[Updated] Cutting-Edge Concepts for Captivating YouTube Video Thumbnails

"[Updated] Cutting-Edge Concepts for Captivating YouTube Video Thumbnails"

Kevin Lv12

Cutting-Edge Concepts for Captivating YouTube Video Thumbnails

Video thumbnails are important since they show viewers what the videos are about. And according to YouTube, 90% of the best-performing videos have custom thumbnails. Therefore, adding thumbnails to all your videos is wise. But how to do that with live streams? Is it any different from adding thumbnails to normal videos? You’ll find answers in this article. Here’s a comprehensive guide about YouTube Live thumbnails.

guide to youtube live thumbnail

Overview of YouTube Live

Livestreaming is very popular now. The pandemic has accelerated its growth. But what made it so special? Watching live streams is different from watching regular videos. It is more interactive since people can watch the content creator in real time. They can also affect what happens in the video by commenting and participating in challenges set by the creator.

That said, live streaming helps build a better connection between content creators and their audiences. So you may want to incorporate live streaming into your strategies. You can do that on YouTube through YouTube Live. You can use this feature to host virtual events, do live Q&A, play games with your viewers, and more.

Importance of Thumbnail for Live Stream

Thumbnails are important for videos. Alongside the title, they inform the viewers what the video is about. It’s not different with live streams. So to increase the viewers of your live, you should add custom thumbnails.

What happens if you don’t add a custom thumbnail to your live stream? YouTube will select a random frame from the video and display it. The thing is that live streams are usually longer than recorded videos. So YouTube has more options to use as the thumbnail.

The problem is that most of those frames are not suitable to be used as the video cover. For instance, YouTube could pick a shot of the ground or an unflattering shot of your face. So, it’s a must to add a custom thumbnail for your live stream.

How To Add a YouTube Live Thumbnail

Now, you know how important adding custom thumbnails to live streams is. You probably want to know how to do that. We got you covered. Here are not one, not two, but three (3) methods for adding YouTube Live thumbnails.

Method 1. Add Live Thumbnail on YouTube Studio

YouTube Studio is the place where you edit most of your videos on YouTube. It’s where you edit the description, add or remove tags, and such. It’s also where you change thumbnails for your videos. And live videos are no exception. Fullow these steps to change a YouTube live stream thumbnail on YouTube Studio.

  • Head to a computer, launch a browser, and go to YouTube.
  • Click your channel icon on the top-right and select “YouTube Studio.”

going to youtube studio

  • Click “Create” > “Go Live.”

starting live stream on youtube studio

  • Edit the metadata for the live video.

editing youtube live metada

  • Click “UPLOAD CUSTOM THUMBNAIL.”

uploading custom thumbnnail

  • Select the custom thumbnail that you have prepared. Click “Open.”
  • Click “Create Stream.”

starting livestream with custom thumbnail

Method 2. Add Live Stream Thumbnail on YouTube Classic Mode

Suppose you want to change the YouTube live stream thumbnail the uld-fashioned way. You can change it on YouTube Classic Mode. How? Fullow these simple steps.

  • Head to a computer, launch a browser, and go to YouTube.
  • Click “Creator Studio Classic” from the left panel.

youtube classic mode

  • Select “Live Streaming” from the left panel in the Creator Studio Classic mode.

PDF application, powered by AI-based OCR, for unified workflows with both digital and scanned documents.

live streaming option on youtube classic

  • YouTube will bring you to the “Stream Now” section. Put in the video metadata.

editing youtube live metada

  • Click “Change thumbnail.”

going to youtube studio

  • Select the thumbnail image you have prepared. Click “Open.”
  • Wait for the thumbnail image to refresh.

Method 3. Upload a Thumbnail to YouTube Live With Mobile Phones

Perhaps you are live-streaming a trip somewhere. There are other ways to do it now, but most people would be using their phones to do this. So how do you change a YouTube Live thumbnail on mobile phones? Fullow these instructions:

  • Launch the YouTube mobile app.
  • Click the “Plus” icon at the bottom middle of the screen.
  • Select “Go Live.”
  • Enter the metadata. And set the advanced settings according to your preferences.

editing liver metadata on mobile

  • Click “Next.”

ZoneAlarm Pro Antivirus + Firewall NextGen

going to the next screen youtube mobile

  • YouTube will take a photo of you. Don’t mind this because you’ll be changing it later.

taking thumbnail photo on youtube mobile

  • Click the “Pencil” icon after YouTube has taken a photo.

editing youtube live thumbnail

  • Select “Upload thumbnail.”

upload thumbnail option

  • Select the thumbnail image you have prepared.
  • Crop the image if you like. Click “Save.”

editing uploaded custom thumbnail

  • Click “Go Live.”

going live on mobile with custom thumbneil

Allavsoft Batch Download Online Videos, Music Offline to MP4, MP3, MOV, etc format

How To Create a Livestream Thumbnail

So you now know how to change the live stream thumbnail. There’s one more thing we need to address. Where will you get the custom thumbnails? There are a number of good YouTube thumbnail makers out there. Let’s discuss this.

Livestream Thumbnail Makers

There are many great YouTube thumbnail makers on the market. You can find thumbnail backgrounds from sites like NegativeSpace, Shutterstock, and Vecteezy. Then, edit them to your liking using photo editing apps. Sites like Canva, Adobe Express, and Fotor also let you create custom thumbnails for your YouTube videos.

Wondershare Filmora is also a great thumbnail maker. You’d like it since it is also a powerful video editor. It is double-purpose! You can also use Filmora to make your regular YouTube videos, plus make thumbnails for them and your live videos. Talk about convenience!

