How to Get and Download YouTube Video Thumbnails - 2023 Guide

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Nov
15

How to Get and Download YouTube Video Thumbnails - 2023 Guide

11/15/2023 2:53 PM by Admin in Ai tools


How to Get a Thumbnail from a Video

 

how to get a thumbnail from a video


Getting a thumbnail image from a YouTube or other video can be useful for many purposes. The thumbnail acts as a preview image for the video, letting viewers see a snapshot before clicking to watch.

In this guide, you'll learn several methods to download YouTube thumbnails or extract thumbnails from videos yourself.

 


Overview of YouTube Thumbnail URLs

Most online videos hosted on sites like YouTube have a thumbnail image associated with them. This is the image shown before pressing play and seen when linking or embedding the video.

YouTube generates multiple thumbnails for each video, each available in different sizes.

These include:

  • HD thumbnail - High resolution 1280x720px
  • SD thumbnail - Standard definition 640x480px
  • Maxres thumbnail - Full resolution thumbnail matching video

The thumbnails are available publicly if you know where to find them. By grabbing the thumbnail URL, you can download the image file or embed it in your own content.


How YouTube Generates Thumbnails

YouTube automatically picks thumbnails from within videos at certain timecodes. The algorithm selects images that are likely to entice viewers to click and maximize watch time.

For each video upload, YouTube generates:

  • 3 HD thumbnails at intervals
  • 6 SD thumbnails at intervals
  • 1 maxes full resolution thumbnail

So each video has 10 potential thumbnails available. YouTube tests these thumbnails and selects the top-performing one to show by default.


YouTube Thumbnail File Names

YouTube uses a consistent file naming structure for thumbnails. This makes it possible to modify the URL to access different thumbnail versions.

The video ID is the 11-character YouTube video identifier code.

The filename includes:

  • hqdefault - SD default 480px thumbnail
  • mqdefault - HD default 720px thumbnail
  • maxresdefault - Max resolution thumbnail

Numbers like 0, 1, 2, and 3 represent the different generated thumbnails.

Now that you understand the basics, let's go over ways to view, find, and download YouTube video thumbnails.

 


How to View a YouTube Video's Thumbnail

how to get a thumbnail from a video

You can preview and get the direct image URL for any YouTube video thumbnail. Here are a couple of ways to find and view YouTube thumbnails:


View Thumbnail in Video Details

The easiest way is directly on the video's YouTube watch page or details page:

  1. Go to the video page on YouTube
  2. Right-click on the thumbnail preview image
  3. Choose "Copy image address" or "Open image in new tab"

This will show you the direct image file download URL. You can right-click and save the full-resolution image.


Get a Thumbnail from the Video URL

You don't need to be on the actual YouTube video page to get the thumbnail. Here's how to preview and find the thumbnail just using the video URL:

  1. Copy the video URL from YouTube
  2. Go to a YouTube thumbnail preview tool
  3. Paste the YouTube video URL
  4. See the thumbnail preview images load for that video
  5. Right click thumbnail to save the image or get the URL

This lets you find the thumbnail without having to go through YouTube.

 


How to Get the Thumbnail URL

In addition to viewing the thumbnail image, you'll likely want to get the direct URL to the image file. Here are two ways to get a YouTube thumbnail URL:


1. Parse from Video URL

You can extract the thumbnail location just from the video URL or ID:

  1. Copy the YouTube video URL or ID
  2. Get video ID
  • From watch?v={id} URL, ID is characters after v=
  • ID is the 11-character code

Construct thumbnail URL

  • Default my default HD image: https://img.youtube.com/vi/{id}/my default.jpg
  • Default SD image:
  • https://img.youtube.com/vi/{id}/default.jpg
  • Replace {id} with video ID
  1. The thumbnail image URL is ready to use

Now you have the direct URL to the 720p HD thumbnail image for that YouTube video.


2. Get Video Details

Alternatively, get the thumbnail URL from the video's YouTube details:

  1. Go to the video watch page
  2. Click the Share button below the video
  3. Expand the "Copy link" section
  4. Click "Copy image URL"

This copies the direct image file location for the default HD thumbnail.

Custom Thumbnail Size

To get a specific thumbnail size other than the defaults, modify the filename:

  • my default - 720p
  • default - 480p
  • maxresdefault - Max resolution

 

 

Download the YouTube Thumbnail Image

how to get a thumbnail from a video

Once you have the URL, you can download the YouTube thumbnail image to your computer:

  • Right-click image - Right-click and choose "Save image as..."
  • Download from URL - Paste the thumbnail URL into a downloader site
  • Browser extension - Use a download manager extension

This will download the full-resolution thumbnail file to your computer.

