create new, and on the New Document customization box, define the width and height values to 1280 and 720 pixels respectively. Select Transparent from the Background Contents menu as well if not already selected. Click Create from the bottom to create a new Photoshop document with the specified document settings. Next, open the folder that contains the source image, drag the photo to Photoshop, and press Enter to place the photo.

Step 2: Remove Background from the Image

Make sure that the image layer is selected in the Layers panel on the right, go to Select from the menu bar at the top, and click Subject. From the bottom of the Layers panel, click the Add a mask icon to get rid of the background, leaving only the human on the Canvas.

Step 3: Add a Custom Background and an Outline Around the Subject

Use the method explained earlier to import a background image of your choice to Photoshop. Drag the background image layer to the bottom in the Layers panel. Double-click the masked layer, click to select Stroke from the left pane of the Layer Style box, and use the options available on the right to manage the size, color, position, etc. of the stroke that has been added around the human subject. Click OK when done, and then export the image normally to use it as a YouTube thumbnail border.

Summary

It is important to know that the default resolution of a YouTube thumbnail is 1280 x 720 pixels that is usually written and referred to as 720p. While adding a YouTube thumbnail border, it is also imperative to have a good sense of color combination and fonts. Furthermore, a decent tool like Wondershare Filmora X must be used to add an appealing neon border around the main subject in the thumbnail image easily and quickly.

02 Add a Glowing Neon Border in YouTube Thumbnail with Canva

03 Outline a Person in a YouTube Thumbnail with Photoshop

Part 1: How to Add Neon Border to YouTube Thumbnail for Free with Filmora

Being one of the most versatile and intuitive post-production tools available in the market today, Wondershare Filmora X allows you to add a neon border to a YouTube thumbnail quite conveniently. You can learn how to get this done on Windows or Mac by following the steps given below.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Step 1: Define Project Settings and Add Image to the Timeline

Launch Wondershare Filmora X on your PC (a MacBook Pro M1 is used here), ensure that the project aspect ratio is set to 16:9 (Widescreen) on the splash screen, and click New Project. On the main interface, click the Preview quality and display settings icon from the upper-right area of the Timeline, click Change Project Aspect Ratio, click to select 1280 x 720 (HD) from the Resolution menu of the Project Settings box, and click OK to save the custom project settings.

Then select My Media from the menu bar if not already selected, click Project Media from the navigation pane, and click Import from the Media box to select and import the image of the main character or object that you want to use in the thumbnail.

Now, drag the image from the Media box to the Timeline at the bottom.

Step 2: Clear Image Background, Add Border, and Add Custom Background

Go to Effects from the menu bar, click to select the Default tab and then AI Portrait from the navigation pane, and click and drag the Human Segmentation preset from the right box, and place it over the image track in the Timeline.

Double-click the image layer, scroll down the upper-left box to the Video Effects section, and use the Edge Thickness and Edge Feather sliders to adjust the character’s edges to make them as realistic as possible. Click OK when done.

Next, click and drag the Human Border preset over the image track in the Timeline, and follow the same procedure to customize the border. This will give the character a neon border effect.

Now, use the method explained earlier to import a custom image for the background, and drag and place it under the previous track in the Timeline.

If you are running the latest version of Filmora, you will find there are some neon light effects available under AI Portrait as well.

Step 3: Add Titles to Thumbnail

Go to Titles from the menu bar, click to select the Default tab and then Lower 3rds from the navigation pane, and click and drag your preferred lower-third preset from the right window to a separate layer in the Timeline. Double-click the lower-third layer, and use the available options in the upper-left window to change the text, its color, etc., and drag the textbox to place it to your preferred position on the image as well. Click OK to save the changes.

Next, click to select Titles from the navigation pane, and drag your preferred title from the right window to the upper-most track in the Timeline. Now use the method explained earlier to edit the text, its color, position, etc. to make it look professional.

For more tips and tricks for creating YouTube thumbnail, you can check this You Tube thumbnail creating guide.