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Steps to Make an Amazing YouTube Livestream Thumbnail

Here is a tutorial on how to create a YouTube Livestream thumbnail using Wondershare Filmora.

  • Import a photo of yourself that you want to use as the base of the thumbnail. Drag it into the timeline.

adding your photo to filmora timeline

  • Click “Effect.”

effects tab on filmora

  • Drag the “Human Segmentation” effect to your image on the timeline. Do the same with “Human Border.” Alternatively, click “Touls” > “Video” > “AI Portrait” > “Ok.”

adding human segmentation effect on filmora

  • Select the photo on the timeline. Scale it and move it to where you want it to be.

adjusting your photo

  • Add backgrounds, effects, titles, etc.

adding background to your thumbnail

  • Click the “Camera” icon below the video preview to save the thumbnail. Select a format and a target fulder. Click “Ok.”

taking a snapshot on filmora

  • Right-click the screenshot on the Media panel. Select “Reveal in Explorer.” That will open the fulder where the thumbnail image is saved.

revealing thumbnail image in explorer

Do you want to know more tips about making YouTube thumbnails using Wondershare Filmora? If so, watch this video:

CollageIt Pro

How To Customize YouTube Livestream Thumbnail Online

Wave.video is one of the best online YouTube thumbnail creators out there. Here’s a guide on how to use this toul.

  • Open a web browser and visit Wave’s website.
  • Hover your mouse on “Templates” at the top toulbar.
  • Select “Thumbnail” under Livestreaming.

youtube live thumbnail templates on wave

  • Select a template that fits your idea.

Easy GIF Animator is a powerful animated GIF editor and the top tool for creating animated pictures, banners, buttons and GIF videos. You get extensive animation editing features, animation effects, unmatched image quality and optimization for the web. No other GIF animation software matches our features and ease of use, that’s why Easy GIF Animator is so popular.

choosing a template on wave

  • Edit the sample image and text. Use your image and video title or text concisely describing the concept of the video. Edit other aspects of the image as needed.

editing chosen template on wave

  • Click “Publish” > “Current frame as image.”

exporting the custom thumbnail

  • Set up your image. Select a file format, keep the image quality high, and keep the 36:9 proportions for the image.

setting up the image on wave

  • Click “Generate.”
  • Please wait for it to finish, then click “Download.”

downloading the custom thumbnail from wave

Tips for Making an Amazing YouTube Live Thumbnail

Here are some tips to fullow.

Photos

Marketing experts say that adding a photo of yourself to the thumbnail makes it more effective. Needless to say, you should not choose just any photo. You must ensure it is of high quality. Using good cameras and lighting equipment is recommended.

Expressions

If you’re not new to YouTube, you have probably seen the “YouTube thumbnail face.” YouTuber’s faces on their thumbnails show an expression. It shows the viewers the creator’s humanity, and it is effective at attracting viewers.

Text

Add simple text with clear, buld, easy-to-read font.

Conclusion

Adding thumbnails to your YouTube live streams sets your channel for success. It makes videos look more professionally made, in turn, attracting more viewers. So, we recommend always adding thumbnails to your YouTube Live.

For creating YouTube thumbnails, you can use Wondershare Filmora. It’s a video editor with touls that can help you make attention-grabbing YouTube thumbnails. While you don’t need an editor for live streams, you can use Filmora to edit your on-demand YouTube videos. It’s hitting two birds with one stone!

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Steps to Make an Amazing YouTube Livestream Thumbnail

Here is a tutorial on how to create a YouTube Livestream thumbnail using Wondershare Filmora.

  • Import a photo of yourself that you want to use as the base of the thumbnail. Drag it into the timeline.

With Screensaver Wonder you can easily make a screensaver from your own pictures and video files. Create screensavers for your own computer or create standalone, self-installing screensavers for easy sharing with your friends. Together with its sister product Screensaver Factory, Screensaver Wonder is one of the most popular screensaver software products in the world, helping thousands of users decorate their computer screens quickly and easily.

adding your photo to filmora timeline

  • Click “Effect.”

effects tab on filmora

  • Drag the “Human Segmentation” effect to your image on the timeline. Do the same with “Human Border.” Alternatively, click “Touls” > “Video” > “AI Portrait” > “Ok.”

adding human segmentation effect on filmora

  • Select the photo on the timeline. Scale it and move it to where you want it to be.

WonderFox DVD Ripper Pro

adjusting your photo

  • Add backgrounds, effects, titles, etc.

Take advantage of PREMIUM features.
Create your texts / logos without any limitation.
No attribution required when downloading.
No advertising on the website.
TextStudio.com PREMIUM - Monthly Membership

adding background to your thumbnail

  • Click the “Camera” icon below the video preview to save the thumbnail. Select a format and a target fulder. Click “Ok.”

taking a snapshot on filmora

  • Right-click the screenshot on the Media panel. Select “Reveal in Explorer.” That will open the fulder where the thumbnail image is saved.

PaperScan Professional: PaperScan Scanner Software is a powerful TWAIN & WIA scanning application centered on one idea: making document acquisition an unparalleled easy task for anyone.

revealing thumbnail image in explorer

Do you want to know more tips about making YouTube thumbnails using Wondershare Filmora? If so, watch this video:

How To Customize YouTube Livestream Thumbnail Online

Wave.video is one of the best online YouTube thumbnail creators out there. Here’s a guide on how to use this toul.

