How to Create Youtube Thumbnail Image with Canva FREE

How to Create a Thumbnail Image with Canva

Perhaps, in the era where YouTube has become familiar, you are no longer unfamiliar with the term “Thumbnail“. However, if you still find it strange, you can guess it just by looking at the image below:

So, a thumbnail is a small image that will appear as the cover for a video. As you can see in the image above, a thumbnail is not just a simple image; it also includes compelling content and eye-catching illustrations.

A beautiful and clear video cover attracts me to click and watch and demonstrates that the video has been invested in and is worth watching!

Hmm, thumbnails seem to be quite essential. But how do you create them when you don’t know how to use complex software like Photoshop? Don’t worry. Follow this article to learn how to make the simplest thumbnails using Canva!

Step-by-Step Guide on Creating YouTube Thumbnails

After accessing Canva.com and logging in with one of the three accounts: Facebook, Google, or Apple, Canva will welcome you with an interface like this:

If you want to create thumbnails for YouTube videos, you can type the keyword “YouTube Thumbnail” in the search bar, and the results will appear:

One note is that if you want to choose the size of your thumbnail, you can select “Custom Size” and adjust the size you want, as shown below:

After clicking on “YouTube Thumbnail,” you will see hundreds of thumbnail templates like this:

With these outstanding templates, you can choose and customize a design that best suits your video. However, if you don’t like any of the templates, feel free to create a unique thumbnail yourself!

To create a new thumbnail template, click on the first blank box:

After selecting a new box, Canva will take you to editing page:

Let’s design a thumbnail for the video “Simple Thumbnail Design with Canva”!

First, we will choose the background color. With the Canva theme, I will choose blue as the dominant background color. To select the background color, look at the vertical toolbar on the left and choose the “Background” section:

Here, you have solid background colors and landscapes, patterns, or gradient colors to choose from. Creating a background is also straightforward. Just click on the background color you want, and it will be applied immediately. For example, I choose white as the background color:

After selecting a suitable theme color for the background, we will create a “cool” title next. By clicking on the “Text” section on the left interface, you will see the following options:

If you want simple titles, you can choose the text types above. But if you prefer something fancy and eye-catching, you can select the font styles below that Canva has already prepared. To attract viewers to click, I will choose some bold font styles. To select a text or font style, click on it:

The desired font style will appear in the design area once you have the desired font style. Click on that text to change the content as well as adjust the font, font size, or color according to your preference:

Similarly, I have created a pretty appealing title below:

I intend to design the title “Simple Thumbnail Design with Canva.” Instead of using the word “Canva,” I think inserting Canva’s icon will be more interesting and prominent. If you also want to add icons to make the title more dynamic, you can click on the “Elements” section on the left of the screen. Then, search for the keywords you want (note that you should use English for more diverse results). For example, I quickly found Canva’s icon:

You need to click on the icon you want to appear in the design. Then, use the buttons below to drag the icon to the correct position.

Hmm, the title is already OK. Now, we may need an illustrative image. Thumbnails will be more appealing if they depict the emotions viewers will experience while watching the video.

So, what emotion do you want to evoke in your viewers? It could be a sense of excitement, surprise, or even sentimentality. With the title “Simple Thumbnail Design with Canva,” people will be amazed by its convenience. So, I will add an illustrative image of a viewer “astonished” to create curiosity and interest.

You can add your images by clicking on the “Upload files” section to upload your pictures to Canva and drag and drop them into the design.

If you don’t have available images, don’t worry. Let’s access Canva’s impressive image library by clicking the “Photos” section on the interface’s left.

In the search bar, enter relevant keywords. For example, I will search for the keyword “surprise.”

In just a few seconds, you will have hundreds of diverse options. Canva provides sharp and realistic images and images with pre-removed backgrounds, which are ideal for thumbnails.

It’s convenient. If you like a different image but still need the background removed, follow my instructions below!

First, choose your favorite image. After the image appears in the design, click on the image. A toolbar will appear on the image as follows:

Then, select the “Effects” section.

When you click “Effects,” you will be delighted with various unique and fresh effects. However, I will only introduce the background remover effect in this section! After clicking on the “Background Remover” effect, in just a few moments, I achieved an even better result, as shown below:

If the background is not entirely removed or has been removed too much, you can also choose the brush on the left side, “Erase” or “Restore,” to adjust the just-removed image.

Once you have completed the background, title, and illustrative image, we may need to add additional details, such as keywords or small icons. The steps to add text or icons are similar to the instructions I provided earlier. Now it’s time for you to unleash your creativity!

Does a video with a thumbnail like this already make you want to click and watch? The final step to complete the design in Canva is to download it to your device quickly. To download your design, click on “Download” in the top-right corner of the interface, and a small window will appear as follows:

You can choose file formats such as PNG, JPG, PDF, etc. However, the PNG format will give you the most precise and highest-quality image. As you know, the quality of the video can also be judged by the quality of the thumbnails. Therefore, the file format is quite important!

After selecting the file type, click the Download button at the bottom of the window, and an attractive thumbnail will be neatly stored on your computer.

Conclusion

It’s effortless to design an impressive thumbnail with Canva. While most people prepare it using complex software that requires advanced technical skills, I hope that through this article, you have gained the confidence to design your thumbnail for your video, adding more motivation to create better and more engaging videos.