YouTube Shorts have become a powerful way to grow your audience fast. But here is the truth—thumbnails still matter. Even though Shorts autoplay in the Shorts feed, thumbnails appear in search, on your channel, and in the subscription tab. A good thumbnail can easily double your clicks.
In this article, you will learn how to add a thumbnail to your YouTube Shorts the right way—even when YouTube does not allow full custom thumbnails yet.
How to Add a Thumbnail to YouTube Shorts from Mobile
Follow these steps to choose a thumbnail when uploading Shorts:
- Open the YouTube app on your mobile device.
- Tap the “+” (create) button and choose “Create a Short” or upload a vertical video under 60 seconds.
- On the upload screen, fill in your video title, description, and tags.
- You will see a thumbnail preview. Tap the pencil icon ✏️ on the top of the thumbnail.
- Drag the slider to pick the best frame as your thumbnail.
- Tap “Done” and continue to upload the Short.
Important Note: This option is only available on the YouTube app, not YouTube Studio or desktop. Make sure your channel is verified to unlock this feature.
Smart Hack: Use a Custom Frame as Your Thumbnail
Since YouTube does not let you upload a separate thumbnail for Shorts, here is a clever trick:
- Create a custom thumbnail image using Canva or Photoshop (size: 1080 x 1920 pixels).
- Add this image as the first or last frame of your video in any video editor (CapCut, Premiere Pro, etc).
- Upload your video via the YouTube mobile app.
- When prompted to choose a thumbnail, select the frame that shows your custom image.
- (Optional) After uploading, go to YouTube Studio (desktop) and trim out the thumbnail frame from the video.
This way, you get a custom-designed thumbnail.
Pro Tip: Want to download the thumbnail of any YouTube video? Check out our YT Thumbnail Download tool.
For better understanding, you can watch the following YouTube video that explains how to add a thumbnail to a YouTube Short:
Where Will the Thumbnail Be Visible?
Even though Shorts autoplay in the Shorts player, thumbnails still show up in:
- Search results
- Home feed
- Your channel’s Shorts tab
- Subscribers’ feed
That is why it is still important to have a scroll-stopping thumbnail—even for Shorts.
Thumbnail Design Tips for YouTube Shorts
Here are a few tips to create effective Shorts thumbnails:
- Keep it clean and bold – Use large fonts and high contrast.
- Use faces and emotions – Viewers are drawn to human expressions.
- Avoid clutter – Simplicity grabs attention.
- Stick to vertical (9:16) layout – Ideal size is 1080 x 1920 pixels.
- Add a call-to-action – Phrases like “Watch Till End” or “Must See” help.
Do you want to create eye-catching YouTube thumbnails effortlessly by just writing simple instructions?
Check Out: Best AI Thumbnail Maker for YouTube
Final Thoughts
Even though Shorts are built for fast swiping, thumbnails still matter for views, clicks, and branding. Using the YouTube mobile app and a little creativity, you can still control how your Shorts appear across YouTube.
Whether you are an aspiring creator or a Shorts pro, try adding your custom-style thumbnail today—and watch the views grow!