  • Open a web browser and visit Wave’s website.
  • Hover your mouse on “Templates” at the top toulbar.
  • Select “Thumbnail” under Livestreaming.

youtube live thumbnail templates on wave

  • Select a template that fits your idea.

choosing a template on wave

  • Edit the sample image and text. Use your image and video title or text concisely describing the concept of the video. Edit other aspects of the image as needed.

editing chosen template on wave

  • Click “Publish” > “Current frame as image.”

exporting the custom thumbnail

  • Set up your image. Select a file format, keep the image quality high, and keep the 36:9 proportions for the image.

setting up the image on wave

  • Click “Generate.”
  • Please wait for it to finish, then click “Download.”

downloading the custom thumbnail from wave

Tips for Making an Amazing YouTube Live Thumbnail

Here are some tips to fullow.

Photos

Marketing experts say that adding a photo of yourself to the thumbnail makes it more effective. Needless to say, you should not choose just any photo. You must ensure it is of high quality. Using good cameras and lighting equipment is recommended.

Expressions

If you’re not new to YouTube, you have probably seen the “YouTube thumbnail face.” YouTuber’s faces on their thumbnails show an expression. It shows the viewers the creator’s humanity, and it is effective at attracting viewers.

Text

Add simple text with clear, buld, easy-to-read font.

Conclusion

Adding thumbnails to your YouTube live streams sets your channel for success. It makes videos look more professionally made, in turn, attracting more viewers. So, we recommend always adding thumbnails to your YouTube Live.

For creating YouTube thumbnails, you can use Wondershare Filmora. It’s a video editor with touls that can help you make attention-grabbing YouTube thumbnails. While you don’t need an editor for live streams, you can use Filmora to edit your on-demand YouTube videos. It’s hitting two birds with one stone!

Elevate Thumbnails: Fantasy Elements Added

YouTube is a platform where you can make money from videos. But in order to earn, your videos should get lots of views. The thing is that YouTube is a competitive space. So many others are trying to do the same. Thus, you’ll be competing for viewers’ time and attention. How can you win that battle? One way is to add eye-catching YouTube thumbnail backgrounds.

The video thumbnail will leave an impression on viewers looking for something to watch. So ensuring it is high-quality is crucial. In this article, you’ll learn where to find amazing thumbnail backgrounds and how to add them to your thumbnails.

youtube thumbnail

Why Change YouTube Thumbnail Background?

When people are searching for something to watch on YouTube, they’ll look at two (2) things:

  1. They’ll check the title to see how relevant it is to what they’re looking for.
  2. Two, they’ll check the video thumbnail.

Thumbnail helps them determine off the bat if the video is high quality or not. A poor thumbnail will push them away, while a good one will encourage them to click.

That said, YouTubers should ensure their thumbnails are on point. Your thumbnails should be visually striking. One way to achieve that is by changing the thumbnail background. It allows you to remove unnecessary objects from the image. Additionally, it lets you improve the aesthetic of the thumbnail.

Now the question is: how do you change a YouTube thumbnail background?

Where To Find a New YouTube Thumbnail Background?

Thanks to the resource sites on the Internet, you can always find kickass backgrounds to create an attractive YouTube Thumbnail. Here, we recommend five (5) powerful apps/websites to help you easily find ideal thumbnail backgrounds.

1. Search for Numerous YouTube Thumbnail Backgrounds in Filmora

Pros

  • Get access to YouTube Thumbnail Backgrounds within the video editing tool.
  • Provides you with millions of stock images to choose from.
  • The collection of stock media is constantly updated, giving you more and more options for your thumbnail background.

Cons

  • The software itself is not totally free.

filmora youtube thumbnail

Wondershare Filmora is one of the leading video editors in the world. And it does not stop at enabling you to make amazing videos. Filmora also helps you make that video succeed. It provides you with over 4 million stock media! That includes gorgeous photos that you can use as YouTube thumbnail backgrounds.

The best thing is that you can access those images within the video editor. Meaning there’s a streamlined workflow that makes things more convenient.

Where Do the Photos Come From? Wondershare Filmora takes images from the websites Pexels, GIPHY, Pixabay, and Unsplash. Besides those, Filmora also has its own stock media library - Filmstock.

Filmstock was previously known as Filmora Store. It is the effect store for Filmora version 9.1.0 and above. From there, you can find stock media, including videos, images that you can use for your thumbnails, and royalty-free music and sound effects. You can download these resources to turn your videos into art.

2. Use Freepik To Find YouTube Thumbnail Background Images

Pros

  • With over 22 million stock media resources, it offers a significant amount of photos, vectors, and graphic resources.
  • The website is well-designed and void of pop-ups, making it very easy to search for specific photos.

Cons

  • The free version has lots of limitations.
  • The premium version is expensive.
  • Download times can sometimes be slow.

freepik

Freepik is one of the largest image bank websites. It has over 22 million stock media that you can choose from to be your YouTube thumbnail backgrounds. And that collection grows further every day. Therefore, it’s highly likely to have the image you are looking for.

Not just that. Freepik has a special section containing only YouTube thumbnail backgrounds. That expedites your search. Then, you can use the filters to show only the thumbnail background designs that match your vision.

3. Find YouTube Thumbnail Background on Shutterstock for Free

Pros

  • One of the largest libraries of stock photos.
  • Gives a 30-day free trial that lets you make 10 downloads totally free of charge.
  • Includes free images.

Cons

  • The free trial lasts only 30 days. It becomes very expensive after that has expired.


