YouTube thumbnail preview & A/B tester
See your thumbnail and title the way viewers will: on the home page, in search, in the Up next sidebar and on a phone, in dark and light mode, between the videos you actually compete with.
1. Your thumbnail (up to 3 versions)
2. The videos you compete with (optional)
Tip: switch on "Hide highlight" and "Squint test", then ask someone which video they notice first.
How to use the preview
- Add your versions. Upload up to three thumbnails and switch between them, or use "Compare versions" to see them side by side at feed sizes.
- Add real competition. Search for your topic (or paste the links of the top results on YouTube). Your thumbnail is shown among their real thumbnails and titles.
- Check every surface. Most views come from the home page and the Up next sidebar, where thumbnails are small. If it reads at 168 px wide in the sidebar, it reads everywhere.
- Squint. The blur shows what stands out when someone scrolls fast. If yours disappears, raise the contrast or simplify; the thumbnail checker tells you what to change.
FAQ
Is my thumbnail uploaded?
No. The preview is built in your browser. Competitor titles and images are loaded by your browser directly from YouTube.
Why does my title get cut off?
YouTube shows at most two lines of title in the feed and less on small screens. The preview cuts titles the same way, so put the important words first.
Can I test which thumbnail gets more clicks?
The preview shows which one stands out. To measure real clicks, use YouTube's Test & compare or swap thumbnails, then check the result with the CTR calculator.
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