YouTube image and video sizes
Prepare long-form video, vertical Shorts, and high-resolution thumbnails as separate compositions rather than cropping one master blindly.
Platform guidance
YouTube uses 16:9 as the standard desktop player ratio and adapts other ratios. Square or vertical videos up to three minutes can be categorized as Shorts; thumbnails have separate guidance.
Official guidance · YouTube HelpReviewed 2026-08-03
Working sizes
| Asset | Dimensions | Aspect ratio | Media type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watch video | 1920 × 1080 px | 16 / 9 | Video |
| Shorts working canvas | 1080 × 1920 px | 9 / 16 | Video |
| Thumbnail | 3840 × 2160 px | 16 / 9 | Image |
Why these numbers matter
Marketplaces, social networks, and streaming services resize, crop, or reject media that misses their working size. Building each asset inside the published size keeps the product, title, and artwork in frame instead of being re-cropped after upload.