Step 4: Get the Neon Border Thumbnail

Click the Snapshot (Camera) icon from the upper-right area of the Timeline, go to My Media from the menu bar, right-click the thumbnail of the screenshot you captured, and click Reveal in Finder (on Mac) or Reveal in Explorer (on Windows) to get to the folder the YouTube thumbnail border is saved in.

Part 2: How to Add a Glowing Neon Border in Your YouTube Thumbnail with Canva

Canva is another intuitive editing program that works on the web interface rather than having you download and install an app on your PC. You can add a neon border for YouTube thumbnails using Canva by following the instructions given below:

Step 1: Define Project Settings and Add a Background

After signing in to your Canva account, click Create a design from the top-right corner of the page, click Custom size from the bottom, define 1280 and 720 in the Width and Height fields on the box that appears respectively, and click Create new design.

Now, click to select Background from the navigation bar on the left (if the Background tool is not visible, click More and then choose Background from the expanded list), and click to select a background from the images available in the center pane.

Step 2: Upload an Image and Add Effects

Click Uploads from the navigation bar, click the More icon from the right of the Upload media button present at the top of the center pane, choose your preferred method to upload the image (with the transparent background) that you want to use, upload the image, and drag it from the center pane to the Canvas.

Note: You can use any of the tools available online to remove the background from your image for free.

To add a YouTube thumbnail border, make sure that the image that you added to the Canvas is selected, click the Duplicate icon from the upper-right area, and use the scaling handles of the copy of the image to increase its size a bit. Reposition the image back to its original location as well.

Then, click Edit image from the upper-left corner of the Canvas, click Duotone from the Edit image pane at the center, if need be, click See all, choose your preferred duotone effect to apply on the image, choose your preferred highlight and shadow colors from the box that appears next, and click Back from the top of the pane.

Next, click See all next to the Adjust section from the center pane, and drag the Blur slider to the right to increase the blur effect on the image.

Step 3: Position the Layers

While keeping the duplicate image selected, click the Position button from the upper-right area of the Canvas, and click Background to send the second image behind the first one to get the neon border effect for the photo.

Part 3: How to Outline a Person in a YouTube Thumbnail with Photoshop

Because YouTube thumbnails are nothing but static images, creating YouTube thumbnail border with Adobe Photoshop is comparatively easier. The process of doing this is given below:

Step 1: Define Document Preferences and Import an Image

Launch Adobe Photoshop on your PC, click Create new, and on the New Document customization box, define the width and height values to 1280 and 720 pixels respectively. Select Transparent from the Background Contents menu as well if not already selected. Click Create from the bottom to create a new Photoshop document with the specified document settings. Next, open the folder that contains the source image, drag the photo to Photoshop, and press Enter to place the photo.

Step 2: Remove Background from the Image

Make sure that the image layer is selected in the Layers panel on the right, go to Select from the menu bar at the top, and click Subject. From the bottom of the Layers panel, click the Add a mask icon to get rid of the background, leaving only the human on the Canvas.

Step 3: Add a Custom Background and an Outline Around the Subject

Use the method explained earlier to import a background image of your choice to Photoshop. Drag the background image layer to the bottom in the Layers panel. Double-click the masked layer, click to select Stroke from the left pane of the Layer Style box, and use the options available on the right to manage the size, color, position, etc. of the stroke that has been added around the human subject. Click OK when done, and then export the image normally to use it as a YouTube thumbnail border.

Summary

It is important to know that the default resolution of a YouTube thumbnail is 1280 x 720 pixels that is usually written and referred to as 720p. While adding a YouTube thumbnail border, it is also imperative to have a good sense of color combination and fonts. Furthermore, a decent tool like Wondershare Filmora X must be used to add an appealing neon border around the main subject in the thumbnail image easily and quickly.

02 Add a Glowing Neon Border in YouTube Thumbnail with Canva

03 Outline a Person in a YouTube Thumbnail with Photoshop

Part 1: How to Add Neon Border to YouTube Thumbnail for Free with Filmora

Being one of the most versatile and intuitive post-production tools available in the market today, Wondershare Filmora X allows you to add a neon border to a YouTube thumbnail quite conveniently. You can learn how to get this done on Windows or Mac by following the steps given below.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Step 1: Define Project Settings and Add Image to the Timeline

Launch Wondershare Filmora X on your PC (a MacBook Pro M1 is used here), ensure that the project aspect ratio is set to 16:9 (Widescreen) on the splash screen, and click New Project. On the main interface, click the Preview quality and display settings icon from the upper-right area of the Timeline, click Change Project Aspect Ratio, click to select 1280 x 720 (HD) from the Resolution menu of the Project Settings box, and click OK to save the custom project settings.