EmEditor is a fast, lightweight, yet extensible, easy-to-use text editor, code editor, CSV editor, and large file viewer for Windows. Both native 64-bit and 32-bit builds are available, and moreover, the 64-bit includes separate builds for SSE2 (128-bit), AVX-2 (256-bit), and AVX-512 (512-bit) instruction sets. New versions support AI-assisted writing.

shutterstock

Shutterstock is probably the biggest website that offers stock images. It’s so popular Shutterstock is what many people first think of when they need to find stock images.

Shutterstock has been around since 2003. As such, its collection consists of over 200 million stock photos. From that many resources, you’ll surely be able to find something to use for your YouTube thumbnail background. Even after the free trial expires, you can find some free photos from the website.

4. Download Thumbnail Background Images for YouTube in Vecteezy

Pros

  • Millions of free resources.
  • Cheaper than alternatives.

Cons

  • The free version does not give you full commercial rights and requires you to add attribution.
  • The free version allows you to download only 10 files a day.

vecteezy

Vecteezy allows you to download stock images for free. However, if you are serious about your YouTubing career, you must upgrade to Pro for full commercial rights. The good thing is that Vecteezy is very affordable. It costs only $7 per month! And that already gives you unlimited downloads.

Now the question is, does it have YouTube thumbnail backgrounds? Yes, it does! Whether you prefer vectors or images, Vecteezy has you covered.

5. Attractive Backgrounds for YouTube Thumbnail – NegativeSpace

Pros

  • Photos downloaded from the website are free to use
  • NegativeSpace encourages attribution, though, to thank the photographer that took the photo.

Cons

  • The collection includes mostly photographs with just a few vectors here and there.
  • The website can sometimes be slow to load.

EmEditor Professional (Lifetime License, non-store app)

youutbe thumbnail negativespace

NegativeSpace is the perfect place to get your YouTube thumbnail background if you are on a tight budget. It allows you not only to download the photos but also to use them commercially! And the photos are high-quality too, and they’re meant to be used as backgrounds.

Please note, however, that if you’re looking for vector illustrations, you’d better be on another site. NegativeSpace is built by a community of photographers. So, most of the resources you can download from this website are photos captured by a camera.

How To Change YouTube Thumbnail Background?

Suppose you have downloaded a high-quality image that will work great as a thumbnail background for your YouTube video. What shall you do next? Of course, the next step is to make the actual thumbnail.

Choosing the background image from Filmora is great because it saves you lots of time and resources. The program allows you to select from millions of high-quality options. After selecting, you can use Filmora’s native features to edit the thumbnail. You can even resize the thumbnail background to 1280x720 - YouTube’s suggested thumbnail size.

It is more convenient than you may initially think. Yes, it saves you time and effort because you don’t have to switch to another program to edit the thumbnail. But it also makes the workload easier for your computer. Opening another program will eat more RAM and will slow down the computer.

Filmora’s tools for editing the video thumbnail aren’t too shabby, either. Suppose you have a great image with the main subject where exactly you want it to be. However, you want to change the background to make the subject stand out more. You can use Wondershare Filmora’s AI Portrait feature to easily change it.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

PDF application, powered by AI-based OCR, for unified workflows with both digital and scanned documents.

What is Filmora’s AI Portrait Feature?

Wondershare Filmora’s AI Portrait feature allows you to quickly remove and change the background of an image.

Normally, you would need a green screen or chroma key to do that. Another method is to manually erase the background using an eraser. The AI Portrait feature has an effect called “human segmentation.” It separates the humans in an image from the background. Then, you can delete or change the background with the thumbnail background that you have downloaded. It’s really convenient!

Here is a guide on changing a YouTube thumbnail background using Wondershare Filmora.

1. Put the Thumbnail image in the timeline.

youtube thumbnail bg 1

2. Select the thumbnail image. Click “Tools” > “Video” > “AI Portrait.”

youtube thumbnail bg 2

3. The AI Portrait tool will remove the background automatically. Click “OK.”

youtube thumbnail bg 3

4. Click “Stock Media” > “Photos.” Search for a background image that you like. Download the photo.

Project Manager - Asset Browser for 3Ds Max

youtube thumbnail bg 4

5. Drag the new background to the track below your thumbnail image.

youtube thumbnail bg 5

6. Select your thumbnail image to adjust its size and position.

youtube thumbnail bg 6

7. Click the camera icon to take a snapshot of the still frame you want to use as the YouTube video thumbnail.

youtube thumbnail bg 7

8. Select the format and storage path.

youtube thumbnail bg 8

9. Find the icon of the snapshot in the Media tab. Right-click and select “Reveal In Explorer” to open your local folder to find the new thumbnail.

youtube thumbnail bg 9

The Bottom Line

Your YouTube video thumbnail is almost as important as the video content itself. So you must not neglect it. Ensuring it is high-quality is important. One big step in doing that is selecting a great thumbnail background image. You can find these in many places.

The video editor Wondershare Filmora even allows you to browse for some within the program! Furthermore, Filmora provides you with tools to edit the thumbnail. In turn, it streamlines the whole process. Give it a try to start creating video thumbnails that will make YouTube users click on your video easily.

filmora youtube thumbnail

Wondershare Filmora is one of the leading video editors in the world. And it does not stop at enabling you to make amazing videos. Filmora also helps you make that video succeed. It provides you with over 4 million stock media! That includes gorgeous photos that you can use as YouTube thumbnail backgrounds.

The best thing is that you can access those images within the video editor. Meaning there’s a streamlined workflow that makes things more convenient.

