Thumbnails are the preview images that represent your videos in your Catalog. They're the first thing your audience sees before deciding to watch your content, making them crucial for engagement.
💡 TIP: Effective thumbnails can significantly increase your video's click-through rate and overall viewer interest.
Adding Horizontal Thumbnails
Navigate to Content > Videos
Click on the video you want to add a thumbnail for
Scroll down to the Thumbnails section
Hover your mouse over the current thumbnail
Click to upload your own
Recommended proportion: 1480 x 840 px
Click Save Changes
📝 NOTE: All thumbnail images are limited to a file size of 100 MB. If your image is larger, optimize and compress it before uploading.
Adding Vertical Thumbnails
Vertical thumbnails provide a movie poster-like appearance for your videos, creating a more engaging catalog experience similar to popular streaming services.
Navigate to Content > Videos
Click on the video you want to add a thumbnail for
Scroll down to the Thumbnails section
Hover your mouse over the current thumbnail
Click to upload your own
Recommended proportion: 1188 x 1682 px
Click Save Changes
📝 NOTE: The vertical thumbnail feature is available in the New Website Editor and mobile apps version 3.20 or later.
🔗 Learn more about the New Website Editor
Setting Up Vertical Thumbnails
To display vertical thumbnails in your catalog:
Navigate to Website
Go to the Catalog tab
Select which categories will use vertical thumbnails
Click Save & Apply
Thumbnail Display in the Catalog
Horizontal Thumbnails
Horizontal thumbnails display in a standard grid layout across your catalog, showing more videos per row.
Vertical Thumbnails
Vertical thumbnails create a movie poster-like appearance, similar to popular streaming services.
📝 NOTE: While thumbnails can be vertical, videos still play in landscape orientation as Uscreen doesn't currently support vertical video playback.
Best Practices for Effective Thumbnails
Use High-Quality Images: Clear, high-resolution images make your content look professional
Include Recognizable Elements: Feature instructors, key moments, or clear text that indicates what the video contains
Maintain Consistent Branding: Use similar styles across your thumbnails for a cohesive look
Consider Contrast: Ensure text is readable against your background
Test Different Approaches: Try various designs to see what resonates with your audience
FAQs
Why isn't my new thumbnail showing up?
Why isn't my new thumbnail showing up?
Due to CDN caching, new thumbnails may take a few minutes to appear. Try clearing your browser cache or waiting a few minutes. 🔗 Learn more about CDN Caching
Can I remove a thumbnail without replacing it?
Can I remove a thumbnail without replacing it?
Currently, you can't remove a thumbnail without replacing it with a different image. If you want to revert to the system-generated thumbnail, you would need to delete and re-upload your video. Instead of removing a thumbnail, a workaround is to replace it with a placeholder image.
What file formats are supported for thumbnails?
What file formats are supported for thumbnails?
Ideally, we recommend uploading PNG or JPEG images for best results.
Do vertical thumbnails work on mobile and TV apps?
Do vertical thumbnails work on mobile and TV apps?
Yes, vertical thumbnails are supported on mobile apps (version 3.20+) and the latest versions of tvOS, Roku, FireTV, Android TV, and Samsung TV apps.