Then select My Media from the menu bar if not already selected, click Project Media from the navigation pane, and click Import from the Media box to select and import the image of the main character or object that you want to use in the thumbnail.

Now, drag the image from the Media box to the Timeline at the bottom.

Step 2: Clear Image Background, Add Border, and Add Custom Background

Go to Effects from the menu bar, click to select the Default tab and then AI Portrait from the navigation pane, and click and drag the Human Segmentation preset from the right box, and place it over the image track in the Timeline.

Double-click the image layer, scroll down the upper-left box to the Video Effects section, and use the Edge Thickness and Edge Feather sliders to adjust the character’s edges to make them as realistic as possible. Click OK when done.

Next, click and drag the Human Border preset over the image track in the Timeline, and follow the same procedure to customize the border. This will give the character a neon border effect.

Now, use the method explained earlier to import a custom image for the background, and drag and place it under the previous track in the Timeline.

If you are running the latest version of Filmora, you will find there are some neon light effects available under AI Portrait as well.

Step 3: Add Titles to Thumbnail

Go to Titles from the menu bar, click to select the Default tab and then Lower 3rds from the navigation pane, and click and drag your preferred lower-third preset from the right window to a separate layer in the Timeline. Double-click the lower-third layer, and use the available options in the upper-left window to change the text, its color, etc., and drag the textbox to place it to your preferred position on the image as well. Click OK to save the changes.

Next, click to select Titles from the navigation pane, and drag your preferred title from the right window to the upper-most track in the Timeline. Now use the method explained earlier to edit the text, its color, position, etc. to make it look professional.

For more tips and tricks for creating YouTube thumbnail, you can check this You Tube thumbnail creating guide.

Step 4: Get the Neon Border Thumbnail

Click the Snapshot (Camera) icon from the upper-right area of the Timeline, go to My Media from the menu bar, right-click the thumbnail of the screenshot you captured, and click Reveal in Finder (on Mac) or Reveal in Explorer (on Windows) to get to the folder the YouTube thumbnail border is saved in.

Part 2: How to Add a Glowing Neon Border in Your YouTube Thumbnail with Canva

Canva is another intuitive editing program that works on the web interface rather than having you download and install an app on your PC. You can add a neon border for YouTube thumbnails using Canva by following the instructions given below:

Step 1: Define Project Settings and Add a Background

After signing in to your Canva account, click Create a design from the top-right corner of the page, click Custom size from the bottom, define 1280 and 720 in the Width and Height fields on the box that appears respectively, and click Create new design.

Now, click to select Background from the navigation bar on the left (if the Background tool is not visible, click More and then choose Background from the expanded list), and click to select a background from the images available in the center pane.

Step 2: Upload an Image and Add Effects

Click Uploads from the navigation bar, click the More icon from the right of the Upload media button present at the top of the center pane, choose your preferred method to upload the image (with the transparent background) that you want to use, upload the image, and drag it from the center pane to the Canvas.

Note: You can use any of the tools available online to remove the background from your image for free.

To add a YouTube thumbnail border, make sure that the image that you added to the Canvas is selected, click the Duplicate icon from the upper-right area, and use the scaling handles of the copy of the image to increase its size a bit. Reposition the image back to its original location as well.

Then, click Edit image from the upper-left corner of the Canvas, click Duotone from the Edit image pane at the center, if need be, click See all, choose your preferred duotone effect to apply on the image, choose your preferred highlight and shadow colors from the box that appears next, and click Back from the top of the pane.

Next, click See all next to the Adjust section from the center pane, and drag the Blur slider to the right to increase the blur effect on the image.