Where Do the Photos Come From? Wondershare Filmora takes images from the websites Pexels, GIPHY, Pixabay, and Unsplash. Besides those, Filmora also has its own stock media library - Filmstock.

Filmstock was previously known as Filmora Store. It is the effect store for Filmora version 9.1.0 and above. From there, you can find stock media, including videos, images that you can use for your thumbnails, and royalty-free music and sound effects. You can download these resources to turn your videos into art.


Home Use license is dedicated for personal, non-commercial use only.
If Action! is used for commercial gain or to further any commercial purpose,
a Commercial Use license is required. Multi-license (volume discount) is intended for single

company, user or members of the same household. Action! - screen and game recorder</a>

2. Use Freepik To Find YouTube Thumbnail Background Images

Pros

  • With over 22 million stock media resources, it offers a significant amount of photos, vectors, and graphic resources.
  • The website is well-designed and void of pop-ups, making it very easy to search for specific photos.

Cons

  • The free version has lots of limitations.
  • The premium version is expensive.
  • Download times can sometimes be slow.

freepik

Freepik is one of the largest image bank websites. It has over 22 million stock media that you can choose from to be your YouTube thumbnail backgrounds. And that collection grows further every day. Therefore, it’s highly likely to have the image you are looking for.

Not just that. Freepik has a special section containing only YouTube thumbnail backgrounds. That expedites your search. Then, you can use the filters to show only the thumbnail background designs that match your vision.

3. Find YouTube Thumbnail Background on Shutterstock for Free

Pros

  • One of the largest libraries of stock photos.
  • Gives a 30-day free trial that lets you make 10 downloads totally free of charge.
  • Includes free images.

Cons

  • The free trial lasts only 30 days. It becomes very expensive after that has expired.

shutterstock

Shutterstock is probably the biggest website that offers stock images. It’s so popular Shutterstock is what many people first think of when they need to find stock images.

Shutterstock has been around since 2003. As such, its collection consists of over 200 million stock photos. From that many resources, you’ll surely be able to find something to use for your YouTube thumbnail background. Even after the free trial expires, you can find some free photos from the website.

4. Download Thumbnail Background Images for YouTube in Vecteezy

Pros

  • Millions of free resources.
  • Cheaper than alternatives.

Cons

  • The free version does not give you full commercial rights and requires you to add attribution.
  • The free version allows you to download only 10 files a day.

vecteezy

Vecteezy allows you to download stock images for free. However, if you are serious about your YouTubing career, you must upgrade to Pro for full commercial rights. The good thing is that Vecteezy is very affordable. It costs only $7 per month! And that already gives you unlimited downloads.

Now the question is, does it have YouTube thumbnail backgrounds? Yes, it does! Whether you prefer vectors or images, Vecteezy has you covered.

5. Attractive Backgrounds for YouTube Thumbnail – NegativeSpace

Pros

  • Photos downloaded from the website are free to use
  • NegativeSpace encourages attribution, though, to thank the photographer that took the photo.

Cons

  • The collection includes mostly photographs with just a few vectors here and there.
  • The website can sometimes be slow to load.

youutbe thumbnail negativespace

NegativeSpace is the perfect place to get your YouTube thumbnail background if you are on a tight budget. It allows you not only to download the photos but also to use them commercially! And the photos are high-quality too, and they’re meant to be used as backgrounds.

Please note, however, that if you’re looking for vector illustrations, you’d better be on another site. NegativeSpace is built by a community of photographers. So, most of the resources you can download from this website are photos captured by a camera.

How To Change YouTube Thumbnail Background?

Suppose you have downloaded a high-quality image that will work great as a thumbnail background for your YouTube video. What shall you do next? Of course, the next step is to make the actual thumbnail.

Choosing the background image from Filmora is great because it saves you lots of time and resources. The program allows you to select from millions of high-quality options. After selecting, you can use Filmora’s native features to edit the thumbnail. You can even resize the thumbnail background to 1280x720 - YouTube’s suggested thumbnail size.

It is more convenient than you may initially think. Yes, it saves you time and effort because you don’t have to switch to another program to edit the thumbnail. But it also makes the workload easier for your computer. Opening another program will eat more RAM and will slow down the computer.

Filmora’s tools for editing the video thumbnail aren’t too shabby, either. Suppose you have a great image with the main subject where exactly you want it to be. However, you want to change the background to make the subject stand out more. You can use Wondershare Filmora’s AI Portrait feature to easily change it.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

vMix Pro - Software based live production. vMix Pro includes everything in vMix 4K plus 8 channels of Replay and 8 vMix Call
This bundle includes Studio 200 for vMix from Virtualsetworks, HTTP Matrix 1.0 automation scheduler, and 4 introductory training videos from the Udemy vMix Basic to Amazing course.

What is Filmora’s AI Portrait Feature?

Wondershare Filmora’s AI Portrait feature allows you to quickly remove and change the background of an image.

Normally, you would need a green screen or chroma key to do that. Another method is to manually erase the background using an eraser. The AI Portrait feature has an effect called “human segmentation.” It separates the humans in an image from the background. Then, you can delete or change the background with the thumbnail background that you have downloaded. It’s really convenient!

Here is a guide on changing a YouTube thumbnail background using Wondershare Filmora.

