YouTube Thumbnail URLs Explained: Video IDs, Sizes and Patterns
Every YouTube video has a predictable set of image links. Once you understand the pattern, you can read, build and troubleshoot thumbnail URLs yourself.
The pattern
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/VIDEO_ID/FILE_NAME.jpg
1. The host: i.ytimg.com
This is YouTube’s image server. Thumbnails, channel images and other previews are served from here.
2. The folder: /vi/
“vi” stands for video image. It tells the server you want a still frame or thumbnail for a video.
3. The video ID
An 11-character string of letters, numbers, hyphens and underscores. It is the same ID you see in the video link. You will find it after v= in watch links, and as the last segment in youtu.be, /shorts/, /embed/ and /live/ links.
4. The file name
| File | Typical size |
|---|---|
| maxresdefault.jpg | 1280×720 |
| sddefault.jpg | 640×480 |
| hqdefault.jpg | 480×360 |
| mqdefault.jpg | 320×180 |
| default.jpg | 120×90 |
Why a URL may show an error
- The size does not exist for that video, most often
maxresdefault. - The video ID is mistyped or the video was deleted.
- The video is private or not yet processed.
Other numbered images you may see
You may also come across files named 0.jpg, 1.jpg, 2.jpg and 3.jpg. These are generally frames taken from the video rather than the main thumbnail. They are not offered by our tool, which sticks to the standard named thumbnails.
Do not treat it as your own image
A working link is not permission to reuse the picture. Also, the image behind a link can change if the creator updates the thumbnail. Use the URL finder to copy verified links, or the downloader to save a file. For a hands-on guide see how to find a YouTube video thumbnail URL.