YouTube Shorts is getting custom thumbnails
By Steven Van ·
Partner Program creators get first access, with a wider rollout to follow.
YouTube answered a long-standing creator request. "You asked. We listened." Custom thumbnails are coming soon to YouTube Shorts, giving short-form creators the same control over their first impression that long-form has always had.
The thumbnail gap in Shorts
On long-form YouTube, the thumbnail is arguably the single most important growth lever, creators obsess over it because it's what earns the click. Shorts, by contrast, has pulled its cover frame from the video itself, leaving creators without real control over how their Short is represented in the feed, on their channel grid, and in search. Custom thumbnails close that gap, letting Shorts creators design a deliberate cover instead of settling for whatever frame the video happened to land on.
More creative control
YouTube frames it as more creative control: Partner Program creators can upload custom thumbnails to showcase their unique style. That matters beyond the click, thumbnails are part of a channel's visual identity, and a consistent, intentional look across Shorts helps a channel feel like a brand rather than a stream of random frames. For creators who've built a recognizable thumbnail style on long-form, extending it to Shorts unifies their whole presence.
Rolling out gradually
The feature starts with YouTube Partner Program creators and will expand to more creators over time, the standard YouTube phased rollout. So not everyone gets it day one, but the direction is set: custom Shorts thumbnails are coming, and monetized creators are first in line.
What to do
Custom thumbnails for Shorts are coming soon for Partner Program creators. If you're in the program, it's worth planning your Shorts thumbnail approach now, a consistent style that matches your long-form, so you're ready to use it the moment it lands in your account.
Sources: YouTube on X, YouTube.