Step 3: Position the Layers

While keeping the duplicate image selected, click the Position button from the upper-right area of the Canvas, and click Background to send the second image behind the first one to get the neon border effect for the photo.

Part 3: How to Outline a Person in a YouTube Thumbnail with Photoshop

Because YouTube thumbnails are nothing but static images, creating YouTube thumbnail border with Adobe Photoshop is comparatively easier. The process of doing this is given below:

Step 1: Define Document Preferences and Import an Image

Launch Adobe Photoshop on your PC, click Create new, and on the New Document customization box, define the width and height values to 1280 and 720 pixels respectively. Select Transparent from the Background Contents menu as well if not already selected. Click Create from the bottom to create a new Photoshop document with the specified document settings. Next, open the folder that contains the source image, drag the photo to Photoshop, and press Enter to place the photo.

Step 2: Remove Background from the Image

Make sure that the image layer is selected in the Layers panel on the right, go to Select from the menu bar at the top, and click Subject. From the bottom of the Layers panel, click the Add a mask icon to get rid of the background, leaving only the human on the Canvas.

Step 3: Add a Custom Background and an Outline Around the Subject

Use the method explained earlier to import a background image of your choice to Photoshop. Drag the background image layer to the bottom in the Layers panel. Double-click the masked layer, click to select Stroke from the left pane of the Layer Style box, and use the options available on the right to manage the size, color, position, etc. of the stroke that has been added around the human subject. Click OK when done, and then export the image normally to use it as a YouTube thumbnail border.

Summary

It is important to know that the default resolution of a YouTube thumbnail is 1280 x 720 pixels that is usually written and referred to as 720p. While adding a YouTube thumbnail border, it is also imperative to have a good sense of color combination and fonts. Furthermore, a decent tool like Wondershare Filmora X must be used to add an appealing neon border around the main subject in the thumbnail image easily and quickly.

02 Add a Glowing Neon Border in YouTube Thumbnail with Canva

03 Outline a Person in a YouTube Thumbnail with Photoshop

Part 1: How to Add Neon Border to YouTube Thumbnail for Free with Filmora

Being one of the most versatile and intuitive post-production tools available in the market today, Wondershare Filmora X allows you to add a neon border to a YouTube thumbnail quite conveniently. You can learn how to get this done on Windows or Mac by following the steps given below.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Step 1: Define Project Settings and Add Image to the Timeline

Launch Wondershare Filmora X on your PC (a MacBook Pro M1 is used here), ensure that the project aspect ratio is set to 16:9 (Widescreen) on the splash screen, and click New Project. On the main interface, click the Preview quality and display settings icon from the upper-right area of the Timeline, click Change Project Aspect Ratio, click to select 1280 x 720 (HD) from the Resolution menu of the Project Settings box, and click OK to save the custom project settings.

Then select My Media from the menu bar if not already selected, click Project Media from the navigation pane, and click Import from the Media box to select and import the image of the main character or object that you want to use in the thumbnail.

Now, drag the image from the Media box to the Timeline at the bottom.

Step 2: Clear Image Background, Add Border, and Add Custom Background

Go to Effects from the menu bar, click to select the Default tab and then AI Portrait from the navigation pane, and click and drag the Human Segmentation preset from the right box, and place it over the image track in the Timeline.

Double-click the image layer, scroll down the upper-left box to the Video Effects section, and use the Edge Thickness and Edge Feather sliders to adjust the character’s edges to make them as realistic as possible. Click OK when done.

Next, click and drag the Human Border preset over the image track in the Timeline, and follow the same procedure to customize the border. This will give the character a neon border effect.

Now, use the method explained earlier to import a custom image for the background, and drag and place it under the previous track in the Timeline.

If you are running the latest version of Filmora, you will find there are some neon light effects available under AI Portrait as well.

Step 3: Add Titles to Thumbnail

Go to Titles from the menu bar, click to select the Default tab and then Lower 3rds from the navigation pane, and click and drag your preferred lower-third preset from the right window to a separate layer in the Timeline. Double-click the lower-third layer, and use the available options in the upper-left window to change the text, its color, etc., and drag the textbox to place it to your preferred position on the image as well. Click OK to save the changes.