1. Put the Thumbnail image in the timeline.

youtube thumbnail bg 1

2. Select the thumbnail image. Click “Tools” > “Video” > “AI Portrait.”

youtube thumbnail bg 2

3. The AI Portrait tool will remove the background automatically. Click “OK.”

BLUETTI NEW LAUNCH AC240

youtube thumbnail bg 3

4. Click “Stock Media” > “Photos.” Search for a background image that you like. Download the photo.

youtube thumbnail bg 4

5. Drag the new background to the track below your thumbnail image.

youtube thumbnail bg 5

6. Select your thumbnail image to adjust its size and position.

youtube thumbnail bg 6

7. Click the camera icon to take a snapshot of the still frame you want to use as the YouTube video thumbnail.

youtube thumbnail bg 7

8. Select the format and storage path.

youtube thumbnail bg 8

9. Find the icon of the snapshot in the Media tab. Right-click and select “Reveal In Explorer” to open your local folder to find the new thumbnail.

vMix Basic HD - Software based live production. vMix Basic HD includes 4 inputs, 3 cameras, streaming, recording, playlist.
This bundle includes Studio 200 for vMix from Virtualsetworks, HTTP Matrix 1.0 automation scheduler, and 4 introductory training videos from the Udemy vMix Basic to Amazing course.

youtube thumbnail bg 9

The Bottom Line

Your YouTube video thumbnail is almost as important as the video content itself. So you must not neglect it. Ensuring it is high-quality is important. One big step in doing that is selecting a great thumbnail background image. You can find these in many places.

The video editor Wondershare Filmora even allows you to browse for some within the program! Furthermore, Filmora provides you with tools to edit the thumbnail. In turn, it streamlines the whole process. Give it a try to start creating video thumbnails that will make YouTube users click on your video easily.

filmora youtube thumbnail

Wondershare Filmora is one of the leading video editors in the world. And it does not stop at enabling you to make amazing videos. Filmora also helps you make that video succeed. It provides you with over 4 million stock media! That includes gorgeous photos that you can use as YouTube thumbnail backgrounds.

The best thing is that you can access those images within the video editor. Meaning there’s a streamlined workflow that makes things more convenient.

Where Do the Photos Come From? Wondershare Filmora takes images from the websites Pexels, GIPHY, Pixabay, and Unsplash. Besides those, Filmora also has its own stock media library - Filmstock.

Filmstock was previously known as Filmora Store. It is the effect store for Filmora version 9.1.0 and above. From there, you can find stock media, including videos, images that you can use for your thumbnails, and royalty-free music and sound effects. You can download these resources to turn your videos into art.


WPS Office Premium ( File Recovery, Photo Scanning, Convert PDF)–Yearly

2. Use Freepik To Find YouTube Thumbnail Background Images

Pros

  • With over 22 million stock media resources, it offers a significant amount of photos, vectors, and graphic resources.
  • The website is well-designed and void of pop-ups, making it very easy to search for specific photos.

Cons

  • The free version has lots of limitations.
  • The premium version is expensive.
  • Download times can sometimes be slow.

freepik

Freepik is one of the largest image bank websites. It has over 22 million stock media that you can choose from to be your YouTube thumbnail backgrounds. And that collection grows further every day. Therefore, it’s highly likely to have the image you are looking for.

Not just that. Freepik has a special section containing only YouTube thumbnail backgrounds. That expedites your search. Then, you can use the filters to show only the thumbnail background designs that match your vision.

3. Find YouTube Thumbnail Background on Shutterstock for Free

Pros

  • One of the largest libraries of stock photos.
  • Gives a 30-day free trial that lets you make 10 downloads totally free of charge.
  • Includes free images.

Cons

  • The free trial lasts only 30 days. It becomes very expensive after that has expired.

shutterstock

Shutterstock is probably the biggest website that offers stock images. It’s so popular Shutterstock is what many people first think of when they need to find stock images.

Shutterstock has been around since 2003. As such, its collection consists of over 200 million stock photos. From that many resources, you’ll surely be able to find something to use for your YouTube thumbnail background. Even after the free trial expires, you can find some free photos from the website.

Power Tools add-on for Google Sheets, Lifetime subscription

4. Download Thumbnail Background Images for YouTube in Vecteezy

Pros

  • Millions of free resources.
  • Cheaper than alternatives.

Cons

  • The free version does not give you full commercial rights and requires you to add attribution.
  • The free version allows you to download only 10 files a day.

vecteezy

Vecteezy allows you to download stock images for free. However, if you are serious about your YouTubing career, you must upgrade to Pro for full commercial rights. The good thing is that Vecteezy is very affordable. It costs only $7 per month! And that already gives you unlimited downloads.

Now the question is, does it have YouTube thumbnail backgrounds? Yes, it does! Whether you prefer vectors or images, Vecteezy has you covered.

5. Attractive Backgrounds for YouTube Thumbnail – NegativeSpace

Pros

  • Photos downloaded from the website are free to use
  • NegativeSpace encourages attribution, though, to thank the photographer that took the photo.

Cons

  • The collection includes mostly photographs with just a few vectors here and there.
  • The website can sometimes be slow to load.

youutbe thumbnail negativespace

NegativeSpace is the perfect place to get your YouTube thumbnail background if you are on a tight budget. It allows you not only to download the photos but also to use them commercially! And the photos are high-quality too, and they’re meant to be used as backgrounds.

Please note, however, that if you’re looking for vector illustrations, you’d better be on another site. NegativeSpace is built by a community of photographers. So, most of the resources you can download from this website are photos captured by a camera.

FX PRO (Gold Robot + Silver Robot(Basic Package))

How To Change YouTube Thumbnail Background?

Suppose you have downloaded a high-quality image that will work great as a thumbnail background for your YouTube video. What shall you do next? Of course, the next step is to make the actual thumbnail.

