Shorts thumbnail and cover maker
Pick a frame of your video, add a few bold words and download a 9:16 cover for YouTube Shorts, TikTok and Reels, at the sizes the apps suggest. Free, no watermark, and nothing is uploaded.
Small, the way it shows on a profile
Your video or image
Or drop one on the phone. It stays on your device: nothing is uploaded.
Put *stars* around words to color them. Enter starts a new line.
Download
1080 × 1920 is the size TikTok suggests for covers; YouTube suggests 2160 × 3840 for Shorts thumbnails. Free, no watermark.
The cover gets the tap; the first second keeps them. Clyper's clips open on the line that hooks, framed on whoever's talking and captioned word by word, each scored for how well it holds attention.
Make clips from a YouTube linkHow to make a cover
- Choose your video (or an image) and slide to the frame you want: a clear face, mid-reaction.
- Write the title, a few words that sum up the clip. Put *stars* around a word to color it.
- Pick a look, size and height, and turn on the guides to keep it clear of the apps' buttons.
- Download a 1080 × 1920 JPG, or 2160 × 3840 for YouTube.
Cover sizes on each app
| Suggested size | How to add one | |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube Shorts | 9:16, 2160 × 3840 (at least 640 px tall) | Upload in YouTube Studio on a computer; in the app, pick a frame |
| TikTok | 9:16, 1080 × 1920 | Cover editing, then upload local cover, when you post |
| Instagram Reels | Instagram suggests 420 × 654 (1:1.55) | Edit cover when you share, to pick a frame or add an image |
Custom thumbnails for Shorts are new: YouTube began rolling them out to Partner Program creators in July 2026. A 9:16 cover works on all three apps; keep what matters in the middle, since some places show it cropped. For a long video's 16:9 thumbnail, use the YouTube thumbnail maker.
What makes a cover work
Say what the clip is. A few words that sum it up, not the whole sentence. TikTok's own advice is to summarize the video and keep the text simple.
Use the same look every time. A profile of covers in one style reads as a series, and gets people tapping through to the next. That's why this tool has three looks, not thirty.
Keep it off the edges and the face. Leave space around the border so each cover stands apart on a profile, don't cover the person, and keep words out of the top and bottom, where YouTube may crop a Short's thumbnail. The guides show where the apps' buttons sit; more in the safe zone checker.
Questions
What size is a YouTube Shorts thumbnail?
YouTube recommends a 9:16 image for Shorts, at 2160 × 3840 pixels, at least 640 pixels tall, as a JPG or PNG. Images in other shapes are cropped automatically, so keep the face and the words away from the top and bottom.
Can I upload a custom thumbnail for a Short?
Yes, in YouTube Studio on a computer: open the Short's details and upload a file under Thumbnail. YouTube started rolling it out to Partner Program creators in July 2026 and is expanding it to others. In the YouTube app you can still pick a frame of the Short.
What size is a TikTok cover?
TikTok suggests a 9:16 cover at 1080 × 1920 pixels. To use one you made, choose cover editing when you post, then upload local cover.
How do I change a Reel's cover?
When you share the reel, tap Edit cover to pick a frame or add an image from your device. On a computer, use the slider under Cover photo or choose Select from computer.
What should I write on a cover?
A few words that sum up the clip, the same way each time so your profile looks like a set. Keep them big, away from the edges, and off the face.
Is my video uploaded anywhere?
No. The cover is drawn in your browser from the video or image on your device, and saved straight to it.
Sources
From the apps' own help pages, read on October 11, 2026.
Clips worth a good cover
Paste a YouTube link. Clyper finds the best moments, frames them vertically on whoever's talking and captions every word: up to 30 clips, ready to post.
Guides
- GrowingHow to change a YouTube Shorts thumbnail (and make a good one)Who can upload a custom Shorts thumbnail, the steps in YouTube Studio and the app, the size to make it, and what makes a cover people tap.9 min read
- Making clipsHow to make YouTube Shorts: a step-by-step guideThe three ways to make a Short, step by step, and the captions, hook, thumbnail and link that get it watched.7 min read
- GrowingHow to get more views on YouTube ShortsHow YouTube picks which Shorts to show, how views count now, and what gets a Short watched to the end.5 min read
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