Next, click to select Titles from the navigation pane, and drag your preferred title from the right window to the upper-most track in the Timeline. Now use the method explained earlier to edit the text, its color, position, etc. to make it look professional.

For more tips and tricks for creating YouTube thumbnail, you can check this You Tube thumbnail creating guide.

Step 4: Get the Neon Border Thumbnail

Click the Snapshot (Camera) icon from the upper-right area of the Timeline, go to My Media from the menu bar, right-click the thumbnail of the screenshot you captured, and click Reveal in Finder (on Mac) or Reveal in Explorer (on Windows) to get to the folder the YouTube thumbnail border is saved in.

Part 2: How to Add a Glowing Neon Border in Your YouTube Thumbnail with Canva

Canva is another intuitive editing program that works on the web interface rather than having you download and install an app on your PC. You can add a neon border for YouTube thumbnails using Canva by following the instructions given below:

Step 1: Define Project Settings and Add a Background

After signing in to your Canva account, click Create a design from the top-right corner of the page, click Custom size from the bottom, define 1280 and 720 in the Width and Height fields on the box that appears respectively, and click Create new design.

Now, click to select Background from the navigation bar on the left (if the Background tool is not visible, click More and then choose Background from the expanded list), and click to select a background from the images available in the center pane.

Step 2: Upload an Image and Add Effects

Click Uploads from the navigation bar, click the More icon from the right of the Upload media button present at the top of the center pane, choose your preferred method to upload the image (with the transparent background) that you want to use, upload the image, and drag it from the center pane to the Canvas.

Note: You can use any of the tools available online to remove the background from your image for free.

To add a YouTube thumbnail border, make sure that the image that you added to the Canvas is selected, click the Duplicate icon from the upper-right area, and use the scaling handles of the copy of the image to increase its size a bit. Reposition the image back to its original location as well.

Then, click Edit image from the upper-left corner of the Canvas, click Duotone from the Edit image pane at the center, if need be, click See all, choose your preferred duotone effect to apply on the image, choose your preferred highlight and shadow colors from the box that appears next, and click Back from the top of the pane.

Next, click See all next to the Adjust section from the center pane, and drag the Blur slider to the right to increase the blur effect on the image.

Step 3: Position the Layers

While keeping the duplicate image selected, click the Position button from the upper-right area of the Canvas, and click Background to send the second image behind the first one to get the neon border effect for the photo.

Part 3: How to Outline a Person in a YouTube Thumbnail with Photoshop

Because YouTube thumbnails are nothing but static images, creating YouTube thumbnail border with Adobe Photoshop is comparatively easier. The process of doing this is given below:

Step 1: Define Document Preferences and Import an Image

Launch Adobe Photoshop on your PC, click Create new, and on the New Document customization box, define the width and height values to 1280 and 720 pixels respectively. Select Transparent from the Background Contents menu as well if not already selected. Click Create from the bottom to create a new Photoshop document with the specified document settings. Next, open the folder that contains the source image, drag the photo to Photoshop, and press Enter to place the photo.

Step 2: Remove Background from the Image

Make sure that the image layer is selected in the Layers panel on the right, go to Select from the menu bar at the top, and click Subject. From the bottom of the Layers panel, click the Add a mask icon to get rid of the background, leaving only the human on the Canvas.

Step 3: Add a Custom Background and an Outline Around the Subject

Use the method explained earlier to import a background image of your choice to Photoshop. Drag the background image layer to the bottom in the Layers panel. Double-click the masked layer, click to select Stroke from the left pane of the Layer Style box, and use the options available on the right to manage the size, color, position, etc. of the stroke that has been added around the human subject. Click OK when done, and then export the image normally to use it as a YouTube thumbnail border.

Summary

It is important to know that the default resolution of a YouTube thumbnail is 1280 x 720 pixels that is usually written and referred to as 720p. While adding a YouTube thumbnail border, it is also imperative to have a good sense of color combination and fonts. Furthermore, a decent tool like Wondershare Filmora X must be used to add an appealing neon border around the main subject in the thumbnail image easily and quickly.

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