Choosing the background image from Filmora is great because it saves you lots of time and resources. The program allows you to select from millions of high-quality options. After selecting, you can use Filmora’s native features to edit the thumbnail. You can even resize the thumbnail background to 1280x720 - YouTube’s suggested thumbnail size.

It is more convenient than you may initially think. Yes, it saves you time and effort because you don’t have to switch to another program to edit the thumbnail. But it also makes the workload easier for your computer. Opening another program will eat more RAM and will slow down the computer.

Filmora’s tools for editing the video thumbnail aren’t too shabby, either. Suppose you have a great image with the main subject where exactly you want it to be. However, you want to change the background to make the subject stand out more. You can use Wondershare Filmora’s AI Portrait feature to easily change it.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

What is Filmora’s AI Portrait Feature?

Wondershare Filmora’s AI Portrait feature allows you to quickly remove and change the background of an image.

Normally, you would need a green screen or chroma key to do that. Another method is to manually erase the background using an eraser. The AI Portrait feature has an effect called “human segmentation.” It separates the humans in an image from the background. Then, you can delete or change the background with the thumbnail background that you have downloaded. It’s really convenient!

Here is a guide on changing a YouTube thumbnail background using Wondershare Filmora.

1. Put the Thumbnail image in the timeline.

Glarysoft File Recovery Pro Annually - Helps to recover your lost file/data, even permanently deleted data.

youtube thumbnail bg 1

2. Select the thumbnail image. Click “Tools” > “Video” > “AI Portrait.”

Jutoh Plus - Jutoh is an ebook creator for Epub, Kindle and more. It’s fast, runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux, comes with a cover design editor, and allows book variations to be created with alternate text, style sheets and cover designs. Jutoh Plus adds scripting so you can automate ebook import and creation operations. It also allows customisation of ebook HTML via templates and source code documents; and you can create Windows CHM and wxWidgets HTB help files.

youtube thumbnail bg 2

3. The AI Portrait tool will remove the background automatically. Click “OK.”

youtube thumbnail bg 3

4. Click “Stock Media” > “Photos.” Search for a background image that you like. Download the photo.

youtube thumbnail bg 4

5. Drag the new background to the track below your thumbnail image.

youtube thumbnail bg 5

6. Select your thumbnail image to adjust its size and position.

youtube thumbnail bg 6

7. Click the camera icon to take a snapshot of the still frame you want to use as the YouTube video thumbnail.

youtube thumbnail bg 7

8. Select the format and storage path.

youtube thumbnail bg 8

9. Find the icon of the snapshot in the Media tab. Right-click and select “Reveal In Explorer” to open your local folder to find the new thumbnail.

youtube thumbnail bg 9

The Bottom Line

Your YouTube video thumbnail is almost as important as the video content itself. So you must not neglect it. Ensuring it is high-quality is important. One big step in doing that is selecting a great thumbnail background image. You can find these in many places.

The video editor Wondershare Filmora even allows you to browse for some within the program! Furthermore, Filmora provides you with tools to edit the thumbnail. In turn, it streamlines the whole process. Give it a try to start creating video thumbnails that will make YouTube users click on your video easily.

filmora youtube thumbnail

Wondershare Filmora is one of the leading video editors in the world. And it does not stop at enabling you to make amazing videos. Filmora also helps you make that video succeed. It provides you with over 4 million stock media! That includes gorgeous photos that you can use as YouTube thumbnail backgrounds.

The best thing is that you can access those images within the video editor. Meaning there’s a streamlined workflow that makes things more convenient.

Where Do the Photos Come From? Wondershare Filmora takes images from the websites Pexels, GIPHY, Pixabay, and Unsplash. Besides those, Filmora also has its own stock media library - Filmstock.

Filmstock was previously known as Filmora Store. It is the effect store for Filmora version 9.1.0 and above. From there, you can find stock media, including videos, images that you can use for your thumbnails, and royalty-free music and sound effects. You can download these resources to turn your videos into art.

2. Use Freepik To Find YouTube Thumbnail Background Images

Pros

  • With over 22 million stock media resources, it offers a significant amount of photos, vectors, and graphic resources.
  • The website is well-designed and void of pop-ups, making it very easy to search for specific photos.

Cons

  • The free version has lots of limitations.
  • The premium version is expensive.
  • Download times can sometimes be slow.

freepik

Freepik is one of the largest image bank websites. It has over 22 million stock media that you can choose from to be your YouTube thumbnail backgrounds. And that collection grows further every day. Therefore, it’s highly likely to have the image you are looking for.

Not just that. Freepik has a special section containing only YouTube thumbnail backgrounds. That expedites your search. Then, you can use the filters to show only the thumbnail background designs that match your vision.


WPS Office Premium ( File Recovery, Photo Scanning, Convert PDF)–Yearly

3. Find YouTube Thumbnail Background on Shutterstock for Free

Pros

  • One of the largest libraries of stock photos.
  • Gives a 30-day free trial that lets you make 10 downloads totally free of charge.
  • Includes free images.

Cons

  • The free trial lasts only 30 days. It becomes very expensive after that has expired.
![shutterstock](https://images.wondershare.com/filmora/article-images/youtube-thumbnail-background-shutterstock.jpg)

Shutterstock is probably the biggest website that offers stock images. It’s so popular Shutterstock is what many people first think of when they need to find stock images.

Shutterstock has been around since 2003. As such, its collection consists of over 200 million stock photos. From that many resources, you’ll surely be able to find something to use for your YouTube thumbnail background. Even after the free trial expires, you can find some free photos from the website.