 


YouTube Thumbnail APIs

In addition to getting thumbnails manually, there are APIs available to automate thumbnail downloads:

  • YouTube Data API - Official YouTube API has thumbnail methods
  • youtube-dl - Command line program to scrape YouTube
  • python-youtube - Python library with thumbnail functions

 

 

Get Thumbnails from Other Video Sites

In addition to YouTube, other video platforms provide ways to download video thumbnails:

  • Facebook - Scrape video page for image URLs
  • Vimeo - Use thumbnail URL formats to download
  • Twitch - Access thumbnail API methods
  • Wistia - Parse thumbnail URL from video HTML

Most video services generate thumbnails that can be extracted in some way. Though formats and availability vary across platforms.

 


Extract Thumbnails from Videos Yourself

how to get a thumbnail from a video

Instead of relying on a video platform's built-in thumbnails, you can extract and generate custom thumbnails from videos:


Download with Video Software

Many video downloader and converter tools have thumbnail extraction features:

  • VLC Media Player - Go to frame, snapshot as image
  • FFmpeg - Extract frame as PNG with -ss position
  • Freemake Video Converter - Save thumbnails from video clips

This approach gives you more control over the thumbnail image result.


Extract with Code Libraries

For coding projects, there are libraries to extract video frames programmatically:

  • PIL - Python Imaging Library can extract frames
  • OpenCV - Includes video frame analysis methods
  • ffmpeg-php - PHP wrapper for FFmpeg commands


Use Online Converter Tools

For quick one-off thumbnail extraction, you can use online video converters:

  • Convertio - Extract thumbnail from video URLs
  • Online Converter - Download the custom thumbnail from the file
  • ClipGrab - Snapshot image from video time

Just upload your video and these tools will generate and let you download a custom thumbnail.

 


Display Video Thumbnails in Your Content

After downloading video thumbnails, you can embed them into your own content:

  • Add thumbnail images to blog posts about the video
  • Show related video thumbnails on your site
  • Use the thumbnail as a preview image before playing the video
  • Create video galleries or grids with thumbnails

This improves user experience by showing a visual preview. Just be sure to provide attribution if repurposing thumbnails from other sources.

 


Legal Use of YouTube Thumbnails

When downloading and repurposing YouTube thumbnails, be aware of copyright and fair use:

  • Using limited thumbnails for commentary or criticism is generally permitted under fair use.
  • Reuploading many thumbnails from YouTube may violate their Terms of Service.
  • Altering or editing thumbnails too significantly may also cause infringement.
  • Always credit and link to video sources when using thumbnails.

In general, limited thumbnail use for commentary purposes and inclusion in non-commercial projects is acceptable. But be sure to avoid mass scraping or duplication of thumbnails across your own commercial sites or apps.

 


YouTube Thumbnail Downloader Tools

If manually downloading thumbnails seems tedious, you can also use a YouTube thumbnail downloader to automate the process:

  • SnapThumbnails - Extract HQ thumbnails by URL list
  • GetYouTubeThumbnail - Download custom sizes
  • ThumbnailDown - Bulk thumbnail scraper

These tools will save you time extracting thumbnails from multiple YouTube videos. Just be aware of scraping limits and copyright considerations when downloading many thumbnails.

 


FAQs:

Q1: How can I download a YouTube thumbnail on my phone?

A: On your phone's YouTube app, open the video and tap the share button. Choose "Copy link" then tap "Copy image URL" to get the thumbnail URL. Paste this URL into a browser or image downloader app on your phone to save the thumbnail.


Q2: What size are YouTube thumbnails?

A: The default thumbnail is 720x720 pixels. Other sizes include 480x480 pixels (SD) and full resolution matching the video (Maxres).


Q3: Does download YouTube thumbnails violate copyright?

A: Generally no, thumbnail downloading for personal or commentary use falls under fair use. But mass scraping or re-uploading many thumbnails may violate YouTube's terms.


Q4: Can I use a YouTube thumbnail in a commercial product?

A: No, you cannot use scraped YouTube thumbnails in commercial products like apps or sites. But you can save thumbnails for personal projects and noncommercial uses in most cases.


Q5: What are the best YouTube thumbnail downloader tools?

A: Some top YouTube thumbnail scraper tools include Snaptumbnails, GetYouTubeThumbnail, ThumbnailDown, and YouTube. These allow automated thumbnail downloading.

 


Conclusion

Getting thumbnails from YouTube and other videos is easy once you know where to find them. You can manually view and save thumbnail images or use APIs and tools to automate downloads.


Remember to provide attribution whenever repurposing thumbnails. And avoid mass, uncredited duplication of thumbnails. With these best practices in mind, extracting thumbnails provides a great way to improve your own content with rich video previews.

 

 


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