---
title: 'How to Add Custom Thumbnails to YouTube Shorts'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=JnmlSdPhlu4'
video_id: 'JnmlSdPhlu4'
date: 2026-08-12
duration_sec: 38
---

# How to Add Custom Thumbnails to YouTube Shorts

> Source: [How to Add Custom Thumbnails to YouTube Shorts](https://youtube.com/watch?v=JnmlSdPhlu4)

## Summary

The video explains a new YouTube Shorts feature that allows creators to add custom thumbnails, which the creator claims has boosted their views to over 140,000 every 48 hours. It demonstrates how to access the setting and recommends a third-party tool to generate thumbnails.

### Key Points

- **New YouTube Shorts Thumbnail Setting** [00:00] — YouTube has rolled out a new setting that allows creators to add custom thumbnails to their Shorts, which the creator says has helped them get over 140,000 views every 48 hours.
- **How to Access the Thumbnail Setting** [00:12] — To use the feature, go to your YouTube Shorts thumbnail, click the three dots, and you can change, download, or select a thumbnail from the video.
- **Using a Thumbnail Generator Tool** [00:24] — The creator recommends using a YouTube Shorts thumbnail generator tool, like contentbuddy.ai, which lets you type in what you want and generates a thumbnail for you. A free trial is available.

### Conclusion

The video is a brief tutorial on using the new YouTube Shorts custom thumbnail feature and promoting a third-party tool to create thumbnails, suggesting it can significantly increase views.

## Transcript

If you want to go back on YouTube Shorts, you need to start using this brand new setting they just rolled out. And this is literally helping me get over 140,000 views every 48 hours, because I've added a custom thumbnail to all of my shorts.
In order to do this, you simply want to come over to your YouTube Shorts thumbnail, click on these three dots. This is going to allow you to change, download, or select from video. And then what I've been doing is using this YouTube Shorts thumbnail generator tool,
which allows you to type in exactly what you want to create. Then it actually generates your thumbnail for you. You could get started with this tool today by coming over to contentbuddy.ai and getting started with a free trial. Because if you want to get more views on YouTube Shorts, this is a must.