4. Download Thumbnail Background Images for YouTube in Vecteezy

Pros

  • Millions of free resources.
  • Cheaper than alternatives.

Cons

  • The free version does not give you full commercial rights and requires you to add attribution.
  • The free version allows you to download only 10 files a day.

vecteezy

Vecteezy allows you to download stock images for free. However, if you are serious about your YouTubing career, you must upgrade to Pro for full commercial rights. The good thing is that Vecteezy is very affordable. It costs only $7 per month! And that already gives you unlimited downloads.

Now the question is, does it have YouTube thumbnail backgrounds? Yes, it does! Whether you prefer vectors or images, Vecteezy has you covered.

Jet Profiler for MySQL, Enterprise Version: Jet Profiler for MySQL is real-time query performance and diagnostics tool for the MySQL database server. Its detailed query information, graphical interface and ease of use makes this a great tool for finding performance bottlenecks in your MySQL databases.

5. Attractive Backgrounds for YouTube Thumbnail – NegativeSpace

Pros

  • Photos downloaded from the website are free to use
  • NegativeSpace encourages attribution, though, to thank the photographer that took the photo.

Cons

  • The collection includes mostly photographs with just a few vectors here and there.
  • The website can sometimes be slow to load.

youutbe thumbnail negativespace

NegativeSpace is the perfect place to get your YouTube thumbnail background if you are on a tight budget. It allows you not only to download the photos but also to use them commercially! And the photos are high-quality too, and they’re meant to be used as backgrounds.

Please note, however, that if you’re looking for vector illustrations, you’d better be on another site. NegativeSpace is built by a community of photographers. So, most of the resources you can download from this website are photos captured by a camera.

How To Change YouTube Thumbnail Background?

Suppose you have downloaded a high-quality image that will work great as a thumbnail background for your YouTube video. What shall you do next? Of course, the next step is to make the actual thumbnail.

Choosing the background image from Filmora is great because it saves you lots of time and resources. The program allows you to select from millions of high-quality options. After selecting, you can use Filmora’s native features to edit the thumbnail. You can even resize the thumbnail background to 1280x720 - YouTube’s suggested thumbnail size.

It is more convenient than you may initially think. Yes, it saves you time and effort because you don’t have to switch to another program to edit the thumbnail. But it also makes the workload easier for your computer. Opening another program will eat more RAM and will slow down the computer.

Filmora’s tools for editing the video thumbnail aren’t too shabby, either. Suppose you have a great image with the main subject where exactly you want it to be. However, you want to change the background to make the subject stand out more. You can use Wondershare Filmora’s AI Portrait feature to easily change it.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

What is Filmora’s AI Portrait Feature?

Wondershare Filmora’s AI Portrait feature allows you to quickly remove and change the background of an image.

Normally, you would need a green screen or chroma key to do that. Another method is to manually erase the background using an eraser. The AI Portrait feature has an effect called “human segmentation.” It separates the humans in an image from the background. Then, you can delete or change the background with the thumbnail background that you have downloaded. It’s really convenient!

Here is a guide on changing a YouTube thumbnail background using Wondershare Filmora.

1. Put the Thumbnail image in the timeline.

youtube thumbnail bg 1

2. Select the thumbnail image. Click “Tools” > “Video” > “AI Portrait.”

youtube thumbnail bg 2

3. The AI Portrait tool will remove the background automatically. Click “OK.”

youtube thumbnail bg 3

4. Click “Stock Media” > “Photos.” Search for a background image that you like. Download the photo.

vMix 4K - Software based live production. vMix 4K includes everything in vMix HD plus 4K support, PTZ control, External/Fullscreen output, 4 Virtual Outputs, 1 Replay, 4 vMix Call, and 2 Recorders.
This bundle includes Studio 200 for vMix from Virtualsetworks, HTTP Matrix 1.0 automation scheduler, and 4 introductory training videos from the Udemy vMix Basic to Amazing course.

youtube thumbnail bg 4

5. Drag the new background to the track below your thumbnail image.

youtube thumbnail bg 5

6. Select your thumbnail image to adjust its size and position.

youtube thumbnail bg 6

7. Click the camera icon to take a snapshot of the still frame you want to use as the YouTube video thumbnail.

youtube thumbnail bg 7

8. Select the format and storage path.

Kanto Player Professional

youtube thumbnail bg 8

9. Find the icon of the snapshot in the Media tab. Right-click and select “Reveal In Explorer” to open your local folder to find the new thumbnail.

youtube thumbnail bg 9

The Bottom Line

Your YouTube video thumbnail is almost as important as the video content itself. So you must not neglect it. Ensuring it is high-quality is important. One big step in doing that is selecting a great thumbnail background image. You can find these in many places.

The video editor Wondershare Filmora even allows you to browse for some within the program! Furthermore, Filmora provides you with tools to edit the thumbnail. In turn, it streamlines the whole process. Give it a try to start creating video thumbnails that will make YouTube users click on your video easily.

  • Title: [Updated] Cutting-Edge Concepts for Captivating YouTube Video Thumbnails
  • Author: Kevin
  • Created at : 2024-08-28 14:39:22
  • Updated at : 2024-08-29 14:39:22
  • Link: https://youtube-videos.techidaily.com/updated-cutting-edge-concepts-for-captivating-youtube-video-thumbnails/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
On this page
[Updated] Cutting-Edge Concepts for Captivating YouTube Video Thumbnails