YouTube has introduced new thumbnail tools aimed at making it easier for creators to promote their videos, particularly short-form Shorts. The changes matter because thumbnails can affect whether viewers choose to watch a video, while the addition of AI generation may intensify concerns about artificial or misleading imagery on the platform.

Creators in the YouTube Partner Programme can now upload custom thumbnails for Shorts, including retrospectively through YouTube Studio on desktop, with wider access planned later. Desktop users can also choose from three suggested video frames for Shorts, while mobile users can select any frame; meanwhile, YouTube’s Ask Studio AI can generate and revise thumbnails’ layout, colours and other elements.