Thumbnail Safe Zone Checker
Check a thumbnail against the areas where platform overlays can cover it.
Where the platform covers your thumbnail
A video thumbnail is not shown whole everywhere — a duration badge, a progress bar, or interface elements sit over parts of it in various placements, and important content underneath gets hidden. This checks your thumbnail against those overlay zones, so you can see whether your title text or subject is about to be covered.
Load your thumbnail to check it against the safe zones.
Designing for the corners you'll lose
The practical rule that comes out of this is to keep the important elements — the face, the key words — away from the corners and edges where badges and bars typically appear, and toward the centre-safe area that stays visible in every placement. A thumbnail that looks perfect at full size can have its punchline covered by a duration stamp in a feed. Checking the safe zone before publishing catches that, so your thumbnail communicates the same thing whether it is shown large on the watch page or small in a crowded list of recommendations.
Common questions
What covers a thumbnail?
Overlays like a duration badge, progress bar or interface elements appear over parts of it in certain placements, hiding what is underneath.
How should I design around it?
Keep important elements — the face, key words — away from the corners and edges, toward the centre area that stays visible everywhere.
Is my thumbnail uploaded?
No. The check happens in your browser.