⚡ Built for YouTube Shorts · 9:16

Thumbnails that
stop the scroll.

Design scroll-stopping Shorts thumbnails right in your browser. Niche templates, MrBeast-grade text effects, full-resolution export — and your images never leave your device.

1080×1920Full-res export
7 nichesReady templates
100% privateZero uploads
$0Forever

A tiny studio for big hooks

No accounts. No watermarks. No uploads. Just the tools Shorts creators actually use.

Text that pops

Bold display fonts, thick outlines, glows and shadows — the exact style that survives the Shorts feed at 200px tall.

Image filters

Brightness, contrast, saturation, blur and grayscale. Darken photos so your text always wins the contrast war.

Niche templates

Seven ready-made layouts for gaming, finance, tech, fitness, podcasts, reaction and education content. One tap to apply.

Shapes & emojis

Arrows, badges, stars, candles and a full emoji palette to point, highlight and hype up your hook.

Shorts safe-zone guides

See exactly where YouTube overlays its UI. Keep your title readable and your CTA out of the caption zone.

True 1080×1920 export

PNG or JPEG rendered at full resolution in your browser — plus one-tap clipboard copy straight into YouTube Studio.

Templates for your niche

Every preview below is rendered live by the same engine as the editor. Click one and it opens ready-to-edit.

Hook-ready in three moves

01

Pick a template

Choose your niche or start from a blank vertical canvas. Templates come pre-loaded with layout, fonts and colors.

02

Make it yours

Drop in your photo, rewrite the hook, crank the outline. Safe-zone guides keep text clear of YouTube's UI.

03

Export & upload

Download a crisp 1080×1920 PNG or copy it to your clipboard and paste it straight into YouTube Studio.

Frequently asked

Is ShortThumbs really free?

Yes. It runs entirely in your browser as static files — there is no server cost, no account and no watermark.

Do my images get uploaded anywhere?

No. Everything is processed locally on your device using the Canvas API. Your photos never leave your computer — close the tab and nothing remains except an autosave in your own browser storage.

What size should a YouTube Shorts thumbnail be?

Shorts use a vertical 9:16 frame, so we design and export at 1080×1920 — the same resolution as your video.

How do I set the thumbnail on my Short?

Export your design, then in YouTube Studio choose "Edit" on your Short and upload the image as a custom thumbnail frame.

Will my work survive a refresh?

Yes — every change autosaves locally. Come back later (same browser) and your draft will be waiting on the editor page.

Your next viral Short starts here.

Open the editor, pick a template, ship a better thumbnail in under two minutes.

Open the editor →